Reach for Wellness: Recent Episodes
Community Reach Center
A podcast about all things mental health brought to you by Community Reach Center, a community mental health center, in Westminster, CO.
In this episode, we’re joined by CRC's therapist, Ally, who shares the power of community, self-love, and creating safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ individuals. From the comfort of hugging a Squishmallow or bunny after a hard day to exploring art and nature as acts of healing, Ally emphasizes the importance of nurturing their own wellness and helping others do the same. Whether you're looking for support, inspiration, or just a moment of calm, this episode will leave you feeling seen, held, and reminded of your worth.
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Vanessa is joined by Mayra, our new supervisor of staff at Ascent. Mayra provides valuable insights on recognizing when we may need extra support in our life. She also emphasizes that mental wellness varies for each individual, and that taking care of ourselves and reaching out for help is a sign of strength. This conversation serves as a powerful reminder that support is always within reach.
This month, we’re joined by Community Reach Center’s Chief Executive Officer, Rick Doucet, as he reflects on the legacy of Mary Ciancio and her remarkable spirit of volunteerism. Rick also shares insights into CRC’s history and highlights the upcoming Mary Ciancio Memorial Distinguished Service Award Dinner, an event dedicated to recognizing outstanding volunteers who uplift others, strengthen the community, and spark positive change.
For Women’s History month, we are joined by Rhiana Holmes, a Therapist at Community Reach Center. Rhiana talks about the impact of a client’s gender, age, and life stage on treatment planning. Women often experience diverse stages of life due to changes in hormones, environment, motherhood, and more. She concludes the episode emphasizing the importance of community for an individual’s wellness and provides advice on ways to find a community that aligns with a person's background and interests.
In February’s episode of Reach for Wellness, we are joined by Mike Marsico, Community Reach Center’s Vice President of Clinical Services. In the month of love and relationships, Mike puts a spin on the importance of evaluating how we relate to important pieces of our lives such as hobbies, pets, and family members. He also offers a therapist’s perspective on what it means when a client completes therapy. Tune in to the full episode to explore the sense of fulfillment and excitement we experience when clients move forward.
Check out the latest episode of Reach for Wellness! Vanessa sits down with Jess Conway to discuss mental health during this time of year. Jess shares her journey with Mental Health First Aid, the joy she finds as a spin instructor, and why setting tangible goals is key to achieving meaningful change. Plus, she offers valuable tips on identifying your motivation style and leveraging it for a successful year ahead.
In this month’s episode of Reach for Wellness, Grecia shares how she handles wintertime in Colorado and the importance of feeling your feelings to get through the colder months. After formerly living in Mexico and moving to a new state, she shares a valuable perspective in how to approach this change and navigating seasonal affective disorder. Listen to the full episode for helpful tips on how to power through winter with self-compassion and gratitude.
In this month’s Reach for Wellness episode, Zeeshan reflects on his gratitude for nature, movies, and sports as tools to prevent burnout. As a therapist helping kids navigate their challenges, he shares valuable insights on overcoming struggles through personal passions and community. Listen to the full episode for tips on channeling wellness through meaningful activities.
In this month’s Reach for Wellness episode, Ky reveals how his family maintains their mental health during the spooky season. His family embraces this time of year by planning spooktacular activities that reduce fear and promote wellness. Listen to the full episode to discover how Ky stays connected with his family during his favorite time of year.
In this month’s Reach for Wellness episode, Jennifer and Faith talk about the importance of routine, self-care, and hope to improve mental health and prevent suicide. Faith and Jennifer are both members of the Suicide Prevention Committee at Community Reach Center and have been busy raising awareness during Suicide Prevention Month. Check out the episode for tips on preventing suicide and fostering hope!
Tune into this month's Reach for Wellness episode, Romance Yourself with Self-Care, with our care manager, Raine Fox-Welch! In this month's episode, Raine and Vanessa talk about adult daily living skills, the spoon theory, and the importance of finding little moments for yourself daily.
Tune into this month's Reach for Wellness episode, Reaching for Wellness with Hope Through Recovery, with our peer specialist, Beau Lajeunesse! In this episode, Beau shares more about his role at CRC, the importance of structure and routine, and opens up about his struggle with addiction and how it’s changed the course of his life.
Tune into this month's Reach for Wellness episode, Reaching for Wellness During the Holidays, with our peer specialist, Jake Chavez! In this episode, Jake shares more about his role at CRC, the exciting new music wellness group he started 🎵, and how you can boost your mental health around the holidays! ❄️ Click the link in our bio for the full episode!
Welcome back to Reach for Wellness, in our new episode you will continue listening to Christ Worthman, our special guest, and in this second part of the podcast, Christ explains a little more about how to help someone else remain calm.
Toxic Masculinity is a buzzword on social media, but what is it all about? Listen in to hear from Dr. Kyle Simon about what it is and how it affects our relationships.
