I have had the pleasure of being a part of Special Olympics since 2019. As a volunteer with this amazing organization, I was asked to bring Special Olympics’ newest Healthy Athletes Program STRONG MINDS (https://resources.specialolympics.org/health/strong-minds) to the state of Colorado as their first Strong Minds Clinical Director.
The Strong Minds program is an interactive learning experience designed to coach adaptive coping skills. These strategies include positive thinking, mind/body exercises to release stress, and fostering connections with others. Competitions offer a natural setting for athletes to utilize these skills in order to maintain social and emotional wellness, even under stress.
Since coming to Colorado four years ago, Strong Minds has helped thousands of Special Olympics athletes of all ages, their families, coaches, and other networks of support. Athletes have the know-how to identify the internal resources they possess to manage stressful situations effectively. It has been so magical and rewarding to witness the empowering effects that this program has had for all who are involved. This includes myself and my entire family (Apollo, too).
Would you consider joining me at one of our events in February 2024 supporting our incredible athletes?
What: Special Olympics Colorado – Denver Regional Basketball Competition
When: Sunday, February 18, 2024
Strong Minds programming runs from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM and volunteers will join us from 9:00 AM – 2:30 PM
Where: Colorado School of Mines (1651 Elm St. Golden, CO 8040).
To register to volunteer for this event, please visit https://www.classy.org/event/2024-volunteer-healthy-athletes-strong-minds-screening-at-denver-regional-basketball/e551460
Look forward to seeing you there!
– E.M.
"Their entire team is FABULOUS. They have always treated me with dignity and respect. I have watched them with other clients as well and I see their genuine compassion for everyone that walks thru the door. I initially went to them because I moved to CO in late 2017 and they were the first place that had an opening. I needed a psychiatrist to keep me on my Rx. I was surprised when Dr Park spent more than 15 mins going over my past Rx history with me, as has been my experience for many years. Not only did we discuss Rx, he then spent another 45 mins talking to me as a counselor. I had never had a psychiatrist/counselor combo before and was amazed at how effective it is when your Dr hears more about what's going in your life than just the effects of your current Rx. This treatment model is not practiced by someone that doesn't care about his patients. He could offer the basics that most psychiatrists offer and still bill insurance the same amount but he wants his patients to succeed and is invested in their progress. He also doesn't believe in keeping someone in therapy forever. Even if it means less income for him, when you stabilize to the point that you have better things to do than spend 30 mins with him, it's a sign that you may be ready to engage in therapy less often and he will tell you that. Dr Park has been a life and marriage saver for me and he is amazingly efficient. He gets done in 1-2 sessions what would take 6 months for another counselor because he doesn't dance around the issues. To do this, he may be more blunt with you than you might have experienced before and that may be off putting to some. If you are ready to do the hard work to make your life enjoyable again, Dr Park is your man! He also got me hooked up with TMS. If you are someone that has struggled with depression for a long time and taken Rx that hasn't been effective, talk to someone about TMS. It's a game changer. It may sound like hokey fake science. It's not. It works and works fast. THANK YOU!"