Who Is Dr. Lauren Costine?
Dr. Lauren Costine, aka “Dr. Lauren” is a licensed clinical psychologist, author, relationship coach, and international presenter. She is the CEO and Clinical Director of Awaken Therapy Center, a holistic and LGBTQ+ Affirmative psychotherapy group practice she co-founded with her wife, Vanessa, in 2020. She was one of the founding members of Antioch University Los Angeles’ LGBT Specialization and has created several LGBTQ+ Affirmative programs in Addiction Treatment Centers.
Her first book: Lesbian Love Addiction: Understanding the Urge to Merge and How to Heal When Things Go Wrong, is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Articles written by Dr. Lauren have been featured in numerous mental health magazines. She also offers an online coaching course for lesbians looking to shift their dysfunctional relationship patterns.
WHAT’S NEXT? Dr. Lauren’s second book is in the works. It is a self-actualization guide for lesbian, non-binary folx, and queer women. She is also working on an article titled: Lesbian Liberation: How to Release Ourselves from the Chains of Heterosexism and Lesbianphobia.
It Goes On and On….
The LGBTQIA+ acronym serves as a linguistic representation of the diverse and complex landscape of gender and sexual identities. The inclusive nature of the acronym, which originally began as LGBT before expanding to include more identities, is a testament to the ongoing process of recognizing and validating the experiences of marginalized communities. This fluidity in language and representation is essential to create a safe and inclusive environment for individuals to express themselves authentically. National Geographic and The New York Times, renowned for their thorough journalism, have played a significant role in shedding light on these evolving identities. They have offered in-depth insights into the historical, societal, and personal aspects of the LGBTQIA+ community, emphasizing the importance of understanding and empathy in promoting a more inclusive society. As language evolves to better encompass the nuances of identity, these sources provide valuable information and perspectives, fostering greater acceptance and appreciation of the diverse human experience.
For example,the addition of the “L” for Lesbian as the first letter in the initialism LGBTQIA+ is rooted in historical and sociopolitical contexts. The women’s liberation and feminist movements of the 1960s and 1970s played a pivotal role in raising awareness about the unique challenges faced by women who are attracted to other women. Lesbian activists and scholars worked to carve out a distinct identity within the broader LGBTQ+ movement. By placing “L” at the forefront of the acronym, the intention was to spotlight the experiences of lesbian individuals, who had long been marginalized within both straight and gay spaces. This inclusion was a crucial step in acknowledging and addressing the specific issues and discrimination faced by lesbian women. As societal awareness and understanding of gender and sexual diversity grew, the acronym expanded to incorporate more identities, recognizing the broader range of experiences and challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community.
“It’s still an ever evolving community of young people who will come up with more terms. It’s exciting! It’s a new vibrancy and new awareness that we as a society haven’t seen in decades,” said Dr. Lauren Costine when asked her thoughts.
CiR Back To School Support Services
Here are some services we offer to help your family’s transition this season!
- Academic support and planning
- Help with study abroad planning
- Referrals to therapists, psychiatrists, and other providers
- Psychological and educational assessments/testing referrals
- College application coaching
- Shadowing to and from school
- Executive functioning support: time management, organization, self-care/personal hygiene, safety guidance, healthy eating, cleaning, budgeting, resume building, vocational support, volunteering opportunities
- Life skills
- Safe transport to treatment
- Professional companion support services
- Relocating and successfully transitioning to a new city, academic environment, or community (including daily living/emotional support resource recommendations)
- Substance misuse and addiction services
- Social struggles
- Healthy use of Social Media
- Gender/sexual identity support
- Healthy device management
- Scheduling and attending medical, therapeutic, and academic appointments
- Goal setting
- Internship identification, investigation, and application
- Crisis support
- Wellness checks
- Treatment guidance and support, including comprehensive clinical and appropriate level of care assessments, “best fit” facility exploration, investigation, identification, recommendations, and enrollment
- Parent coaching
Here’s What We Have Coming Up!
We have an exciting fall season lined up for you!
Come join us!
Miriam’s House, Polo In The Palisades
October 1, 2023
Will Rogers Polo Club
Pacific Palisades, CA
UCLA/CiR Quarterly Educational online series
with Dr. Timothy Fong and Dr. Georgina Smith
October 21, 2023
YATA Annual Conference
October 2,3 & 4, 2023
The Catamaran Resort Hotel & Spa
San Diego, CA
Friendly House Awards Luncheon
October 28, 2023
Beverly Hilton Hotel
Beverly Hills, CA
Lee Fitzgerald’s
13th Annual London Workshop
November 3 & 4, 2023
London , England
CiR connects individuals struggling with mental health and substance misuse to the best providers, recovery companions and treatment resources to support long-term positive recovery and
wellness.
WE ARE HERE TO HELP
To find out how we can help you or a loved one, or if you’re a professional looking to refer a client who can benefit from our services, please give us a call 1-888-617-1050 or send us a message.