There's a reason why talking about mental health in any setting can be intimidating: it's about the wounds you can't see and the complex neurological wiring you can't fully understand. So when depictions of mental illness are finally shown in the media center, it can be a relief to those who suffer in silence knowing they are not alone in their feelings, or a misreading of reality.
So, is mental health being stigmatized by the media? Hear from Joe Oria, LCSW, LAC talk about how what we consume in the media about mental health impacts us.
Go to our different channels and listen the new episode of Reach for Wellness with Vanessa Alarcón
Understand the different aspects of Human Trafficking and how people, children and adults, get sucked into dangerous situations.
Any of us have heard of bipolar disorder, but how many of us actually understand this mental condition? Formerly called manic depression, this is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression).
Meet Anginet and her inspiring story in this special episode of "Our Story," where Vanessa Alarcón speaks with Anginet Page, a Peer Specialist at Community Reach Center who has suffered from this disorder throughout her life.
Anginet reflects on her successes and struggles and advocates for a more aware society.
"I thought it was just depression. I struggled a lot. Five years later, my life is different. People have to know they are not alone in this journey. Wherever you are is not your ending point, you can continue to move forward and have an amazing life".
Learn about Autism, the causes, and myths. In this episode of Reach For Wellness we have a special guest, Dr. Joshua Rodgers M.D. Dr. Rodgers is the Chief Medical Officer at Community Reach Center and walks us through the neurodevelopmental aspects of Autism, and some of the myths and misconceptions about the disorder.
Join Vanessa Alarcón in continuing our conversation about autism. This week Vanessa is joined by Katja Babcock, an LCSW and Therapist at Community Reach Center. This episode talks about the therapies available to treat autism and what can be done to make life a little easier for those with Autism.
Meet Lindsie and her inspiring story in this special episode of “Our Story,” where Vanessa Alarcón speaks with Lindsie Aggerbeck, a young adult with autism; Lindsie is part of our Reachers; she is the video editor specialist at Community Reach Center !
Lindsie talks about her struggles, successes, and advocates for a more aware society.
“It’s never a bad thing to advocate for yourself, it’s always okay if you tell people there are certain boundaries they are crossing”.
We are more than proud of you, Lindsie!
March is Social Worker Appreciation Month. Listen as our Host Vanessa Alarcon MSW, LCSW, LAC, Dr. Rebecca Durbahn PhD, LCSW and Cristina Barca MSW, LCSW, talk about what it means to be a social worker.
Dealing with trauma after a disaster can be very hard. In this episode we discuss what resources are available after the Marshall Fire in Louisville Colorado.
Vanessa Alarcón, sits down with Community Reach Center employees to talk about violence and discrimination in the transgender community.
CRC Reach for Wellness host Vanessa Alarcón, MSW, LCSW, Bilingual Therapist, is discussing disability awareness with a Community Reach Center therapist who is blind and also an advocate for disability awareness. With her lived experience and passion for supporting those who have disabilities, she offers a unique perspective on things that many of us take for granted.
Learn more about disability awareness now!
With November being focused on Veterans, CRC Reach for Wellness host Vanessa Alarcón, MSW, LCSW, Bilingual Therapist, is discussing resources available for vets as well as highlighting the service of one of Community Reach Centers leadership team members.
Learn more about how to support the veteran in your life here!
CRC Reach for Wellness host Vanessa Alarcón, MSW, LCSW, Bilingual Therapist, leads a discussion about domestic violence. She covers topics like how to support someone you love when you think they may be in a domestic violence situation, red flags to look for in your own relationship, and resources you can turn to for support.
Special guests include:
Katie, the lead resource advocate at Rose Andom Center
Marta, a Bilingual Legal Advocate at Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence
Johanna, a therapist at Community Reach Center
With September being Suicide Prevention Awareness month, CRC Reach for Wellness host Vanessa Alarcón, MSW, LCSW, Bilingual Therapist, is highlighting Mental Health First Aid, a free resource Community Reach Center offers and talking to a school based therapist about how children and young adults are affected.
Join us for a special Mental Health Month episode where we discuss how to improve your own mental health, how to support someone else who is struggling and how to reduce mental health stigma. Guests include Clinicians Vanessa Alarcon and Tiffany Johnson and Tracy Roberts with Broomfield Public Health.
Did you know that over 50 million people in the U.S. struggle with mental health, but over 50% of those people don't seek treatment? Join us as we sit down with our very own Cayla Steffy to discuss how to make therapy work for you. We discuss how to find a good therapist, insurance coverage, what the first few sessions look like, various types of therapy and what to do if you don't like your therapist.
Join us for our very first episode where we discuss why we started the Reach for Wellness podcast, services offered at Community Reach Center, client success stories and why it's important to reach out for help when you need it.