John: 

Working with Lauren was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I reached out to her when I was going through one of the worst funks I've ever been in where I just felt so unhappy and so drained and really lost. 

I have done a lot of personal growth in the last couple years; I've been to four or five different trainings. I've worked with tons of different gurus, and mentors, and coaches. So when I hit this kind of rock bottom, I realized I needed something that was really different. Like a standard coach, or a cookie cutter motivational seminar wasn't really gonna cut it. 

I reached out to Lauren because I think of her as someone who really thinks outside of the box, and who also just doesn't give up. If you work with her, I just know that.. I knew I was gonna get results. It was that simple. There was no version of working with her in which I wouldn't get the results that I wanted. And that gave me so much hope, and so much comfort, and there was so much trust.

So then when we started working together, it was such a cool experience. She is incredibly intuitive. She knew what questions to ask even as I struggled to formulate something to say. 

I originally went in with a set of things that I wanted to work on. And some instinct just told her to ask slightly different questions, and we got a really, really different result. And so we kind of followed that, and we found what was really, really bothering me. 

We found stuff that I had never thought of before, and stuff that I hadn't addressed before, hadn't brought into any of the previous coachings or trainings. 

And after working with her, I can honestly say I've enjoyed some of the greatest moments of happiness that I've ever experienced. And I wake up differently. I go throughout my day differently. People are asking me like, "What are you on?" 'Cause I just am so happy. 

And it shows up to me in literally every single area of my life. Even though we just worked on one, I am making healthier choices for my body. I'm making more loving choices with my family and my friends. I'm doing the best in my career that I've ever, ever done, doing the best with my finances that I've ever done. And that isn't even stuff that we touched on. 

It's just when one part of your life really gets cleaned up and gets filled with positive energy, it has this effect of transforming your whole life. So I can't say enough good things. 

If I was gonna give a gift to someone that I love, I just wanted them to have the best life possible because I love them deeply, I really can't think of anything better than working with Lauren. 

So if you're thinking about it, I would just say, do it. It's the best decision.

Lauren: 

All right, Tori, thank you so much for hopping on to have this conversation with me about your experience of working together and what it's been like for you. Can you introduce yourself, tell us a little bit about you?

Tori:

Yeah, my name is Tori Hicks. I'm 23, and I recently moved to Downtown Austin. I graduated from the University of Arkansas last year, so newbie to a new town. I didn't know anybody. Yeah, so, just kinda starting out. I mean, it's weird when you go from knowing everything and then coming here and knowing nothing. It's kinda, I mean, I don't know if that really explains a lot of it, but I was kind of a person who was like, "I feel like I just need to get out of what I used to know," and kinda went into a new form of life that I wasn't ready for.

Lauren: 

Yeah, so, before you worked with me, what was going on for you?

Tori:

Before I started, I had moved to Austin in May of 2021, lotta speed, lotta doing really well, learning new ways to be in a new city, have a job, everything that I wasn't used to, and it was going really well. And then, about August, September, I just kinda lost all motivation. I didn't really know what was happening. I'd never experienced anything like that before, but it was like I had no desire to do things that I was really excited about before. I kinda thought that it was a problem that I couldn't get out of. 

I was trying to find a solution, but I was like, there was nothing that was really working, 'cause I had never experienced anything like this before. I was always around people my whole life, been with best friends since kindergarten, and then college, I was around people. And then I'm in Austin, not knowing anyone and I'm the youngest person in my company, so it was very alienating. 

But then, I started talking to my family and my sister had actually worked with you in New York when she lived there a few years ago. And she was like, "All right, you need to kinda fix yourself because this is not you. This is not what is what I know Tori to be like." And she's like, "Lauren is great because Lauren is not the typical therapist, life coach. She helps you. She helps you figure out who you wanna be." And I was like, "That sounds super interesting to me," because I've never been to a therapist or anything like that. I was like, "This sounds more my speed," because I was nervous to admit that I was having issues.

Lauren: 

Yeah. So then, throughout this process, what were you able to let go of or stop doing or change?

