Mental Health Warrior: Lauren Botello

Lauren does almost all of the things a youth development specialist could do with youth through Family Service. She’s interning to help with Positive Action and Teen Outreach Program® groups, and offering community counseling with middle school students too. Plus she’s spending some of her time providing outpatient counseling, as she works towards a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Messiah College.

And she loves every minute! In fact, she said “you never know what the kids are going to do or say. It’s always a surprise.”

Young people are nothing new to Lauren. Before coming to Family Service, she spent 8 years working as a camp counselor for two to five year old children and has a B.A. in Human Development and Counseling from Liberty University.

When she’s not hanging at work, you can catch Lauren hiking, dancing, or coloring in an adult coloring book. All of which match her self-description as quiet, compassionate, and introspective. Her favorite quote comes from Mark Twain:

“Kindness is a language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”