With over 20 years' experience providing services for children and families in private, non-profit, and government settings, Lauren brings a depth and breadth of expertise to individuals and families in conflict.

Holding graduate degrees in both the law and in social work, Lauren understands the intricacies of family law as well as interpersonal and family dynamics, and applies her multidisciplinary knowledge to each client's unique situation. Lauren's multidisciplinary knowledge and experience informs her practice as a mediator and therapist, as she approaches each client's unique situation. As a mediator, Lauren cannot provide legal advice or legal representation, but can provide clients with general information and education.

Lauren is trained as both a community and family mediator, and has met the requirements to serve as a court-connected domestic relations custody and parenting mediator and domestic relations financial mediator under the Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court Order No. 05-028.

Lauren served as co-chair of the Oregon Association of Family Court Services from 2002-04, and was appointed by Chief Justice Wallace Carson, Jr. of the Oregon Supreme Court in 2005 to serve as a member of the Statewide (Oregon) Family Law Advisory Committee. In addition to her private practice, Lauren has a full time position in court-connected domestic relations mediation.

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with the Oregon Board of Clinical Social Workers, Lauren can provide diagnostic, preventive and treatment services of a psychosocial nature to individuals, couples, families, children and groups. Many health insurance plans provide reimbursement for these services, and Lauren is happy to assist clients with insurance reimbursement.

Lauren is a Field Instructor and Adjunct Faculty with Portland State University's School of Social Work, and formerly with San Jose State University's School of Social Work.  She also teaches in the Negotiation and Mediation Program at Portland State University's School of Extended Studies, and provides training for court-connected mediators through the Oregon Judicial Department.

Lauren believes that each human being is seeking wholeness and deserves to be valued; that sometimes we seek wholeness in ways that create internal or interpersonal conflict and initially get us the opposite of the wholeness we seek.  Yet competently handled, we can transform this conflict into learning and growth, healing our selves, our families and our communities. 

Education

M.S.W., University of California, Berkeley, School for Social Welfare , children and families specialization

J.D., Stanford Law School , specialization in children’s rights and family law

B.A. Smith College , double major in English language and literature and French language and literature, concentration in psychology

L’Universite de Paris IV (Sorbonne) and L’Institut d’Etudes Politiques , Paris, France: coursework in literature and political science

The Wheeler School

Professional Affiliations

National Association of Social Workers

Oregon Chapter, National Association of Social Workers

Board Member, Oregon Mediation Association

Board Member, Oregon Family Institute

Oregon Association of Family Court Services

Association for Conflict Resolution

Association of Family and Conciliation Courts

Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom , Fellowship Recipient

Ethical Standards

Lauren practices in accordance with the Core Standards of Mediation Practice set forth by the Oregon Mediation Association, the Standards of Practice for Family and Divorce Mediation set forth by the Association for Conflict Resolution, and the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers.