At Hello Nanny!, we know that raising a family takes more than love—it takes a village. That’s why we’ve built ours: Hello Nanny!’s Expert Village.
This curated network of trusted professionals—spanning child development, family wellness, mental health, education, and more—exists to help parents and caregivers navigate the complexities of modern family life with confidence.
We’re thrilled to spotlight our community of experts, sharing their story, their work, and the insights that inspire them. Because behind every great caregiver or parent is a team of people who make the journey a little easier. And, we’re here to make sure you never walk it alone.
In this week’s Village Expert Spotlight, we chat with Lauren Tetenbaum (“The CounseLaur”), a social worker specializing in women’s mental health during life transitions, including the perinatal and perimenopausal stages. Through her counseling practice, Lauren provides therapy in NY, NJ, CT, and FL, facilitates groups and coaching workshops to empower postpartum and other women in corporate settings, and contributes to media on topics like maternal mental health, gender equity, and working parenthood. A mom of two, Lauren is also a former lawyer and a writer; her first book, MILLENNIAL MENOPAUSE: PREPARING FOR PERIMENOPAUSE, MENOPAUSE, AND LIFE’S NEXT PERIOD will be available in 2025.
Name and occupation:
Lauren Tetenbaum: Advocate, Therapist, and Author of MILLENNIAL MENOPAUSE: PREPARING FOR PERIMENOPAUSE, MENOPAUSE, AND LIFE’S NEXT PERIOD.
Do you have kids? If so, how old are they?
2 kids (born 2016 and 2018).
How would your kids describe you? How would they describe what you do?
They would say I’m silly and love to read. They would describe my job by saying “Mommy helps women with all of her meetings. She writes and talks a lot about women’s health.”
Tell us about your company/current role:
I work in private practice as a psychotherapist specializing in women’s life transitions and reproductive mental health. I regularly speak on issues related to working parenthood, women’s wellness, and gender equity for professional organizations, corporate clients, and nonprofits. I am the author of a book about perimenopause. I work from home but also travel a lot for work, which I enjoy but obviously involves a lot of childcare planning!
As the founder, I wear a lot of hats, from developing partnerships with OB practices and maternal health organizations, to supporting our location directors across the country, to shaping our brand and curriculum as we grow. But at the heart of it, my role is about nurturing community: creating the spaces, systems, and conversations that help parents feel seen, supported, and less alone in one of life’s biggest transitions.
Go-to coffee (or tea) order:
Black iced coffee with two shots of espresso…Gotta get that red-eye energy.
Any family traditions?
One of my favorite family traditions is Friday Night Shabbat dinner, where we light candles, spend time together as a family, and often have another family over for a casual evening.
3 things you never leave the house without:
A charger for my phone, on-the-go Clorox wipes, and a good book!
What does your support system look like?
My husband is a true partner and very supportive, and we also rely on babysitters, family, and, probably most frequently, other parent friends. We are so lucky to live in a community where we absolutely trust so many of our kids’ friends’ parents (who of course have become our friends). It really does take a village!
If you had a magic wand to make one parenting challenge disappear, what would it be?
I wish I could get rid of the Motherhood Penalty (i.e. discrimination against women/mothers in the paid workforce).
Interested in joining our curated network of trusted professionals who share practical, evidence-based advice with our national community of parents and caregivers?
When you join, you’ll be part of a collective of thought leaders whose expertise spans pediatric care, child development, lactation support, mental health, sleep consulting, career coaching, safety advocacy, and more.
For more Expert Village Spotlights:
Kat Neill, Owner of CPR with Kat
Certified Parenting Coach Keesha Scott
Postpartum Doula Ashley Gerhard
Life and Relationship Coach Chelsea Skaggs
Katerina Jones, Founder of Full Bloom Fertility
Tiffani Rogers, Early childhood development and education consultant and Founder of Bright Solutions
