In the heart of every struggle lies the seed of resilience. This is the story of Danielle, a woman who has faced immense challenges and emerged stronger, more compassionate and determined to break the cycle of generational trauma. Her journey with WellPower has been transformative, helping her recognize her intrinsic value and empowering her to help others.
Finding the Courage to Get Help
Danielle’s journey to improve her mental health and well-being took a significant turn for the better when she moved to Colorado in 2014. After experiencing severe abuse from her mother throughout her childhood, and then from her ex-partner, she knew she needed to find a place where she could begin to heal from the trauma of her past.
The move was challenging but necessary for Danielle’s healing and empowerment. “We came to Colorado for a number of reasons,” she said. “My [current] partner’s family is here, we wanted a better education for our daughter and I also knew that I’d have a better chance at getting the mental health resources I needed.”
For several years, Danielle tried to make changes on her own and with the help of her family, but in 2021, her mother had a stroke and she knew she needed additional support.
“I was so overwhelmed with trying to figure out what to do that I reached out to my doctor and said that I needed help,” said Danielle. “My doctor connected me with a social worker, and that social worker connected me to WellPower.”
The Impact of Therapy
After four years of services with WellPower, Danielle is the healthiest mentally that she’s ever been. She regularly meets with her WellPower therapist, Katie, over their telehealth appointments to continue working towards her goals.
“My experience with therapy has been both rough and fantastic,” she said. “When you choose to go to therapy, you sign up for a lot of vulnerability and open yourself up to challenges. It’s hard. It’s also absolutely amazing. If it weren’t for therapy with WellPower, I’d still be at home and afraid of all social interactions.”
Danielle attributes a large portion of her healing and personal success to the guidance and kindness of her therapist.
Together, they’ve worked for several years to help Danielle improve her feelings of self-worth and break the generational cycles of abuse that impacted her childhood. She knew, even as a child, that she would be the one who changed the narrative of her family history, but taking that first step was challenging.
“I wanted to be able to talk to whatever children I had about how they’re feeling and affirm their emotions – that it’s okay to be angry, it’s okay to cry. It’s okay to feel things. I never had that as a kid,” she said. “With Katie’s help, I’ve come to realize that the person I am now is who I wanted and needed my own mom to be.”
The work Danielle has put into her mental health has helped her realize that therapy can serve as a tool to truly understand yourself. She knows now that she has intrinsic value as a person. She also knows that she wouldn’t be the mom, partner, friend, student or person she is now without the therapeutic support she’s received from WellPower.
Medicaid is a Lifeline
At the center of Danielle’s story lies another unlikely hero: Medicaid.
“Medicaid has given me the ability to find my self-worth,” she said. “My access to therapy, medication and other behavioral health services covered by Medicaid has been crucial in my healing process. It has allowed me to focus on my mental health without the added stress of financial burden.”
Danielle’s journey is not just about overcoming personal struggles; it’s about making a positive impact on her community. By using her Medicaid insurance to cover her comprehensive behavioral health care, she has been able to focus on her “ripple effect” beyond therapy, too.
She has become a source of support and guidance for her neighbors, helping them with their gardens and sharing her knowledge about plants. She also contributes to Habitat for Humanity and is pursuing a degree in computer science with a focus on cybersecurity, all with the goal of giving back to her community.
Danielle’s story is a powerful reminder that we are all capable of overcoming our past and creating a better future. It takes courage to face our traumas, strength to seek help and love to heal. As Danielle put it, “You’re bigger than your trauma. You’re bigger than your problems. And you are worth the time it takes to make yourself a better person.”
In sharing her story, Danielle hopes to inspire others to take that first step towards healing. “It takes the first step and then another. You just put one foot in front of the other,” she said. Her journey is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of empathy, love and support.
Help is Available
WellPower gladly welcomes people with Medicaid coverage. To access mental health and behavioral health services at WellPower, the first thing to do is to call us at (303) 504-7900.
Please contact us if you have any questions about accessing services for yourself, your minor child (ages 0-17) or other family members for whom you have guardianship. For more information about telehealth, visit our resources page here.
Wondering about accessing our services with Medicaid insurance? Find out more about Medicaid here.