After months of preparation, planning, and development, The Center on Colfax is elated to share that Glass Lawler Mental Health will be launching next week on September 7, 2023, and you’re invited to celebrate with us!
Designed to provide free therapeutic services to LGBTQ+ adults (18+) in Denver, Glass Lawler Mental Health was named for Carmah Lawler and her wife Kathy Glass. The couple was very politically active and involved in the local community. Carmah was also a social worker and a passionate activist. Upon the couple’s passing, Carmah and Kathy left a generous bequest to The Center on Colfax, which was used as seed money to start our new mental health program.
The launch of this program comes at a time when mental health is an extremely relevant and pressing topic. According to a recent survey conducted by the City of Denver and The Center on Colfax, 70% of LGBTQ+ Denver residents have experienced a mental health challenge in the past year. Moreover, 59% of respondents expressed concern regarding the ability of mental health services in Denver to meet the needs of LGBTQ+ people.
The Center on Colfax hopes that Glass Lawler Mental Health will help to address the significant need for LGBTQ-specific mental health services in our community, and that our free services will make getting help more accessible for everyone.
An instrumental piece in developing this new program was the hire of The Center’s first Director of Mental Health Services, Jaylin Goodloe (she/her). Jaylin joined the team in May 2023, and has been a driving force in getting Glass Lawler Mental Health set to have a successful launch. Her goal is two-fold: to provide affirming, culturally responsive therapy to the LGBTQ+ community, and, through supervising 2-3 interns each semester, to help train more LGBTQ+ affirming mental healthcare providers.
Before joining us, Jaylin worked in mental healthcare as a therapist for nearly four years. She obtained a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and then a master’s degree in Couples’, Marriage, and Family Therapy from Texas Tech.
In addition to cost, one of the chief barriers to accessing mental health care as a member of a marginalized population is finding a culturally competent provider. Jaylin, as a member of the LGBTQ+ community herself, sees this as another reason she is a natural fit to serve the community in her role as the first ever Director of Glass Lawler Mental Health. “There are so many doubts about what accessing mental health care can mean for many people in our community,” she says. “Will a therapist understand and affirm this integral part of who I am? What if I spent more time trying to explain my identity and lived experiences than getting the help I need? Knowing that you are in a safe space with a member of your own community can alleviate so much of the fear and hesitation around reaching out for help.”
"I have always had a passion for helping and listening to others when they need it most."
Jaylin knows firsthand what it is like to feel alone. “My passion stems from my lack of having someone like me in my life when I was younger. Growing up, there was this mentality that you either had to not feel your emotions too heavily, or you should dismiss them completely. It is so important to me to create space for people to feel heard and seen. This includes myself—good boundaries, self-advocacy, and self-care are critical tools for us all to have.”
“Our community is so much stronger when we stand together to support each other, instead of tear each other down.”
As a member of the community and a therapist, Jaylin identifies a third barrier LGBTQ+ people face when they need mental healthcare—stigma. "Culturally, our community puts a high value on resiliency and grit. We’ve had to develop these traits to survive. But it makes reaching out and recognizing when we need help an extra challenge for us." She hopes that with the launch of this program, there will be increased visibility and conversation around mental health needs and challenges among queer Coloradans. The generous bequest of Carmah Lawler and Kathy Glass and support from donors is one heartening sign that a shift in the culture is happening. “Our community is so much stronger when we stand together to support each other, instead of tear each other down.”
As a member of the OutPouring, you know firsthand the change we can make when we work collectively. We have a thriving and expanding LGBTQ+ community center in the heart of Denver because of each and every one of you. Please join us at The Center next Thursday, Sept. 7 at 6pm to celebrate this new beginning! The Glass Lawler Mental Health Launch Party will be a space to connect with fellow community members and mental health professionals, tour our brand-new therapy rooms, see a demo of the service sign up process, and join in the celebration of the collective achievement this program signifies. If you would like to attend the launch party, click here to RSVP.