We had the good fortune of connecting with Lauren Kreidler and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lauren, what do you want your legacy to be?
I want to make a difference in this world by inspiring others to be their authentic selves. I feel like sometimes we get caught up in how we are “supposed” to be or act, but I find that setting yourself apart from others is extremely important and necessary. As someone going into television broadcasting, I want people to feel like they can relate to who I am as a person and have trust in me whether I am telling them the upcoming week’s weather forecast or simply being honest about going to therapy and my mental health.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I decided that I wanted to become a meteorologist when I was in middle school. Living here in South Florida, I have experienced quite a few hurricanes which fueled my passion to learn more about the science behind these monstrous storms and other natural disasters. Since middle school, I have shadowed meteorologists at my local news stations and fell further in love with broadcast meteorology. Eventually, I created @WeatherWithLauren, my social media platforms. I post Weather Fact Wednesdays (fun facts about the weather, of course!), tropics updates, and more on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I joined TikTok under the same name, expecting to create weather content on there. However, I found a wonderful mental health community and my ‘Come to Therapy with Me’ videos took off. Each week, I have thousands of people who “come to therapy with me” and I feel so grateful to talk about the importance of mental health and help break the stigma surrounding going to therapy. I am so honored to have so many wonderful followers who follow along on both my weather and mental health journeys. When I am on television doing the weather one day, I hope to continue to intertwine the importance of mental health on my platforms.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am a born and raised South Floridian and feel so lucky to be surrounded by so many great places!!! Here are a few of my favorite spots in the Palm Beaches.

– Have a bite overlooking the water at U-Tiki in Jupiter: If you are in town, you must make plans to have dinner at U-Tiki. U-Tiki sits right on the water and has the most incredible view of the Jupiter Lighthouse. The food is incredible, especially their U-Tiki potatoes.

– Grab a pastry from Hive in West Palm Beach: I just recently discovered this newly opened gem, but I cannot stop thinking about how excited I am to go back! The pastries are insane – especially the vanilla strawberry cruffin. (It’s a croissant/muffin hybrid…like what!!!) The place is beautiful and the employees are so kind!

– Enjoy happy hour at Papichulos in Jupiter: Papichulos has a great happy hour and their drinks are some of the most “Instagram-worthy” I’ve seen around.

– Walk around Worth Avenue in Palm Beach: The famous Worth Avenue is a great place to stroll and people watch. There is a Starbucks that is kind of hidden, a pig named Mona Lisa (the only pig on the island!) that can sometimes be seen on her daily walk, high-end shops and restaurants, and so much more. If you want a bite to eat, I have never eaten better fries than at Ta-Boo.

– Visit Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach: Recently renovated, Loggerhead, a nonprofit sea turtle hospital is a staple spot to visit here in South Florida. They rehabilitate sea turtles and educate visitors on the importance of marine life and ocean conservation.

– Go shopping at the best boutique: Prep Obsessed in Palm Beach Gardens, a local women owned boutique has the best accessories, gifts, clothes, and more! Prep Obsessed has been named the Best Boutique by the Palm Beach Post and the business is run by two amazing women, Corey and Nina, who spread joy to all of their customers.

– Rent a bike from Palm Beach Bicycle Trail Shop on the island and ride around on the Lake Trail: Not only is there a nice breeze since it is by the water, but you also get a great view of some of the beautiful mansions of Palm Beach!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
It is so important to recognize the people that build us up and help to shape who we are. When I was in middle school, Meteorologist Kait Parker was kind enough to allow me to shadow her at my local news station. I remember stepping into the news station and feeling… well, on cloud nine! Kait has been an incredible role model and inspiration to me and I am so grateful for her mentorship. I hope to inspire young girls to enter STEM professions just as Kait has done for me.

I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shoutout to Kelly, my amazing therapist who inspires and encourages me greatly. I would not be the person I am today without her support. On my TikTok, I share mental health content in hopes of at least one person feeling less alone. I would never want them to feel as I once did prior to finding Kelly. I absolutely love seeing comments of people from around the world telling me how they have now found their “Kelly.” Everyone deserves a Kelly in their life – having a solid support system is so essential!

Instagram: www.instagram.com/weatherwithlauren

Twitter: www.twitter.com/weatherwithlaur

Facebook: www.facebook.com/weatherwithlauren

Other: www.tiktok.com/weatherwithlauren

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutMiami is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.