Schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses can be disruptive to a person’s life, making it difficult to go to school or work, socialize, and take care of themselves. “People with schizophrenia seem to be exquisitely sensitive to stress,” wrote the late Colorado Recovery founder Richard Warner, MD, in his influential book The Environment of Schizophrenia, “the life events occurring before episodes of schizophrenia, and possibly triggering the relapse, are milder than those before episodes of other disorders such as depression.”

In the Warner treatment model, therapeutic intervention and relapse prevention rely on “social recovery” from severe mental illness. The treatment program at Colorado Recovery aims 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. One modality utilized to reduce stress and the impact of trauma is polyvagal theory.

WHAT IS POLYVAGAL THEORY?

Polyvagal theory takes its name from the vagus, a cranial nerve that forms the primary component of the parasympathetic nervous system. According to the Polyvagal Institute, it is “a way of understanding how our nervous system responds to different situations, like stress, danger, or safety. It was developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, a neuroscientist and psychologist, in 1994. In simple terms, polyvagal theory helps us understand how our body and brain work together to respond to stressors that are a part of everyday life” as well as more significant experiences, such as trauma.

“In contrast to fight/flight reactions, the response to life threat elicits a second defense system, which is expressed as immobilization and dissociation,” Porges wrote in The Pocket Guide To The Polyvagal Theory. “Polyvagal theory emphasizes that our nervous system has more than one defense strategy and that the decision of whether we use a mobilized fight/flight or an immobilization shutdown defense strategy is not a voluntary decision.”

According to polyvagal theory, the human nervous system has three main response states:

The first is the “fight or flight” response, activated when in a dangerous or threatening situation. Termed “mobilization” in polyvagal theory, this is our body’s way of preparing to either fight the threat or run away from it.
The second response state is the “collapse” response, activated when we feel overwhelmed or powerless. In this state, our body shuts down and we may feel numb or disconnected from our surroundings. In polyvagal theory, this is called “immobilization.”
The third response is the “social engagement” response (called “ventral vagal” in the theory), activated when we feel safe and connected to others. This is when we are relaxed and open to social interaction, and is communicated in our eyes, facial expressions, and tone of voice.

The three states represent different evolutionary stages. “Dr. Porges identified a hierarchy of response built into our autonomous nervous system and anchored in the evolutionary development of our species,” wrote Deb Dana in The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy. “The origin of the dorsal pathway of the parasympathetic branch and its immobilization response lies with our ancient vertebrate ancestors and is the oldest pathway. The sympathetic branch and its pattern of mobilization [were] next to develop. The most recent addition, the ventral vagal pathway of the parasympathetic branch brings patterns of social engagement that are unique to mammals. When we are firmly grounded in our ventral vagal pathway, we feel safe and connected, calm and social.”

POLYVAGAL THEORY AT COLORADO RECOVERY

Feeling safe, calm, and connected are major treatment goals for our clients. Angela Flynn is a registered nurse with Colorado Recovery. She runs a polyvagal group several times a year. “The first thing we do in this group is identify which state clients are currently in,” she says. The social engagement or “ventral vagal” connected state is the polyvagal response identified with well-being. “The body heals in this state,” explains Flynn. “I teach them how to recognize the safe state and how to get there.”

Although she works with people with severe mental health conditions at Colorado Recovery, Flynn emphasizes that polyvagal theory can help anybody. “It’s a tool like sleep hygiene, for example, or dialectical behavior therapy. Since polyvagal theory is somewhat complicated, I provide handouts for the group and people can ask questions related to their specific concerns.”

Building and strengthening social networks is a big part of our approach to therapy as is boosting self-confidence with challenging hikes and self-expression in art groups. At Colorado Recovery it is our mission to help adults with serious mental health issues stabilize their illness, minimize symptoms, improve functioning, and enhance each person’s social inclusion, quality of life, and sense of meaning in life.

Colorado Recovery transitioned to a non-profit organization in June. This pivotal change underscores our commitment to providing exceptional care and support to our clients while ensuring greater accessibility through scholarships and donations.

If you have questions about our recovery model or our services to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and similar mental illnesses, call us at 720-218-4068 to discuss treatment options for you or the person you would like to help.

Art can be helpful in healthcare, whether as prescribed therapy, something you participate in for fun, or simply as part of the environment. “Creative arts therapy is used to help treat mental health conditions because it can improve focus, assist with processing emotions, improve communication, and increase self-esteem,” wrote the Mayo Clinic press editors last year. 

