Our therapists provide couples & marriage counseling in Lakewood, OH

My name is Jeff Miller, and I have been in the mental health field for over 30 years. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master's degree in Social Work. My experience is varied—beginning in Cuyahoga County investigating allegations of abuse and neglect with extensive Juvenile Court involvement, then expanding to children and teens in foster care, residential treatment, and adoption settings. I have also worked with adults managing chronic or acute mental health conditions and dual diagnoses. I am open to working with most concerns, though depression and anxiety—often rooted in trauma and loss—are what I most typically address.

Building a therapeutic relationship and aligning with clients to find their “path” to healing is at the heart of my work. I help normalize certain feelings, and approach each person without judgment. I am honest and respectful of what a client can manage at any point in the process. Trust is developed and earned over time, and I fully understand that.

I look forward to meeting you and will always start from where you are. Our journey together will hopefully bring new understandings and positive life changes.

I am a Licensed Social Worker with a Master of Social Work from Cleveland State University, I have completed extensive training in trauma, substance use, LGBTQ, domestic and intimate partner violence, human trafficking, gang culture, and healthy relationship dynamics, and I remain committed to ongoing professional development throughout my practice. 

I draw from a range of evidence-based modalities including Solution-Focused Therapy, PersonCentered approaches, Motivational Interviewing, Trauma-Focused Therapy, and positive reinforcement, because I recognize that every individual's circumstances are unique, and I am dedicated to meeting clients where they are with patience, empathy, and clinical skill. 

I bring a strengths-based, collaborative approach to therapy grounded in active listening and genuine curiosity about clients' unique needs, because I believe that when people feel truly heard and supported, they are empowered to work through challenges and reach the goals that matter most to them.

I am a clinical mental health and substance abuse therapist with the licensures LPCC, LICDC, in the state of Ohio as well as a certified somatic therapy foundations practitioner. I provide clinical therapy to individuals, couples & families. 

I primarily use implementation of evidence-based cognitive, behavioral motivational family systems and reality-based therapeutic tools to support guidance through a journey towards empowerment for a happy healthy balanced well-being. 

I close out each session by asking clients if they have any questions, giving a summary wrap-up of the discussion, thanking them for taking a huge step toward the healing process and allowing me to be a part of it, and giving them the steps for setting up follow-up appointments. 

Lauren A. Carsten is an independently licensed clinical mental health counselor (PCC) and earned her MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from John Carroll University. Prior to moving back to her native Ohio, she completed BAs in both psychology and behavioral science (an interdisciplinary degree encompassing human behavior through sociology, anthropology and psychology) from San Jose State University in California. She holds competencies treatment of mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and grief, and has experience and training using trauma-informed practices. She also has extensive experience working with multicultural populations as well as the LGBTQQIAA population and has given trainings in these areas with a focus on sensitivity and accommodations to treatment approaches. She has also completed the certificate program for Substance Abuse Counseling from the University of Cincinnati and is able to integrate that training into current treatment when needed. She is adept at the treatment of individual clients, couples, as well as families and groups, and welcomes clients to incorporate other people into their sessions if needed and appropriate. Her style is generally relaxed and casual and ascribes to the Gestalt model of client interactions but does pull from several different approaches to find the more efficacious approach for each client individually.

I am a licensed independent social worker (LISW) with 20 years of experience in the mental health field. I specialize in supporting children, adults, and families navigating trauma, substance use concerns, anger management, violence, and homelessness. My work focuses on serving women and people of color while creating a safe, supportive space where clients can process challenges, build resilience, and work toward meaningful and lasting change.

I earned my master’s degree in social work from The Ohio State University. I am trained in cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. My professional background includes working in a variety of settings and providing both short-term and long-term therapeutic support.

My goal is to provide compassionate, high-quality mental health care while helping reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness. I will work collaboratively with you to identify your strengths, develop effective coping strategies, and create a treatment plan that supports your healing, growth, and overall well-being.