restART Studio

restART studio is a Colorado nonprofit that is transforming the lives of underserved youth through the power of art therapy.

Our program empowers underserved youth by fostering personal growth, helping them overcome challenges, and providing the support they need to reach their full potential.

The Need

So many young people today are struggling with big challenges — trauma, family instability, body image issues, grief, school stress, or not having access to mental health support. For underserved and disadvantaged youth, the barriers to getting help are even greater. Many simply go without care.

Their pain can show up as anxiety, withdrawal, substance use, or behaviors adults interpret as “acting out.” And too often, these kids are punished instead of supported.

Across the country, youth are being pushed out of classrooms and into the justice system at alarming rates. Thousands of CO youth become justice-involved each year, and about 70% of them have untreated mental health concerns. Punishment doesn’t address the root issues — it adds more trauma and keeps them stuck in harmful cycles.

But this is not inevitable.

Early, creative, therapeutic support can change everything. Art therapy gives youth a safe outlet when talking feels too hard. It helps express what’s going on inside, learn new coping skills, and understand their emotions before things escalate into crisis.

restART studio provides accessible, trauma-informed art therapy to youth who might otherwise never receive mental health support. Our preventive approach helps stop mental health concerns from escalating, keeps youth connected to school and community, and reduces the likelihood of future justice involvement. We help young people feel seen, supported, and capable of choosing healthier paths forward.       

Our Program 

At restART studio, we show that art therapy is both a powerful healing tool and a preventative support that empowers youth to rebuild their lives and tap into their enormous potential.

We provide weekly 1:1 and small group art therapy for underserved youth who often lack access to mental health care. For many, our program is their first safe space to process emotions, stress, trauma, and family challenges before these struggles escalate into crises, school disengagement, substance use, or justice involvement.

We also partner with diversion programs to offer a therapeutic, restorative alternative to punitive responses.

Our trauma-informed approach meets each youth as an individual with unique strengths and experiences. Through creative expression, youth process difficult emotions, increase their ability to express their thoughts and feelings in healthy ways, and gain support in getting on a path towards success, a bright future, and becoming their best selves.

Art therapy strengthens a young person’s sense of agency, helping them recognize their capacity for healing, growth, and meaningful change.

Through this supportive process, youth begin to trust themselves again and imagine a future defined not by their struggles, but by their strengths.

Read more on our "Art Therapy" tab!

Partnership

Through our partnership with the City of Longmont’s REWiND program, we divert youth from court involvement by offering early intervention and art therapy. Youth gain a chance to reflect, learn, and grow rather than face punishment.

Testimonials

"I feel a lot more confident and sure of myself. I'm more self-aware, and I feel like I'm able to make good decisions."
"Before I was in art therapy, I definitely felt lost, but once I had someone to talk to, I felt more comfort and relief about myself."
"[After participating in art therapy], I view myself way differently, with better control of my behaviors."
"Art therapy helped me express my emotions without having to say what I felt every time. It makes therapy a lot less of a place to work hard, but instead a place to help better my inner turmoil.”
“Art therapy helped me in every way. It helped with emotions, feelings, coping, learning, and getting me to a better place in life.”
"I am more self-aware and feel more care towards myself as a human. I treat myself with respect."
"[Before participating in art therapy], I used to make not-so-good choices, and now I make good ones."
"Art therapy reconnected me with my family."
“[Art therapy] was helpful. [It] made me calm, more at peace, (and gave me) a better understanding of things."
"[Art therapy] helped me put in words the things that I spent an enduring time thinking about and suppressing."
"[Art therapy] helped me express my feelings towards others in healthy ways."
"[After participating in art therapy], I view myself as more joyful."
"I am now able to openly talk about issues in my life."
"[Art therapy was helpful because] it was something to do instead of getting into trouble."
"I now know how to better access my emotions."
"[After participating in art therapy], I am able to express myself more than ever."
"[Art therapy helped me] expand my mind and see things in (the) bigger picture."