Lauren Seltzer, LMFT
With over 16 years of clinical expertise in educational, private practice, and residential therapeutic settings, Lauren Seltzer, LMFT has an established reputation for helping families and young people reach their potential. She brings to her practice a passion for integrative health and wellness, incorporating mindfulness-based skills (DBT) and self-care, as well as a robust background in the family systems approach.
Lauren believes in forming meaningful and trusting relationships with families from the very beginning. Her approach is integrative, highly-individualized, and tailored to the unique needs of every young person. Through open dialogue and an intimate knowledge of the integrity of every program and school she suggests, Lauren’s recommendations are made with intention and thoughtfulness while addressing the singular needs and wants of each family. With her clinical expertise, Lauren works with the family to identify areas of concern, develop diagnostic impressions, and recommends treatment that best meets the individual needs of each young person and their family.
Lauren recognizes the importance of meeting the clients where they are, as well as validating the ambivalence experienced around starting treatment. With compassion and flexibility, she coaches parents/guardians as they make these difficult decisions and coordinates with the clients’ home providers to develop a strong support team for the family. Lauren encourages the parents/guardians to do their own work while their child is in treatment. She provides support and directives on how they can begin this process. Lauren challenges the family to look beyond the identified patient to explore their own role in the system as means for healing individually and as a family.
Emilie Allen, MA, MFA
Emilie Allen oversees ERU’s operations and communications efforts. She brings over 14 years of experience working in education and experiential learning. Prior to ERU, Emilie served for several years as director of marketing and communications at a progressive independent boarding and day school and summer camp in New York. When not working on behalf of ERU clients, Emilie is the principal creative at Otter & Owl Media. She holds an MA from Concordia University, Montreal, and MFA from University of British Columbia, Vancouver.
History
In 1997, Educational Resources Unlimited was established by Barbara Posner, a longtime educator and advocate for students with special needs. Lauren Seltzer joined ERU in 2019, taking over the practice from Barbara, with whom she worked professionally for many years while employed as a clinician at a therapeutic boarding school.
Built on a family friendship of over 35 years, the foundation of Barbara and Lauren’s relationship is rooted in authentic connection and a professional alignment of Lauren’s clinical and academic background with Barbara’s 20+ years in educational consultation. While Barbara is enjoying the next phase of her life, she continues to have a strong presence at ERU and remains engaged in client case discussions while maintaining her relationships in the industry.
Lauren Seltzer
Lauren is a licensed marriage and family therapist and owner of Educational Resources Unlimited, a therapeutic and educational consulting firm. She holds a master’s degree in counseling from San Francisco State University and a bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Vermont.
Prior to ERU, Lauren worked at a therapeutic boarding school as an Admissions Director, Assistant Clinical Director, and therapist. Currently Lauren has a private practice working with individuals and families. She holds a certificate in Holistic Health Counseling. Lauren also has experience teaching in both traditional and special education schools. She serves as the consulting psychotherapist at the Quinnipiac Law School.
Her professional focus is in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness, Integrative Health and Wellness, and relationship focused treatment. Lauren chaired the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) Northeast conference for four years and served on various committees for the Association. She has presented at the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), Small Boarding Schools Association (SBSA), NATSAP, and other industry conferences and events. Lauren offers workshops and presentations on themes of compassion and self-care within the therapeutic and educational industry, as well as locally in Connecticut.
Lauren is a member of IECA and serves on the IECA’s Foundation Board, and is in the process of becoming a consultant member of NATSAP and SBSA.
Outside of work, Lauren is a mother of a young child and appreciates the effort that goes into parenting and living a balanced life.