Lauren McFarland

I'm Lauren McFarland, an LCADC and Licensed Social Worker with 9 years of experience helping adults navigate substance use, addiction, and recovery. My specialty isn't just in treating addiction — it's in understanding what's underneath it. Most of the people I work with aren't struggling because they lack willpower. They're struggling because of underlying issues going unaddressed for years, and substances became the fastest way to feel okay. I work with that full picture. I accept Aetna, Cigna, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, and Carelon Behavioral Health — so cost is rarely a barrier to getting started.

I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all recovery. My approach draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Motivational Interviewing while adapting to your individual needs, goals, and stage of change. Whether you’re newly sober, struggling with relapse, or still unsure whether substance use has become a problem, we’ll start where you are. Together, we’ll build practical coping skills, strengthen resilience, identify patterns that may be keeping you stuck, and work toward meaningful, lasting change in a supportive, nonjudgmental space. I provide telehealth counseling throughout New Jersey, making it easier to access consistent care from wherever you are.

Expect a real conversation—not a checklist. Your first session is about understanding what has brought you here, what you’ve been struggling with, and what you want life to look like moving forward. I’ll ask questions, listen carefully, and share my clinical perspective along the way. We’ll talk about what you’ve already tried, what has helped, what hasn’t, and what may be keeping you stuck. There’s no expectation that you have everything figured out before you come in. By the end of the session, you’ll have a clearer sense of what working together could look like and whether it feels like the right fit. My hope is that you leave feeling understood, with more clarity and less of a sense that you have to carry everything on your own.