We recently connected with Lauren Ross and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Lauren thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

I can’t say there was one particular instance that changed the trajectory of my career; this type of work has many profound moments. However, I certainly experienced a rapid awareness of a defining theme and subsequent mindset shift. Some background for those readers not in the field: Almost all mental and relational healthcare that is currently available is problem-focused. So much so that in order to bill insurance, a practitioner must assign the client a diagnosis from the DSM-5 at the first session. This didn’t (and doesn’t) sit well with me because it both perpetuates the stigma that surrounds mental and relational healthcare and creates a barrier to entry for clients seeking preventative care. It also feels completely unsustainable and exasperating when you recognize that this problem-focused system is never-ending.
Because of this system, when I first started seeing clients, they were almost all coming in to services in a state of crisis. This work was of course immensely important, and I feel so honored to have had the opportunity to support clients through such incredible challenges. However, this also brought the glaring need for preventative care to my attention. Thus, shifting my professional aspirations away from family therapy and towards premarital counseling. I refused to be a small cog in a broken system. Instead, I set out to forge new paths from a preventative lens.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hi There! I’m Lauren Ross, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Professional Counselor. I am the owner of Texas Premarital Counseling, a private practice where I provide preventative relational wellness services online for couples in Texas. My passion has always been helping others, and this practice allows me to do so in an empowering way. There are a lot of couples counselors out there, and even more therapists in general. What sets me apart is my focus on providing quality preventative care to couples by using evidence-based tools and techniques. Unlike traditional couples counseling, the couples I work with are already doing very well before starting services. Throughout our time together, couples build awareness, deepen their intimacy, and develop processes for maintaining healthy communication throughout life’s unpredictable twists and turns. Couples coming to see me for the first time typically don’t know what they don’t know, and are unsure what they’ll gain from premarital counseling, yet are deeply committed to each other and to continual growth in their relationships. Often, a few weeks into services, couples will say to me “wow, we thought things were going well before this, and we’re already doing so much better!” In addition to serious conversations and exploration of important topics, there is also a lot of playfulness in my work because couples are excited to talk about what they love, appreciate, and respect about each other. So many couples blindly fall into bad habits and grow apart, and that’s why my work is important- by learning to be intentional, couples stay connected and build marriages that get better with time.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

There are not very many therapists working within the preventative relational wellness specialization, and so I’ve found that other professionals are excited to learn about the services I provide and are happy to have somewhere to send clients who are looking for premarital counseling. I’ve always approached networking with curiosity about how I can help others, and love learning about other people’s businesses. I also feel strongly that it is a major part of my ethical responsibility as a counselor to provide the best possible referrals. If my services are not the best fit for someone, I try very hard to connect them with more appropriate resources, and so a thorough knowledge of what is available is essential. I also think that my professional background as a couples and family therapist has given me the experience and skillset necessary to do great work in my niche. People who know me know that I am approachable, eager to help, and passionate about the work I do.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Getting good at Google has been an important part of the business-side of my practice. There is so much more to succeeding in this field than being an excellent practitioner. Learning about website design, SEO, and other technical elements have helped me connect with my ideal clients. This has also helped me grow in areas I otherwise would have never experienced, and I am proud of the things I’ve learned and the ways I’ve stepped outside of my comfort zone. I also try my best to help other therapists navigate these challenges, I believe in the power of community and am constantly looking for ways to support my peers. Networking with wedding professionals has also been an effective way to build awareness of my practice, since so many of my clients are engaged to be married and actively planning weddings.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.premaritaltexas.com/
• Instagram: @TexasPremaritalCounseling
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063756792412