Taryn Lawrence(She/Her/Hers)

Taryn Lawrence is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, located in Santa Barbara, California. She welcomes both individuals and couples who find themselves grappling with painful emotions and confusing relationships with family, friends or co-workers. Many of her clients seek therapy when it all starts to unravel and symptoms of depression or anxiety start to show up. This just isn’t the way they want to live. Taryn is particularly committed to helping people who have been hurt in relationships, past and present.

Taryn has been in practice for over 25 years and has advanced training in Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP). AEDP is deeply attuned to the relationship between therapist and client. IFS utilizes a compassionate, open and nonpathologizing approach to working with symptoms and behaviors. When clients hear that their especially confusing behaviors are only a part of them and not who they really are, the relief is palpable. Taryn guides and helps her clients learn and understand the positive and protective intent behind confusing behaviors or symptoms. In addition, underneath the confusion are parts that hold emotional pain. Taryn supports and guides her clients in healing emotional pain with self-compassion, curiosity and calm, with an emphasis on the therapeutic role of providing emotional safety.

Taryn grounds the psychotherapy with her clients in the body story, as well as the cognitive and emotional stories. She promotes and practices anti-racism and cultural competency.

Taryn has attended numerous conferences, trainings, and immersion courses on attachment theory, domestic violence, sexual assault, AEDP and IFS. In her free time, she enjoys hiking mountains locally and all over the world.