Lauren Presutti
Meet Lauren Presutti, founder of River Oaks Psychology, an online counseling practice providing telehealth services to kids, teens, adults, couples, and families anywhere in Michigan. Lauren says: “I built River Oaks Psychology because I don’t want ANYONE to ever feel alone. We believe in helping people feel heard, valued, and wholeheartedly understood. Get cozy in your home. No driving. No traffic. Private. HIPAA-compliant. Confidential. And no, we won't judge if you're in pajamas. We want you to be comfortable. We’re here for YOU.
Diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy at age 2, Lauren has been using a power wheelchair since she was 5 years old. Lauren can barely move her muscles but sitting on the sidelines was never an option for her. She fiercely ignored social expectations and misguided stereotypes about disabilities. Instead, Lauren blazed trails and focused on defining her own life. Lauren realized that an important part of her success stems from the fact that she never thought she was that different from anyone else, despite her inability to use muscles. Since birth, she adapted her body in such profound ways that flexible thinking, problem-solving, and resourcefulness became second nature to her, strengthening her ability to succeed.
But as Lauren threw herself into the world growing up, she was also acutely aware of social inequalities, judgment, lack of resources, misunderstandings, insecurities, mental illness, self-doubt, chronic discouragement, unresolved trauma, broken relationships, invalidation, unachieved dreams, feeling stuck, shame, and loneliness that make life harder for all people struggling to thrive. It became Lauren’s mission to recognize those who were not living their most empowered lives. This inspired Lauren to become a licensed psychotherapist in private practice. She discovered her soul-enriching purpose in the mental health field. There is no other professional field that compares to therapists providing genuine space for others to feel heard, understood, and accepted.
Aligned with her core beliefs, Lauren discovered that people find wellness when they have access to safe spaces where they feel seen, valued, and emotionally connected to another human. She realized that for many people, it can be hard to find those spaces in the world where we feel like we truly belong. She saw how loneliness and the absence of belonging often leads to feeling misunderstood, disempowered, and undervalued (all contributing factors to mental illness). And then – determined to build something where people never have to feel alone, she created River Oaks Psychology, a telehealth company providing effective online therapy to more people in more places. With a dedicated team of person-centered clinicians, getting help and feeling wholeheartedly supported wherever you are is now easier than ever before.
Email: lauren@riveroakspsychology.com
Call/text: 248-717-1232
www.riveroakspsychology.com
