Seleni Spotlight: Lauren Svendsen
November 2021 - Seleni welcomed Lauren Svendsen to the team this month. She has joined as our new Patient Coordinator & Office Manager. We are excited to have her on board! Learn more about Lauren below.
Tell us about yourself.
I was born and raised in Long Island, NY and completed my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at SUNY Geneseo. I moved to New York City when I began my post-baccalaureate studies at Columbia University. I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by powerful women my entire life living with my two sisters, mother and grandmother, who continue to inspire me everyday.
What excites you most about being part of the Seleni family?
I am thrilled to be part of an organization whose values surround overcoming the stigma of mental health. The stigma elicits feelings of shame in those struggling to cope, and thus creates massive barriers to diagnosis and treatment. Seleni Institute is a safe haven for these individuals by advocating for them and breaking down these barriers. It is an honor to work alongside individuals who understand that mental illness is far from a character deficit!
How do you practice self-care?
I feel most calm and at peace when on my yoga mat. While training for my 200 hour yoga teacher certification, I learned multiple forms of meditation and pranayama which have helped me tremendously. While every day looks different for me, I try incorporate a little of my practice to help keep me grounded.
What is your favorite podcast, movie, book, or magazine, related to the field of mental health?
It's hard to pick only one! I'd say the movie A Beautiful Mind has to be in my top choices. As far as books go, Untamed by Glennon Doyle is painfully relatable, and Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb is a must-read. Now that Glennon Doyle has been brought up I can't help but mention her podcast called We Can Do Hard Things because it's THAT good!
How do you practice self-care?
Routines help me immensely. I'm an early riser and like to wake up at around 5 or 6 AM daily. I typically journal to organize my thoughts and manifest my goals. Then, I usually exercise for 30 minutes. It really helps get my mind and body ready for the day.
What is your favorite thing to do to wind down the day?
I swear by showering "off the day". Not necessarily to get clean because I shower in the morning, but to envision the stressors of the day rinsing off of your body. For me, it's crucial for restful relaxation.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
Easily the following: "The building of the true and beautiful means the destruction of the 'good enough'. One a true vision is born inside you, life is in the direction of that vision."
What’s a quote that you carry with you to uplift yourself? – What quote inspires you?
One quote that I carry with me daily is "We can do hard things", which is something I learned from (yes, you guessed it) Glennon Doyle. I remind myself that negative emotions are part of our contract with life. The affirmation insists that you stay in the "hard" so that you can experience the reward. A quote that inspires me is "To be alive is to be in a perpetual state of revolution."
