Kritika Dwivedi, PsyD
Denver DBT & Psychotherapy

Developed to treat individuals with chronic suicidal ideations, DBT teaches skills in mindfulness (increasing presence & self-awareness across situations), emotion regulation (understanding & experiencing feelings in less overwhelming way), distress tolerance (surviving a difficult situation without making it worse), and interpersonal effectiveness (gaining insight into relational patterns & strengthening relationships).

Paulina Siegel, LCSW, CAC II
Be Mindful

Mindfulness is neuro-restorative brain fitness designed to improve executive function. It is training the brain to have focused attention and increased emotional regulation. Mindfulness is engagement in the present moment without judgment and without attachment.

A psycho-educational group for youth survivors of CSEC/DMST: defining & identifying, victim vs. survivor, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the sexual objectification of females in popular media, grooming, patterns of romeo & guerilla pimps, power & control wheel, healthy vs. unhealthy relationships, maladaptive coping skills, neurobiology of trauma, healthy coping skills, breaking the cycle, etc. We use GEMS’ book The Survivors Guide to Leaving written by teens as a reference and inspiration.

Reneca Mitchell Ruff
InnatelyU

The movement and breath in yoga practice have the potential to offer relief from psychosomatic manifestations of trauma. Through yoga, individuals have the opportunity to reconnect with and begin to feel their bodies again. Trauma informed yoga re-trains the body and mind connection through movement, breath, and stillness. Through yoga, dissociation can become mindfulness, and anxiety can become safety.

Mica Graves, LPC
Zuma’s Rescue Ranch

Youth are paired with a mentor and a horse. Using evidence-based animal-assisted therapy practices taught by licensed professionals, youth learn and practice skills of patience, mindfulness, communication, teamwork, and empathy.

Maya Osterman-Van Grack

This eight-week program utilizes theatre methodologies to aid the process of restoration and healing. This innovative modality of expression and exploration allows youth to better understand who they are. Participants gain skills in engagement, story-telling, active listening, team building, and self-advocacy.

Gillian Wood, MPH
Founding Director RR

This group encourages expression through writing and journaling. Youth are given an introspective prompt - quotation, poem, image, etc. - and spend time reflecting on how it resonates with them.

Esther Hernandez
Lead Staff RR

This group encourages kinesthetic and creative expression through various art mediums. Youth can safely express themselves through movement, color, vision, sound, subconscious dreaming, time travel, mapping, cosmetology, tangible creation, and endless exploration of what has been and what could be.

Youth on Record provides the opportunity for self-expression through music. Youth receive support with song writing, creating beats, instrument lessons, and professional recording. In their FEMpowered program, female artists collaborate to shape, create, and embolden the roles of women in the music industry.

Anna Wendt
CDHS Colorado Sexual Health Initiative

The Street Smart program was designed for runaway and homeless youth whose behaviors place them at high risk for becoming infected with a sexually transmitted disease. Facilitators teach youth about anatomy, contraception, pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and healthy relationships. Youth build skills in problem solving, personal assertiveness, and STI harm reduction.

Exercise helps youth self-regulate, expend excess energy, contain anxiety, and receive healthy neurobiological feedback. Every week our older youth go boxing at The Phoenix, a sober active community. This nonprofit featured on CNN Heroes harnesses the transformative power of community to embolden individual strength to rise from the ashes of addiction.