Tori:

Throughout this process, I was able to get rid of this idea when we first started that I had a fear of failure, fear of rejection, that I was, something was wrong. And throughout this time, I was able to see that it wasn't so much of a wrongness, just a change. That I had to kind of learn how to grow with this new part of my life. 

So I was able to let go of those dark thoughts and see new ways of being, yes, this is different, but different isn't bad. And really I kinda stopped believing that, just because it wasn't one way, doesn't mean it's gonna be like that the whole time. But there's a way to kind of get out of that.

Lauren: 

Yeah, to get out of what specifically, that belief that you were having?

Tori:

That belief that I was having that I was just gonna stay like this and this was the new Tori. That belief that, that that was how I was gonna be.

Lauren: 

Yeah, like you came into this place where you felt really low and really struggling to find enjoyment in things, and then kind of this belief came on to you that said, "Well, this is just gonna be how my life is. This is just the new me. This is the way that it is."

Tori:

Exactly.

Lauren: 

So then, when you were able to shift those beliefs, firstly, how long did it take you to make these changes?

Tori:

A lot faster than I originally thought.

Lauren: 

Yeah.

Tori:

I assumed that I would be in this for awhile, 'cause we started in like January 2022, so it's only April now. And I have done a complete 180. I thought that it would take a year to feel like this. And now people in my life are seeing that I'm actually different than I was in May. I'm even more myself than I was when I graduated, which is crazy to hear, that it took only a few months to completely kinda change who I was.

Lauren: 

Yeah. I love it. So then, is there anything else that you noticed about the actions that you've taken or the results that you've created?

Tori:

I just feel more intentional about a lot of my actions now. It doesn't feel so much as like the actions kinda determine what I do, but vice versa. Before it felt like I was kinda like in a wave, but now I feel like I have more choice in how I feel, if that makes sense.

Lauren: 

100%, makes sense to me, 100%. Yeah, creating more choice, it's a theme that we talk about a lot, right, is all of the tools, all the techniques, all the release work, changing beliefs, all of it is 100% designed to give you more choice over how you feel, who you interact with, what you do in your day, but ultimately, kinda how you feel, right, 'cause that tends to drive a lot of things. So, why would you recommend me to people?

Tori:

Well, I've already told you, my family and my friends already know Lauren by name. I'd be like, "So, Lauren told me in our session and Lauren gave me this tool to use," so Lauren is commonplace with all my friends and family. 

But I'd recommend you to the stranger on the street just because, like I said, it wasn't like normal therapy when I came in because you gave me, like you said, a toolbox. You gave me things where I can be like, all right, I have ho'oponopono, I have release work, I have connection to my higher self, things that if I go through a dark time, they can relate back and kinda center myself again. 

Because from previous experience, I've heard people say that it's like you have to go back to how you were before and go back to seeing [a therapist] again and talking through that, but this is like, yes, I can come see you anytime, but this is more, I feel confident that I can help myself, that I won't be as dark as I was before because I have the ability to be like, "Okay, Lauren gave me these things and we talked through them, but it was mostly my decision to better myself and I have the power to do that." Which is a very, very, I can't think of a better word, but empowering thing to be like, "I helped myself."

Lauren: 

Yes.

Tori:

That's why I would tell someone, I'd be like, "If you wanna get better, you have to decide to do that yourself and Lauren helps you figure that out that it's possible."

Lauren: 

Yeah, thanks, I love that, 100%. I tell people and I've told you this, I'm just a guide. I'm just here to show you the path along the way. Whether you choose to walk it or not is completely up to you, and I'll try and help point out how to stay on the path. 

And you've been, part of how come you've been so successful from my point of view is because you've implemented these tools, what, are you doing them daily, every other day? How often are you using these few-minute long techniques?

Tori:

I would say daily. I used it yesterday when I was getting nervous about something and I was like, "All right, it is a big decision. It is a big thing that I'm about to do." But I centered in higher self, felt the ground, and it just all of a sudden, it made me feel more able to do something.

 Like it's that kinda there where it's like, it's kinda almost like a hug it feels like for a second. I knew something. I know I can fix this. I know I can make myself accomplish what I want to.

