About Us
Our Team
Meet Lauren Thomas, MA, LPC (PA), LCMHCA (NC)
Lauren graduated from Wake Forest University in 2002 and received her Master’s in Counseling from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 2005. After working for 2 years as the Shelter Manager at Friend to Friend in Carthage, NC, she was on staff with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Duke and Elon Universities.
Lauren began working in private practice in 2020. She offers counseling for anxiety, trauma, and challenging life transitions (i.e. divorce and death, college to career, empty nest, etc.). Lauren is EMDR-trained and enjoys using this tool to help remove the emotional charge from past traumatic events. She feels passionately about helping people see and believe in their worthiness and value. Lauren offers Christian counseling upon request but welcomes clients from all walks of life and backgrounds.
Lauren provides therapy in-person in Lee County, NC and surrounding areas, as well as online counseling across North Carolina and online counseling in Pennsylvania.
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When not in session, Lauren is a wife and homeschooling mom to two boys. She enjoys music and the arts, travel, and good conversation over coffee.
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Meet Randy Clendenin, MA
Randy Clendenin received his Master’s in Counseling from Regent University in 1992, and began his private practice at Bridge Builders Counseling and Consulting Services in Southern Pines NC. Over the past 32 years Randy has served nearly 14,000 clients. He authored the book Relationship – Building Bridges to Connect People in 2001, and recently published a limited-edition devotional, “Consider These Words." Randy offers counseling for relationships in crisis, as well as spiritual direction for
those interested in becoming an apprentice of Jesus.
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Who We Are
Since 1992, Randy Clendenin has worked in private practice in North Carolina. In 2001, he felt the urgency to expand the vision and form a non-profit organization to reach more people with relationship-building opportunities. The primary purpose of Bridgebuilder Ministries International (BMI) is to build relational bridges, connecting people to impact the world for Christ. When Jesus was asked, “What is the greatest commandment?,” He replied, “To love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind; and to love your neighbor as yourself” (Mathew 22:37). BMI strives to fulfill these commands by equipping people to build interpersonal relationships based on biblical principles.
In 2024, the ministry of Bridgebuilder includes Randy’s daughter, Lauren (Master’s in Counseling, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary); son, Andrew (Master’s in Social Work, UNC-Chapel Hill) and daughter, Caitlin (Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Regent University).
Let’s Work Together
Get in touch so we can schedule your free phone consultation.