Lauren O'Neal

I'm Lauren O'Neal, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist based in San Diego, CA. My work is rooted in both clinical training in substance you and mental health treatment and lived experience. I know firsthand what it means to navigate loss, identity shifts, and rebuilding. That personal grounding shapes how I show up for clients: present, direct, and genuinely invested.

I work primarily with adults who are having high-functioning on the outside but quietly struggling, individuals dealing with anxiety, relationship & attachment patterns, heartbreak, trauma, and emotional dysregulation. If you've ever felt like you're "doing fine" by everyone else's standards but know something deeper needs attention, you're exactly who I work with.

My approach is integrative and rooted in neuroscience with evidence-based practices. I draw from CBT, ACT, DBT, trauma-informed care, and attachment theory, and I incorporate principles from polyvagal theory and Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) to help clients understand how their nervous system shapes their thoughts, behaviors, and relationships. I believe insight without action only goes so far, so sessions are collaborative, practical, and purposeful. I'm warm and empathetic, and I'll also be honest with you when honesty is what moves the needle.

The first session is conversational and low-pressure. We'll talk about what brought you in, what's felt stuck, and what you're hoping to get out of therapy. I'll ask questions to understand your history and your goals, and by the end we both can have a clearer sense of what our work together could look like. You don't need to have it all figured out before we start, that's what we're here to do together.