Colorado Recovery's vision is to empower adults with mental illness, and those who support them, with an unrelenting optimism for recovery, purposeful involvement in the community, and an enhanced sense of meaning in life.
Our Approach
Founded 12 years ago by world-renowned psychiatrist, Dr. Richard Warner, Colorado Recovery is founded on principles of psychosocial rehabilitation, evidence-based treatment, intensive psychiatric care and a continuum of integrated care. Integrating holistic, community-focused treatment helps adults improve their quality of life, break the cycle of hospitalization, find meaning in their life, and reach their potential.
A Continuum of Care
At Colorado Recovery we understand that recovery is a very personal, sometimes non-linear process. A seamless array of services allows clients to move easily from intensive residential care to longer-term outpatient treatment and to re-access intensive care when or if necessary.
Residential Treatment Facility
Balsam House is an eight bed open-door setting on a pleasant residential street in Boulder. Our staff provides 24-hour, intensive residential service, accepting clients with more severe symptoms than most residential treatment centers. Our residential house staff consists of Psychiatrists, Registered Nurses, Case Managers, Vocational Counselors and Milieu Workers. The home atmosphere and small group dynamics at Balsam House encourage and support clients while they deal with the challenges of living with a condition like Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder. Residents are involved in an innovative daily program of group and individual therapy, social activities and daily tasks geared towards the enhancement of social and practical living skills.
Transitional Living
This step-down milestone is celebrated by housemates, residents and family alike. While at one of our transitional living condominiums, clients are required to either attend classes, volunteer or work part-time in the community, as well as to participate in our intensive outpatient programming. Life skill coaching is provided on a one-to- one basis with those who need additional individualized training, to develop their skills for living independently (manage money, time, food preparation and shopping) as well as to be part of a family or community. The life skills coach also builds community by engaging the transitional living clients in social activities.
Intensive Outpatient Program
Participating in this level of service immerses adults in the recovery process. We offer multiple weekly therapy groups such as
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Social Support
- Dance Movement Therapy
- Co-existing Disorders/Relapse Prevention
- Career Exploration
- Art Therapy
- Creative Writing
Support & Outreach
This level of care is a great opportunity for clients to begin living on their own in the community while maintaining individualized support, tailored to their needs and their work or school schedule. The continuity of care with the same staff can be a key component of maintaining long-term success.
Career Counseling
This service is provided during all levels of care. Participants at Colorado Recovery are twice as likely to be in paid employment compared to the national average for this population. Vocational specialists help clients identify barriers to success and help clients identify and organize achievable goals for the future. We link people with the state Division of Vocational Rehabilitation to collaborate and allow them access to their financial assistance with educational and work goals.
Co-Existing Disorders
Colorado Recovery can treat co-existing addiction issues when they are secondary to a serious mental illness. We have a certified addictions specialist on staff, we partner with a local treatment center to perform toxicology screens for drug and alcohol use, and we can assess other process addictions such as excessive gaming. Our psychiatrists are familiar with marijuana-induced psychosis and how to approach its effective treatment.
Community
At Colorado Recovery you or your loved one belong to a community. Our residential house and outpatient offices are located near the heart of downtown Boulder, Colorado. We have a unique social-vocational center called The Treehouse, run by and for Colorado Recovery clients. The program helps prepare clients for success in relationships, volunteer work, education and job placements. Some clients have chosen to remain members of the Treehouse for over a decade. Each week members plan outings, groups, and can participate in
- Hikes
- Volunteer work with horses
- Yoga classes
- Open art studios
- Community Gardening
- Community Recreation Center activities
- Fun outings like dinners, movies and local, live entertainment
Having a sense of belonging to such a group can be an essential piece of recovery, and the empowerment from having responsibility for its programming builds self-esteem and self-confidence. Peer relationships develop during these fun, client-led activities and often become lasting friendships. Mentoring by members further along in their own recovery creates hope for those in earlier stages.
Location
Boulder, Colorado is a vibrant, health-conscious and well-educated city surrounded by a wealth of open space wilderness and pristine National Forests. Each week the Treehouse Community Organizer (who is trained in Wilderness Therapy and Wilderness First Aid) leads a hike or snowshoe activity. In 2017 National Geographic named Boulder “the happiest (and healthiest) city in the U.S.”.
Family Involvement
Colorado Recovery understands the importance of family in the recovery process. We encourage families to share information that would be helpful in developing new and effective treatment plans. Therapists can skillfully help navigate difficult family dynamics. We also help families understand various mental health diagnoses and help family members understand how to support their loved ones.
Visit Colorado Recovery's Website