Colorado Recovery approaches mental healthcare based on a path to self-reliance through developing practical skills. Art is also part of the healing process facilitated at Colorado Recovery. 

Peter Kamback is our vocational rehabilitation specialist and community organizer. He also leads a popular art group. “Recently we worked on creating artwork on a banner roll of paper,” he says. “We left it on display in our Treehouse to let people know that this is the kind of thing we’re doing and to get them to interact with it if they chose to do so. It’s a work in progress and anybody can contribute to it.”

The Treehouse is a social-vocational center run by and for Colorado Recovery clients. The program helps prepare our clients for success in relationships, volunteer work, education and training, internships, and job placements.

“Looking at a blank piece of paper presents the daunting decision of what to do with it,” explains Kamback who made the project collaborative. “Each client contributed a line to the paper and as we continued to add lines, it built this design. Once we had something down on paper, we could fill the spaces however we wanted to. We could explore and had the freedom to express whatever we’re feeling.”

Sometimes clients add art into their theme days. “We talk about things that are happening in our lives or how we feel about something and then express that in drawings or paintings.” Kamback often asks clients to focus on specific things. “It allows them to block out the chaos in our environment and focus on one thing—even if it is very simple like coloring in. We’re all doing it together; we’re all engaged in the same activity. It levels the playing field and makes everybody feel a little more calm, a little more comfortable.”

Conversations tend to start naturally at that point. Kamback avoids planning sessions of the art group too meticulously. “I don’t want to make it look contrived but it also helps me learn what gets people engaged and involved.“

As people in the group collaborate they can see what the person next to them is doing and that may influence how they feel about it and how they want to interact with other people. “It’s a very open-ended exercise that allows participants of the group to explore within a basic framework.” Kamback participates himself to show clients that he does not represent a superior role that could be intimidating. I’m just another human like the rest of them.”

The art group is just one of many activities to promote inclusivity, socialization, and community building. Other recreational activities at Colorado Recovery include movie nights, talent shows, trips to the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, client-initiated activities, and even go-kart excursions.

“Groups are very valuable to our clients,” says Kamback. “They are safe spaces to feel comfortable and interact with one another.” Creative socializing such as the art group is an integral part of the groundbreaking approach to mental health treatment pioneered by the late Colorado Recovery founder Richard Warner. Recovery from serious mental illness requires that patients retain a sense of empowerment—a belief in their ability to take charge of their lives and manage the complex challenges of their illness.

At Colorado Recovery it is our mission to help adults with serious mental health issues stabilize their illness, minimize symptoms, improve functioning, and enhance each person’s social inclusion, quality of life, and sense of meaning in life.

If you have questions about our recovery model or our services to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and similar mental illnesses, call us at 720-218-4068 to discuss treatment options for you or the person you would like to help.

Animals can provide great emotional support for human beings. Beyond the loving pet-owner relationship that many of us have experienced, animals are also used in therapeutic settings to help clients navigate challenging emotional experiences.

As the name indicates equine-assisted therapy incorporates horses into the therapeutic process. “People engage in activities such as grooming, feeding, and leading a horse while being supervised by a mental health professional,” explained Jodi Clarke, MA, LPC/MHSP on Verywell Mind in January. “Goals of this form of therapy [include] helping people develop skills such as emotional regulation, self-confidence, and responsibility. With mature horses weighing anywhere in the range of 900 to 2,000 pounds or more, it might feel a bit intimidating to have such a large, majestic creature participating in your therapy sessions. However, equine-assisted therapy is growing in popularity due to its experiential approach and some burgeoning evidence of its effectiveness.”

Bernadette Robinson, MA, is Colorado Recovery’s transitional and independent living coordinator. She supervises equine therapy sessions for our clients at the Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center (CTRC) in Longmont, CO. Colorado Recovery teamed up with CTRC in 2022 to be able to offer this service to clients. The Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center is the oldest therapeutic riding center in the Centennial State and has been operating since 1980. 

“Each client creates a special bond with their assigned horse,” says Robinson, “gaining trust, learning boundaries, nourishing a connection.” Working with horses “provides a sense of accomplishment as each client grows more comfortable and confident around the animals.”

On its 39-acre campus, CTRC offers therapeutic horsemanship, equine-assisted therapies, and equine-assisted mental health services. “The horses are really the modality of treatment,” says CTRC’s executive director Michele Bruhn. “Clients are not necessarily learning how to ride a horse as our therapists work on different goals for each individual client. We evaluate our clients’ affect and body structure and then match the right type of horse with that person.” All CTRC instructors are certified through Path International.  