Lauren: 

Yeah. Oh my gosh, I love that. Cool, well, are there any last thoughts, anything that you would want people watching this if they're trying to decide if they wanna come in or they're not really sure what they're getting into, kinda like you were, right? At the beginning, we don't really get it, right? Anything that you would wanna say to somebody like that?

Tori:

I would just say that before I started this, I had a lot of moments where I kinda had that spark in the back of my head that said, "I should do something about this. I should figure out a way," and there kept being signals that were like, that needs to happen. 

And then finally, I just accepted that I needed to do this and it ended up being with you. And that was the best decision I made in this past few years, honestly, just because it's like, if you keep hearing that to yourself that this isn't what I'm like, this isn't me, and people around you are even saying, "We've noticed something different about you," or, "We think that this isn't you," take that leap. 

Because wallowing in that, not wallow, it's not the best word, but feeling that way, it isn't who you are. And if people that care about you and your own self is saying something to your higher self, then I would 100% recommend to just, don't be afraid to take that little step to better yourself.

Lauren: 

Yeah. Awesome. Thank you so much, Tori. I sincerely appreciate you hopping on with me. It's so perfect.

Tori:

Thank you.

Lauren: 

Talk to you soon.

Cassie: 

I think before I worked with you, I guess the right word would be just kind of feeling stuck, stuck to the point where you almost feel like you're going crazy. If that makes sense, I feel like I was always searching for the right thing. I was always trying to find right therapist or the right, I don't know, acupuncture, health coach, whatever it may be or the right self development program. 

I was always searching for the right thing. And I think the thing that stopped me, and always made me feel stuck is I would come back home at the end of the day after any of this stuff, and be like, I didn't even tell them the whole situation is. In my head, nope, they're not gonna help me. Nope. And you go and you just feel stuck once again, because it's like I couldn't open up to anybody about what was actually going on, because it was always a fear of people pleasing, which is so funny to say about like therapists and stuff like that. 

And so I just felt stuck. I feel I was embarrassed. I felt ashamed and just really scared for the downward spiral I was going into. And so I think those are probably the biggest things. Just feeling stuck in shame and guilt, and embarrassment for not really feeling like I was going anywhere. And all this stuff that I had inside of me was just it was just me and I couldn't get rid of it.

Lauren: 

So through this process of working together what were you able to let go of or stop doing, or believing, or feeling?

Cassie: 

I think some of the biggest things that I was able to work on is before I worked with you, I really felt like that stuff that I was keeping inside of me and I was going home with, and going to sleep at night with were just the numbing and coping mechanisms, or I would say the coping mechanisms to numb certain things of bad feelings, negative feelings, like shame, embarrassment, certain habits that I had that were even addictions or just things that I would go home with at the end of the night and be like, I can't tell anybody that. That's, someone's gonna judge me for that. A therapist is gonna put me in a mental hospital. Like I wasn't suicidal by any means but it was just having all of these coping mechanisms that no one ever sees. 

And so I feel like working with you I was able to really let go of the shame, let go of the shame and be my full self, and just really open up to you through every single thing that I've probably thought out all my life that I've never told anyone. And I could let go of all of the shame and embarrassment around them, and really let go of anything crippling that I was judging myself for. I feel like now I'm able to be more free because I can let go of all that stuff, and let go of the judgment. So not necessarily just the tangible things themselves that I was struggling with, but the judgment that I had around them, and the shame that I had around them. 

So for lack of better words, I could literally sleep at night and feel like, I have a weight off my shoulders. I have a weight off my chest right now. 'Cause someone, someone out there meaning you, you know every situation that I've gone through and I'm still here. We still have a great relationship, working relationship, a great friendship. You're not sitting here telling me, "Oh, Cassie you're like absolutely doomed like your life's about to be over tomorrow, you got some really bad habits." Like I'm okay. And I think that was the biggest thing is like especially the self shame and judgment around that.

Lauren: 

And that fear of people finding out or fear of all of that. Again, like you said, used to keep you up at night and it doesn't anymore. Thinking back to the beginning, what was all of that preventing you from having in your life? What was it in the way of? What were you after?

