Photo of Lauren, family peer coach in Fort Collins

Lauren (they/she)

Coach, Fort Collins

Lauren lost her father to long-term health effects caused by addiction in 2019. Her brother has previously struggled with addiction and is now well. She wants empower, support, educate and encourage others to find strength in their stories.

Coach type: Loved one

Coaching since: 2023

Lived experience:
In the summer of 2019, I lost my father very suddenly to long-term health effects caused by addiction. After the passing of my dad, my younger brother found himself struggling with addiction. He is now more than a year into his wellness journey. I kept my loved ones’ addictions quiet for so long; I didn’t know how to help them or where to turn next. Face It TOGETHER has acted as a vessel to allow my family and I the support and education to open up about our stories. I want to help empower, support, educate and encourage others to find strength in their stories.

Professional background:
I have a bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University in clinical and counseling psychology and have served as Face It TOGETHER’s Evaluation Intern for two summers. I currently work one-on-one as a mentor to first-year CSU students and as a research assistant on campus studying the development of addictive and risky behaviors.

Expertise:
Grief and loss, mental illness, LBGTQIA+ advocacy, clinical counseling approaches

Interests:
In my free time I enjoy making art and clothing, seeing live music, cooking/baking, reading and spending time with my partner and our two cats.


Our coaches