Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Titsworth.
Hi Lauren, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I always knew I wanted to help people, but I didn’t know what that would look like when I was younger. I spent time exploring what I wanted to be when I grew up and eventually realized that working in mental health and substance use would be the ideal path for me. Many of my friends growing up struggled with substance use and mental health concerns, and I knew I could grow a true passion for supporting people in those areas.
As I worked my way through my bachelor’s degree at the University of North Texas, I had the opportunity to explore work in the substance use field specifically. After graduating, I became a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor Intern (LCDC-I). I always like to tell the story of how I completely bombed my first counseling session as an LCDC-I—running out of questions after just five minutes. But that experience pushed me to keep learning and growing, and ultimately it motivated me to return to school at Texas Woman’s University for my master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy.
I eventually became a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and spent many years working in juvenile detention, at the Local Mental Health Authority (LMHA), in substance use programming, in crisis services, and volunteering with the Denton County Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors (LOSS) Team.
My private practice, Branches Family Therapy PLLC, began in the summer of 2023 after I took a major career risk by leaving the LMHA role I had grown to adore—and the team I had worked so hard to build. That risk created an incredible opportunity, and I knew I wanted to dive into private practice as well.
My counseling focus is supporting individuals and families living with mental health concerns, substance use, and suicide loss. My research has centered on how to support and give voice to individuals and families who have lost a loved one to suicide. After a suicide loss, families are not only navigating grief but also learning how to restructure their family system and manage the stigma that can arise, even from those closest to them.
Branches Family Therapy is a space for people to come when they aren’t sure of their next steps and feel unsure how to continue carrying the heavy load of grief alone.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I don’t think I know what a smooth road looks like. It’s kind of like all the roads in Denton right now, always under construction and full of bumps and potholes. But it really comes down to learning how to manage those hypothetical potholes and stretches of roadwork. Always keep working on yourself.
I feel my struggles began when I didn’t get into any colleges right out of high school and felt completely defeated. But today, I have a PhD in Family Therapy because I refused to take no for an answer. When life threw me a curveball, I leaned on support from others and problem-solved my way forward. Was it always easy? Absolutely not. But I knew I wanted more for myself, and I took the opportunities presented to me, even when they felt uncomfortable. I often tell individuals and families that the most important thing is focusing on your own needs first and putting on your hypothetical oxygen mask before helping anyone else.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in working with individuals and families who are living with substance use disorders, mental health concerns, and those who have experienced the suicide loss of a family member or close friend. I have always been passionate about giving a voice and creating space for people who may have felt stigmatized in their grief experience, and I strive to provide an open, supportive environment where they can find a way forward. Grief is not something you move past; rather, it is something you carry. The healing work helps make that load a little lighter along the way. My goal is to give a voice to the forgotten bereaved as they explore the whys and discover new ways to create meaning.
What sets me apart from other clinicians—and something I am most proud of—is my work with the Denton County LOSS Team. The LOSS Team (Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors) responds on scene to suicide losses, and through my volunteer work, I supported families and others impacted by these tragedies. I had the honor and privilege of working with mothers, fathers, siblings, friends, and many others on one of the darkest days of their lives. I walked alongside individuals and families as they began trying to understand what happened and as they searched for the why behind the loss.
Although this role was incredibly difficult at times, I was deeply grateful to learn from these families and share that space with them. My work with the LOSS Team sparked a passion for understanding what it truly means to experience a suicide loss and how it affects a family in the days, months, and years afterward. I will forever be thankful for what I learned during that time and for the families who allowed us to be present with them in their darkest moments. That experience is truly what I am most proud of.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Back in 2023, I was asked to take a strengths assessment by a new boss. That assessment revealed that my personal strengths were judgment, humor, creativity, love of learning, and hope. When I look at those five characteristics, I have to say they truly are the things that have helped me succeed.
Judgment has kept me levelheaded even in the most stressful situations and has allowed me to consider multiple paths when making decisions.
Humor is vital in this field because the work can be very serious at times, but being able to connect with people often lands best with a well-placed joke that reminds them you’re human too.
Creativity has always been my bread and butter. I’m constantly searching for creative ways to find solutions, because the answer doesn’t always have to look the same. In therapy, that creativity becomes even more important as I work to connect all the pieces within the individuals and families I serve.
My love of learning has kept me on track and allowed me to stay curious. I tell people all the time that the day I stop wanting to learn is the day I’ll know it’s time to retire, because the world is ever-changing, and I need to grow with it.
And without hope, none of this would have been possible for me. There were certainly days that were harder than others, but I always reached for hope and focused on what I could control.
Pricing:
- $225 Individual Session
- $250 Family Counseling Session
Contact Info:
- Website: https://branchesfamilytherapy.com
Image Credits
Lauren Titsworth
But you do not need to credit me.