Cassie: 

I think I was really wanting just to have true relationships with people. Like for instance a relationship with my mom, a relationship with, I would say my newer boyfriend back then, but someone that I really see a real relationship with, see settling down with, I felt like that was one of the things that pulled me towards you. I really saw myself wanting to open up to him and I felt like I couldn't even show him my true self because I was, I had all these habits that I was like, well if something feels uncomfortable with him, I'll just go drink a glass of wine. I'll go like put myself in the bedroom and just like numb it out till I go to sleep. 

So I feel like I'm able to be more vulnerable and open with every single relationship with someone that I want to be. And I can actually sleep at night without having to have some kind of numbing coping mechanism. I just felt like I couldn't be outta my head. And so I feel like the freedom to have true relationships and live a life free of that self shame and judgment is the best thing that I could work towards if that makes sense.

Lauren: 

Awesome, I love it. Thank you. So why then would you recommend me to somebody? What's your experience with me that's different from other people, or this experience with this process that's different than things you've tried in the past?

Cassie: 

I would say one of the biggest things is I just felt from meeting you from day one, right off the bat. I don't know if it's like a gut feeling or something. But I just felt like you were so authentic and so genuine. And it was the right time to meet you in my life to where I almost felt like, I do have faith in God. I felt like it was a sign from God that I was being told you can open up to this person. And I didn't feel like I was gonna be judged by you just from the first time I had a conversation with you. 

And like I said, I don't know if it's like a gut thing, but I do live a lot by my gut and my intuition. And you are just so calming to be around. I know I've told you that, like in my funny world to me, you're kind of like that. You're kind of like that mom that like I can tell everything to. So maybe like an aunt, whatever you wanna say. I know I can tell you everything, but you're not gonna judge me. And you're also not gonna freak out if I tell you I have something bad that I'm going through. Like, I think the that's one of the things that struck me with you is that anytime I sat here and told you something I was ashamed of, that was like horrible for me to even say out loud to myself, you never even blinked an eye. Like we're literally talking face to face right now. And I never saw you go, Oh or like. Like you literally never changed your perspective and like your, I don't know if it's like your demeanor. 

And I think that also helped me too because I think sometimes whenever I've gone to therapists in the back or in previous experiences, or I've gone and worked with coaches or things like that, they kind of usually have a look of judgment to me. And I don't know, maybe it is like the person writing down on their paper when you say something that's probably a bad thing, or it's the person that tries to recommend something else or another doctor or another treatment, because you have all these issues that they can't solve on their own. I don't know what it would be like, I guess. 

But I just felt I could really open up to you because you're like, not that it's not like you've never seen this before, but I mean for lack of better words you're like, this isn't the first time I've seen this before. You're not gonna go to a mental hospital. Like you're fine. I can help you. And I think that's the other thing too is like, I felt that you were truthful in the sense that if you were someone that you felt like you couldn't help me you would tell me. 

And you know we have that initial consultation and you straight up told me you're like, I think after hearing what you're struggling with, I think and I know that I can help you. You're not just jumping right in trying to take my money for lack of better words or like take all my insurance, which I know that's a whole different story, but like I know you're not just trying to like take my time just to make a profit. So it really is something genuine that I know you put your heart into every time we talk and your conversation just bleeds out. Like it's really authentic.

Lauren: 

Thanks.

Cassie: 

I really appreciate it.

Lauren: 

Thanks, Cassie. Yeah, I love it. So then last question. Who would you recommend me to?