“Some of the activities, such as guiding their horse around various obstacles, can represent a powerful metaphor for overcoming their own personal obstacles in their individual recovery process,” explains Robinson. “Overcoming fear was a big obstacle for me, personally. I’m historically terrified of horses. I had to face my own fear and move through it in order to be at CTRC with our clients.” 

For clients who don’t like to share a lot about themselves and their personal lives, equine therapy may provide an outlet to be vulnerable. “It’s a safe place to be vulnerable,” says Robinson.  

Engaging activities such as working with horses are all part of the groundbreaking approach to mental health treatment pioneered by the late Colorado Recovery founder Richard Warner. Recovery from serious mental illness requires that patients retain a sense of empowerment—a belief in their ability to take charge of their lives and manage the complex challenges of their illness.

At Colorado Recovery it is our mission to help adults with serious mental health issues stabilize their illness, minimize symptoms, improve functioning, and enhance each person’s social inclusion, quality of life, and sense of meaning in life.

If you have questions about our recovery model or our services to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and similar mental illnesses, call us at 720-218-4068 to discuss treatment options for you or the person you would like to help.

At Colorado Recovery, clients learn how to live successfully with their mental illness in an atmosphere of caring support.

Here at Colorado Recovery caring support looks like an experienced, educated staff, and a treatment model of inclusion in which our clients are active participants in their ongoing care and treatment teams. With the outpatient Supportive Transitional Living and psychiatric rehabilitation services available through our program, we focus on client’s finding meaningful work and developing the ability to live independently in the community. Individualized outpatient treatment modalities support clients who have achieved stability to integrate within the community.

“We are here to help our clients move forward and achieve their goals,” says clinical therapist Julie Owen, MA, LPC. “We provide the stabilizing medications, skills and resources they need to manage their illness successfully.”

One-stop Shop

The team at Colorado Recovery offers a wide variety of services including vocational counseling and life skill coaching. We can help clients with motivation and setting up routines.

“We believe that we have the opportunity to offer a variety of necessary services to help our clients move towards independence. These services not only include case management and vocational services, but we offer health management with our on staff nursing, so we can administer medications if needed,” explains executive director Terry Stiven, MA, LPC. “We can give injections if needed, we can set up the labs, we can make sure that labs are done. As a team, we can help provide all of that.”

It’s not easy for people with serious mental health conditions such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder to find a place that provides a vocational counselor, a case manager, individual and group therapy, and other services in a single facility.

“You may not need a case manager every day but if something comes up with insurance or Medicaid or Social Security disability payments, we have the staff who can help with that,” says Stiven. “The team can also help with grocery shopping or setting up medical appointments, sometimes even accompanying them to a doctor’s appointment.”

Colorado Recovery clients are usually comfortable here. “It’s nice that they can get almost everything they need at Colorado Recovery, rather than coming here for therapy and then having to go to a hospital for their injection,” says Owen. “Here they encounter familiar faces. It’s easy for them to talk with us and they can do the whole range of requirements in one place.”

Client Choice

Colorado Recovery offers clients choices. “You don’t have to go to all our groups, you can decide whether you want a social-connection type group one day or acceptance and commitment therapy, or maybe just join in for a meal in the evening,” Stiven explains. “And if there were an episode of instability we would know how to help and surround that person with more service options.”

In any given week, clients can decide what pieces they want to participate in, depending on their current situation. “Recently, we had a client who felt pretty isolated. He chose to come to several groups and is now in the transitional living program,” Owen says. “Other clients may decide to participate in our outdoors excursions.”

Making choices for themselves about their needs and how to best manage them is very empowering for people with mental illness.

“As part of the Warner model, we don’t dictate a lot of “have to’s”: telling them ‘you have to go to this, you have to show up for that.’ They have a say in their plan, an opportunity to think things through and make choices about their lives,” says Owen. “That’s very empowering. That’s a pretty strong piece of living independently which is our ultimate goal for them. They’re working on making decisions for themselves while they are with us, and as a result, they have the necessary skills as they move forward.”

Colorado Recovery offers outpatient care for people with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other severe mental illnesses in a community-integrated treatment environment designed to meet those needs. We are also accepting admissions at the transitional living level for those who may have attended another program but are interested in support while living more independently.

Our mission is to help adults with serious mental health issues stabilize their illness, minimize symptoms, improve functioning, and enhance each person’s social inclusion, quality of life, and sense of meaning in life.

If you have questions about our recovery model or our services to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and similar mental illnesses, call us at 720-218-4068 to discuss treatment options for you or the person you would like to help.