Lauren Mead, PhD

Responsibilities  

As a 5th year Clinical Psychology Doctoral Intern at the Simms/Mann Center, I provide psychosocial support to patients and their loved ones who have been impacted by cancer. I help to connect patients to community resources while collaborating with their medical team, as well as promoting patient advocacy within the healthcare system and in daily life. My goal is to provide a safe space to help patients and families navigate and honor their unique and often overwhelming experiences by creating meaning, facilitating communication and connection, and providing holistic support. 

Simms Mann Center Programming 

I co-facilitate the Living Beyond Limits support group for patients who are navigating metastatic cancer diagnoses.  

Training and Professional Experience 

I earned my B.A. in Psychology in 2012 from the University of Colorado at Boulder and became a licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor in 2018 after attending UCLA. My clinical experience has included providing psychosocial services, assessments, and support to patients across the lifespan in a variety of settings. I worked at an outpatient treatment center for addiction as a counselor, case manager, and supervisor for a number of years before returning to school to earn my doctorate at the California School of Professional Psychology, Alliant International University with an emphasis in Health Psychology.  

Over the years, I have provided individual and group therapy services to underserved populations while working for the LA Department of Mental Health, have administered neuropsychological and personality assessments with a focus on adult ADHD while working in a private practice, and have worked as part of the psychosis clinic at the West LA VA. I am currently completing my doctoral dissertation with an emphasis on bolstering resiliency within chronic pain and illness, along with a specific focus on the treatment of chronic digestive pain in adults. Lastly, my clinical interests include health concerns and social issues within the LGBTQ+ population. All of these various experiences have prepared me to continue pursuing my growth as a clinician and offering support to others as a second-year psychology intern with the Simms/Mann team.

Personal Interests 

Outside of studying and working, I enjoy spending time with my family, friends, and my dog, Murphy. I appreciate attending live entertainment like concerts, plays, and sporting events, and I love to travel, so I am often planning my next adventure as time allows!