Steph gives and receives support at WellPower’s NextChapter program.
Life has a way of throwing curveballs at the most inopportune times, and Steph knows that all too well. As a person who has dealt with depression since childhood, Steph already knew what it was like to live with a mental health challenge alongside managing relationships, work and the tasks of daily living. But, when a rapid series of life-altering blows hit Steph over the course of 2021, they were faced with a choice: give up or keep on pushing forward.
You’ll never guess what they chose.
Life Happens to Everyone
Depression. Autoimmune disease. Long COVID. Job loss. Divorce. Homelessness.
Steph has dealt with it all, and all at once.
Through every challenge, even when they had nothing left in the proverbial tank, Steph still held onto the hope that life could get better, that it wasn’t as dark as it seemed.
“Anything big and dramatic can happen to anyone in life, at any time,” Steph said. “Big challenges, even life-altering ones, don’t mean that everything is over. There’s always hope, but you have to put the effort in to find it.”
Since the summer of 2024, Steph has found a place of refuge and hope through WellPower’s NextChapter program, a psychiatric rehabilitation program that provides classes, outings, education and employment support. Steph has also used other services offered by WellPower, such as case management, psychiatry and housing.
As an artist, Steph is particularly at home within NextChapter’s art room, either taking classes about different mediums or artists through history, or simply practicing their own pieces during open studio time. With all this time in the creative space, Steph has become somewhat of a fixture.
“I don’t look sick, and I’m really talkative with people,” Steph said. “I’ve even been mistaken for a staff member here because I’m on site so frequently! But, I do have my challenges – they’re just not readily visible. The impact of my long COVID, my depression and the overwhelm I feel in certain situations aren’t easy to see until they’re suddenly boiling over.”
NextChapter has given Steph a mentally and physically safe space to open up, to communicate through creativity and to find ways to improve their well-being.
You Have to Put Effort into Your Own Mental Health
From a young age, Steph had to learn how to adapt and be resilient. Those skills have been particularly useful for them as they navigated adjusting to major challenges over the past several years.
Art has given Steph a means of expression when words fail. Working on pieces in NextChapter’s art studio and feeling safe to experience the full spectrum of emotions has given Steph space to open up in other avenues of their mental health journey.
“There are two big parts of how WellPower functions that have had a lasting positive impact on my mental health and my recovery journey,” said Steph. “The first is that WellPower focuses on health for the whole person – their sheer breadth of services gives me spaces for my emotional and mental health, yes, but also my physical well-being and meeting my basic needs.”
For Steph, the second part is crucial – being able to practice the tools they learn in therapy in places like NextChapter or the Resource Center.
“When I practice at these WellPower spaces, the risk of failing isn’t nearly as great as it would be if I were trying to use those new tools at something like a corporate job,” they said.
That room to practice building community, creating friendships and navigating complex emotions in a safe place has also propelled Steph to pour in effort to other parts of their recovery.
The progress Steph has made hasn’t happened overnight. They’ve used resources, such as WellPower’s housing services, to stay safe and have a roof over their head during a period of being unhoused. At the same time, Steph also worked directly with their case manager to apply for housing opportunities, knowing the process could take a while before a living space became available.
While living in WellPower’s residential facilities, Steph participated in classes and groups to build skills and foster relationships. They took time to research support and grants that could help them get back on their feet. They asked for help when they needed it and gave back to their community wherever possible.
Over time, the pieces began to fall into place. Steph received a housing voucher and now has their own apartment. They received grants for furniture. They were able to access healthy food options at the Resource Center. Through the whole process, Steph has been an active participant in striving for recovery.
Progress is Progress, Even if it’s One Drop at a Time
Steph’s work on their mental health isn’t over, and they also know that one way to nurture progress is through building community.
NextChapter is the perfect place for Steph to do so. They’ve taught workshops about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and staying safe online at NextChapter, using their experience and knowledge to support their community, along with volunteering at other positions within the tech sphere.
“Giving back to my community has always been a priority for me, I’m just doing it differently now than I did in the corporate world,” Steph said. “I feel like I’m doing work that really matters now, and even though it’s different from what I initially envisioned for my life, it’s meaningful and gives me purpose.”
Steph’s guiding focus throughout their life has been to just keep going, no matter whether progress is large or small. On some days, all Steph can muster is showing up to NextChapter and sitting in companionable silence with others, but still being present with their community. On other days, they have more energy and can fully participate in outings, exercise classes, conversations around the art table and more. What matters most to Steph is continuing to pour into their bucket of positive progress, even if it’s just one drop at a time.
Nowadays, Steph is discovering what their new normal looks like and how to adapt to the obstacles life has presented. Despite all these challenges, Steph’s determination and resourcefulness, along with help from WellPower, has led to stable housing, furniture, food and community. They’re learning what it feels like to nurture new friendships and testing the waters of getting back into the workforce.
“I believe that – as humans – when we give, that’s when we truly receive,” said Steph. “And, ultimately, that’s what I’m really here for, what I’ve always been here for. I want to be in community and I want to make positive change. I know that I may not ever be perfectly well again, and I’m perfectly okay with that. My health – mental, physical and emotional – doesn’t have to stop me from achieving my goals.”
Want to Access Mental Health Services at WellPower? Here’s How:
If you need mental health support, WellPower is here to help. Click here to learn about accessing mental health services at WellPower or call (303) 504-7900. We gladly welcome Medicaid members, and we accept a range of Medicare and commercial insurance plans.
For immediate, confidential, 24/7/365 support, call, text or chat 988, the Mental Health Lifeline. In Colorado, you can also visit a walk-in center for round-the-clock, in-person help in a crisis. Denver’s walk-in center (operated by WellPower) is at 4353 E. Colfax Ave. Find the location closest to you here.
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