Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr Lauren Pitts-Bounds.
Hi Dr Lauren, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My journey to founding Legacy Counseling & Life Coaching has been anything but linear it has been shaped by lived experience, faith, resilience, and a deep calling to serve.
I grew up navigating significant personal, relational, and systemic challenges, which exposed me early on to the realities of trauma, inequity, and unmet mental health needs particularly in marginalized communities. Those experiences planted the seed for my lifelong commitment to healing, education, and empowerment. I knew early that my story would not end with survival, but with purpose.
I began my professional journey working directly with at-risk youth and families, which eventually led me to establish what was originally called Teens on Track for Success in 2001. What started as grassroots work focused on youth development organically expanded as families, educators, leaders, and organizations began seeking broader support. Over time, that work evolved into what is now Legacy Counseling & Life Coaching, LLC a for-profit, mission-driven organization that integrates mental health counseling, life coaching, leadership development, and community-based education.
Along the way, I earned advanced degrees in counseling and educational leadership, became a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, served in higher education, and engaged in global work through initiatives like my Fulbright experience. Each chapter refined my understanding that healing is not isolated to therapy rooms it happens in families, schools, workplaces, athletic spaces, and communities.
Today, Legacy operates at the intersection of wellness, leadership, and social impact. We serve individuals, couples, families, students, educators, athletes, and organizations locally and globally. Our work is grounded in evidence-based practice, cultural humility, and faith-informed values, with a focus on breaking cycles, restoring dignity, and helping people build sustainable, purpose-driven lives.
Where I am today is the result of perseverance, prayer, and an unwavering belief that transformation is possible even when the path is hard. Legacy is not just a business; it is the embodiment of my journey from adversity to impact, and my commitment to leaving something meaningful for the next generation.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been a smooth road, and I’ve learned that meaningful work rarely is. Like many mission-driven founders, especially women of color in mental health and education, I’ve had to build while surviving. There were seasons when I carried the full emotional, financial, and operational weight of the work myself serving others while navigating personal loss, financial strain, and systemic barriers that often make access to capital and institutional support far more difficult than it should be.
One of the greatest challenges has been sustaining a values-driven organization in systems that are not always designed to support community-centered, healing-focused work. Insurance reimbursement delays, underfunded contracts, and inconsistent revenue cycles have required constant adaptation and resilience. There were moments when I questioned how to keep showing up faithfully when resources lagged behind the demand for services.
Another challenge has been learning to shift from “doing the work” to truly building the infrastructure systems, staffing, funding strategies that allow the mission to grow beyond me. That evolution requires humility, patience, and a willingness to release control while still protecting the integrity of the vision.
Personally, there were also seasons of deep personal testing navigating past trauma, rebuilding after difficult life experiences, and learning to lead from a place of wholeness rather than exhaustion. I had to learn that strength does not mean doing everything alone.
What carried me through was faith, community, and clarity of purpose. Every obstacle refined the vision. Every delay sharpened the strategy. Every challenge forced growth not just professionally, but spiritually and emotionally.
Those struggles didn’t derail the mission they shaped it. They are the reason Legacy exists with such depth, compassion, and intentionality today.
As you know, we’re big fans of Legacy Counseling & Life Coaching LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Legacy Counseling & Life Coaching, LLC exists to make healing, growth, and leadership accessible not exclusive.
At Legacy, we specialize in integrated mental wellness, life coaching, leadership development, and community education. Our work spans individuals, couples, families, youth, educators, leaders, and organizations, with services delivered through counseling, coaching, workshops, clinics, and collaborative partnerships with schools, universities, and community institutions.
What we are most known for is our trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and purpose-driven approach. We do not believe in surface-level solutions or one-size-fits-all programming. Healing and growth require context, compassion, accountability, and strategy and we intentionally design our services to honor the full human experience.
What truly sets Legacy apart is how we bridge worlds that are often kept separate:
• Clinical expertise and real-life lived experience
• Mental health and leadership development
• Education, faith, and evidence-based practice
• Individual healing and community transformation
We meet people where they are, but we do not leave them there. Brand-wise, I am most proud that Legacy has remained mission-anchored even while scaling. Growth has never been about chasing visibility or trends it has been about stewarding impact with integrity. Every program, partnership, and service is built with intentionality, excellence, and respect for the people we serve.
Legacy is also deeply committed to community empowerment. We work closely with schools, universities, and underserved communities to reduce stigma around mental health, equip families and educators, and develop youth leadership from the inside out. Our youth and summer leadership initiatives, educator wellness programs, and university collaborations reflect our belief that sustainable change happens when institutions and communities heal together.
What I want readers to know most is this:
Legacy is not just about counseling or coaching it is about restoration, resilience, and legacy-building. We help people reconnect with their identity, strengthen their emotional and relational foundations, and step into purpose with clarity and confidence.
Everything we do is rooted in the belief that when people are supported, healed, and equipped, they don’t just survive they lead, serve, and transform the spaces they occupy.
And that is the legacy we are committed to leaving behind.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I’m a lifelong learner, so the resources that support me tend to nourish both my mind and my spirit.
Books that have deeply influenced me include works on leadership, purpose, healing, and identity. I regularly return to authors and thinkers who explore the intersection of faith, psychology, leadership, and human behavior not just to gain information, but to stay aligned with my values and calling. I’m especially drawn to books that challenge me to think expansively, lead responsibly, and remain grounded in integrity.
From a spiritual and mindset standpoint, sermons and teachings particularly those focused on purpose, leadership, stewardship, and identity are a significant source of strength and clarity for me. They help me recalibrate when life or work feels heavy and remind me why I do what I do.
In terms of podcasts and digital content, I enjoy conversations centered on mental wellness, leadership development, entrepreneurship, and social impact especially those that are honest, reflective, and rooted in real experience rather than hype. I’m drawn to voices that speak with wisdom, humility, and depth.
Practically speaking, I rely on tools that help me stay organized, reflective, and intentional apps that support planning, note-taking, communication, and content creation. These tools allow me to move fluidly between my roles as a clinician, educator, leader, and entrepreneur while staying focused on what truly matters.
Ultimately, the resources that help me do my best in life are the ones that encourage growth without burnout, faith without fear, and leadership without ego. I’m always seeking input that strengthens my inner life as much as my professional one because I believe the two are inseparable.
Pricing:
- Individual, Couples & Family Support Services are offered at market-aligned rates based on level of care and session format Both private-pay and organizational partnerships are available
- Coaching & Leadership Development Coaching programs are available through structured packages and subscription-based models Designed for individuals, leaders, athletes, and professionals seeking growth and accountability
- Schools, Universities & Youth Programs Educational and youth-focused programs are priced by scope, duration, and population served Includes workshops, summer clinics, leadership programs, and wellness initiatives
- Community & Faith-Based Partnerships Community-centered programming is often grant-funded or subsidized through partnerships Legacy prioritizes access for underserved and marginalized populations
- Custom & Enterprise Engagements Customized consulting, training, and large-scale initiatives are available by proposal Pricing reflects strategy, implementation support, and long-term impact
Contact Info:
- Website: https://legacyclc.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/legacycounseling_lifecoaching/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LegacyCounselingLC
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/legacy-counseling-life-coaching-llc
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LegacyCounselingLC
Image Credits
I have the rights and permissions to use all the attached images.