Cassie: 

Instead of, I guess naming off names, I'm thinking of those people who could really use you. No, it's like, I think kind of how I described I felt at the beginning like people who maybe feel ashamed of themselves and aren't opening up to practitioners or therapists or coaches, because they feel like they can't even open up all the way and they're still going home at night going to sleep with, I didn't say that today, but they no way in how I'm ever gonna say that to that person because I'm gonna end up on a mental hospital list, or they're gonna mark off some therapy that like they can't provide, that they're gonna have to prefer me, or refer me to somebody else to like, I think that's the biggest thing is maybe feeling like,

if you're at your wits end, and you feel like you have kind of checked off all of these different people and different practices so far and you're at a point where you're willing to dedicate your time to really get into your shit, and really work through it and not be scared of it, but be willing to be vulnerable with someone who really cares about you, and cares about your time, really cares to help you get to the root cause of what you're going through versus saying, "Okay, it's been 30 minutes, your time's up. Let's see again next week." I think that's who I would recommend you to is, because I don't want you to waste your time either. I wouldn't want someone coming in trying to talk to you that's like rushing you off the phone, rushing you off the Zoom, trying to waste your time with I don't know if like talking in circles is the right thing. 'Cause I feel like I do that all the time but isn't willing to take it seriously, I guess. 

I think that would be the person I would recommend it to is someone who's really ready for the change.

Lauren: 

Perfect. Thanks, Cassie. 

[break]

Right after we hung up the call, you got excited and said, I forgot to say that. Can I add it in? Go ahead.

Cassie: 

Yes, I just absolutely feel like this is material I need to share because I had never experienced it before with anyone else. But I feel like in the past with whether you go to, I've never been to rehab, but if you've gone to rehab or therapy or whatever it may be, I feel like you're always going to someone to try to get rid of a symptom, or get rid of a habit or something like that. And I feel like something that you really helped me with was versus coming at me with, you have all these negative bad habits. You need to quit all of them. We're gonna work through this with you. You'll allow me to have a choice. 

So for instance, if I was struggling with drinking myself to sleep every night. I know from what you've helped me with that you always remind me, “I'm not here to make you stop this. I'm here to help yourself give you choice” if that makes sense if I wanted to... because you want, you always have wanted me to have the choice and make the choice myself. 

If for example, I wanted to drink wine. You're not sitting here saying you have to stop this in order to feel better. You want me to have the choice and the resources, and the tools moving forward to be able to say, do I wanna have wine right now? Or is this only attractive to me because I wanna cope and I wanna numb something? 

That's what I was trying to say is that you give me the choice to want to either go and have a glass of wine and numb something out, or do it a healthier way. Work through the healthier way. So, hopefully that makes sense. 

But I wanted to share that too 'cuz it's been absolutely life changing that this is one thing that I feel like why you're not the mom that people scared to like open up to about things that they're gonna, I don't wanna say like berate you for or like, punish you for, but kind of in that way. Like you want me to have a choice in my decisions and what I do with my habits.

Lauren: 

Yeah. I think it makes a lot of sense. And overall, one of the ways that we talk about this is that you're the one living your life. You are the one in your body, in your space, in the relationships that you form. I'm not. And so you're the one who has the best answers for yourself. 

You're the one who can decide if you wanna be in that relationship. You're the one who can decide if wine tonight is good for you or not. If wine forever is good for you or forever not. It doesn't get to be a choice that I make for you. 

And I find that with a lot of clients that when we start this work together they expect me to tell them they're not allowed or you have to stop, or you have to implement these certain habits before you're allowed to keep working with me. And I think that's just another way that people have experienced trying to be controlled by other people who say they know better. Who say they have the better idea, who say that they have all the answers. And for some people they might need that. 

But for the clients that I tend to bring in, usually what we're working on is your empowerment and your ability to make the choices for yourself without feeling like you are compelled to make choices, calming nervous energy, calming down your nervous system, releasing baggage. And so when we get through all of that work, something like having a glass of wine when it used to be a problem maybe just isn't anymore.

Cassie: 

And I remember like some of the things I struggled with after we worked together, it was like I don't really even want to anymore. And it wasn't you saying you don't have, or you can't or you can, or you can't or whatever. But I think that's also what takes the shame away from working with you. Because the more you allow me to have choices in whatever decisions I make, the more I give myself that same choice if that makes sense. 

Versus I used to, I think talk down to myself and then kind of discipline myself for the choices I made as if I was a child if that makes sense. And so I feel like the way you have treated me in that sense with some of the habits I thought were the worst thing in the world allows me to also free up the shame.

Lauren: I love it. Thank you so much.

Cassie: Absolutely.