How Mental Health & Wellness Is Integrated into Our Work
Youth on Record intentionally integrates wellness practices into our daily programs and organizational culture. This approach destigmatizes mental health conversations and ensures support is accessible and youth-centered.
Our Mental Health & Wellness team maintains a consistent presence across Youth on Record programming, including:
- Classroom and program visits
- One-on-one check-ins with program participants
- Mental health resources at open mics and performances
- Wellness offerings at community events, such as Get Loud Music Summit and our annual Block Party and Youth Music Festival
- Trainings for staff and Youth Mental Health Advocates
By embedding mental health support into creative spaces, youth are encouraged to talk openly about their experiences, using art and creativity as a tool for expression and healing.
Current Mental Health & Wellness Offerings for Youth
Youth on Record offers a growing range of mental health and wellness supports for young creatives in Denver, including:
- Full-Time Mental Health & Wellness Manager: Provides individualized support, resource navigation, and integration of wellness practices across all programs.
- Free Clinical Therapy Sessions: Youth enrolled in YOR programs can access free talk therapy with licensed therapists. Due to high demand, YOR is expanding this offering in 2026.
- Near-Peer Mental Health Support: YOR offers opportunities for youth to become near-peer mental health leads, through Mental Health First Aid training and apprenticeship opportunities. These near-peer leads inform what resources YOR provides and how they are provided to the community.
- Community Wellness Offerings: Wellness practitioners and offerings are brought in for community events, such as the Get Loud Music Summit and the annual Block Party and Youth Music Festival. These offerings have included: yoga and movement workshops, acudetox, mocktail bars, and resource fairs.
- Substance Misuse Prevention: In 2026, we will provide peer-to-peer training that equips youth to lead conversations around substance misuse prevention within their communities.
Mental Health Action Day (MHAD) is a cornerstone of Youth on Record’s commitment to youth mental health. Held annually in May during Mental Health Awareness Month, MHAD centers mental health through workshops, performances, conversations, and community care.
The 2025 Mental Health Action Day sparked a renewed focus on near-peer leadership, with youth receiving Mental Health First Aid training and stepping into leadership roles across programs. The day culminated in a community concert, featuring performances from current and former YOR program participants.
Through MHAD, Youth on Record amplifies youth voices, reduces stigma, and encourages action, reminding young people that they are not alone and that support is available.
In 2025, program participants voiced a growing desire to work with a licensed therapist and engage in talk therapy sessions. However, many young people expressed significant barriers to accessing this type of therapy - navigating high costs, insurance plans, and travel.
Gavrielle leveraged community partnerships to find a licensed therapist with expertise related to the backgrounds and experiences of the young people Youth on Record serves. In the fall of 2025, Youth on Record contracted Tamika Thomas to provide free therapy sessions to program participants. Due to high demand, we are expanding this offering in 2026 to include more therapists and increased availability.
The therapy sessions take place near the Youth on Record office, with Gavrielle available onsite during these times. If you are a program participant and interested in signing up for a therapy session, email Gavrielle at gavrielle@youthonrecord.org.
Meet the Mental Health & Wellness Team
Gavrielle Reyes (she/her/ella) is dedicated to doing power differently and helping people heal. She believes that community building begins with grace—for ourselves and each other—as we are all ancestors in training.
A graduate of Hunter College with a BA in Film and a minor in Gender Studies, Gavrielle was among the 10% of fellows selected for the Social Justice Fellowship through the Colin Powell School and CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies. She began her youth work at the Bella Abzug Leadership Institute, facilitating after school sessions and coordinating the STARS Citywide Girls Initiative, a $1.4M NYC Council–funded collaboration reaching over 6,000 young people. Her programming centered wellness, joy, and advocacy, from Nike’s Self Care Saturdays to sexual assault prevention with SafeBAE.
You can reach Gavrielle at gavrielle@youthonrecord.org