Local Organizations in Castle Rock Are Reshaping Mental Health Support

Courtesy of The Mane Mission

Across Castle Rock, CO, the approach to mental health care is evolving. Local nonprofits and counseling centers are pairing youth with caring mentors, helping clients heal alongside horses and other animals, and moving therapy onto trails. It’s compassionate care that thinks outside the traditional therapy office.

The Aspen Effect

Jerry Van Leuven founded The Aspen Effect on a simple premise: Horses, nature and mentorship can help young people navigate life’s toughest challenges. The organization recently moved into its new home at Happy Dog Ranch Horse Sanctuary in nearby Sedalia – 117 acres of pasture, barns and about 70 rescue horses living in herds.

“We use that environment to show these horses require a connection to each other,” Van Leuven says. “We ask the kids, ‘Who is your herd? How are you connected and who do you trust? What can you learn from these animals?’”

Mentors and Staff of The Aspen Effect

The Aspen Effect’s programs center on four key ideas: grounded, connected, protected and nurtured – lessons drawn directly from the aspen tree’s shared root system. Its Ranch Mentor Club pairs youth with adult mentors and horses for weekly hands-on sessions. “Probably the No. 1 factor for a kid struggling is having an adult they can trust and talk to,” Van Leuven says. “The core of our program is to have a mentor there for these kids.”

Those mentors, along with the horses, help teens build confidence and self-awareness through ranch chores, reflection and teamwork.

“Kids don’t want to be told what to do,” Van Leuven says. “But if an adult keeps showing up for them, that mentor becomes someone who helps them think differently.”

The Aspen Effect now serves more than 260 youth a year – up from 180 only a short time ago, Van Leuven says – and works closely with the Douglas County School District and Sheriff’s Office. The team is also expanding programs for parents, encouraging families to use the same language of trust and grounding learned at the ranch.

“If we can help parents reinforce what their kids are learning, they can sustain that growth,” Van Leuven says.

The Mane Mission

In Sedalia, The Mane Mission, founded by Kathy and Mike Hulley, also harnesses the power of horses to promote healing, not through formal riding lessons, but through connection and empathy. The animals are used as partners in therapy, and Kathy says the healing process can take many forms.

“You never know what animal will touch your heart here,” Kathy says.

Courtesy of The Mane Mission

People of all ages, including those with intellectual or developmental disabilities, experience breakthroughs through animal-assisted therapy. Someone with anxiety can find calm by brushing a horse named Boomer; another girl bonded with a chicken and held it continually. The love of a cat helped a teenage boy begin sharing after he lost his father. Volunteers and therapists work side by side, creating a sense of belonging that extends beyond each session.

“I have found that everyone has some type of trauma or loss in their life,” Kathy says. “And the loving, accepting ways of animals provide immediate comfort and pave the way to a path of healing.”

Authentic Connections

Dawn Gabriel’s approach starts with conversation – and a walk outside. At Authentic Connections Counseling Center, a private counseling practice founded by Gabriel, therapy is grounded in authentic personal relationships and accessibility.

“We’re real people, and we present that when we sit with clients,” Gabriel says. “Relationships are the No. 1 thing, and everything goes through that lens.”

Her team focuses on creating comfortable spaces where clients feel understood and supported.

Authentic Connections Counseling Center

Gabriel says one of the joys of working in Castle Rock is the strong sense of community. “When I am out in the community, someone will often tell me how one of our team members impacted their life,” she says. “That’s what makes this work so meaningful.”

Her team also takes advantage of Colorado’s natural setting through a program called Trail Therapy.

“People love to be outside here,” Gabriel says. “You can walk to a trail right from our parking lot and take a walk while doing therapy.”

From mentors and horses at a ranch, to therapy animals of all kinds, to conversations on a hiking trail, Castle Rock’s mental health providers are meeting people where they are. And sometimes, that’s exactly what healing requires.