About

Happy young man with Down syndrome with his mother walking in nature, holding each other hands.

Our Mission

Connecting with behavioral health care can feel confusing. We want the process to be easy, straightforward, and create trust with you. Our behavioral health system serves different community members differently. This impacts lower-income, rural, LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities the most, and creates mistrust around behavioral health or substance use treatment. The barriers experienced by every individual is unique; we commit to learning your unique story to serve your unique needs.

Our Vision

We recognize how complex the local system of resources can be. WellMind Connection makes it easy for community members to connect with the services they need to support mental wellbeing. We are here to be your partner- to remove the barriers to getting you the right services at the right time. Our vision is a community where well-being is achievable for all.

Diversebusiness people having meeting in modern office and laughing

Our Team

Naomi

Navigation Supervisor

Naomi (she/her) grew up in upstate New York where she received her BA in Psychology from The College of Saint Rose. She moved to Colorado in 2006 and received her Master of Social Work (MSW) degree at the University of Denver. Naomi has worked as a social worker in various capacities for nearly 20 years. She brings a holistic perspective to the work and hopes to create positive change in the community. In her free time, Naomi can be found spending time with her two daughters, hiking Colorado’s beautiful mountains with her rescue dog Bodhi, snowboarding, and practicing yoga.

Jorge

Bilingual Resource Navigator

My name is Jorge Gonzalez-Soria, my pronouns are he/him/el and I proudly identify as a Chicano. I was born and raised in the mountains of Eagle, Colorado to multi-generational Mexican household, where familia, cultura, and comunidad were core, celebrated values that continue sustaining and guiding my life and work to this day. My background is in housing, community resourcing, and supporting survivors of Domestic Violence through a client-centered and trauma-informed approach. I’ve worked as a youth specialist, served as an AmeriCorps with an education non-profit supporting students and families navigating the education system and other community resources, and most recently I was the Spanish-Bilingual Housing Stability Coordinator at Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence (SPAN) for three years. I’m passionate about working alongside my community, building trust, and ensuring everyone is treated with the dignity and respect we all deserve.

Alex

Resource Navigator

Hi, I’m Alex! I grew up in Connecticut before moving to Colorado in 2017. After working in town for a year, I went to CU Boulder to study sociology. During my time at CU, I worked as a Student Peer Educator in the Health Promotion program, where I worked with fellow students to help them stay safe and healthy through college. After I graduated, I worked at the Wardenburg Medical Center on campus, helping students get the medical care they needed. In 2022, I worked with a healthcare company in Denver. I led mobile vaccination clinics for Covid-19 and Mpox.

I love being a resource navigator because Boulder County has become my home, and I know the county has a lot of resources to help. However, there hasn’t been a clear way for residents to access these resources. I want to make it easier for people in Boulder County to get the care and help they need in an inclusive, effective, and predictable way.

Mar

Bilingual Resource Navigator

Mar was born in Puebla, Mexico. She attended the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla where she earned her degree in Modern Languages with a minor in Translation. During her studies, she also worked as a journalist for “La Región de Puebla” and other publications. Mar has over a decade of international experience as an artist, community advocate, and educator. Throughout her life, she has collaborated with various non-governmental organizations in Europe, Africa, and Central and Latin American countries. Her areas of expertise include non-profit management, program development, and community outreach. As an immigrant in the United States, Mar celebrates cultural roots and identity. As a cultural broker, she is passionate about creating connections and building united, resilient, and creative communities. In her free time, you can find her painting, trail running, backpacking in the mountains, and enjoying sunsets with her daughter, husband, and dogs.

Maria Belen

My name is Maria Belen Zea, and I was born in Manta, Ecuador. I moved to Colorado in 2010. I have a bachelor’s degree in Integrative Physiology from the University of Colorado Boulder. My background of experience is in the health field, having served as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), assisting the senior community. I have worked for the University of Colorado Boulder in various capacities over the years, including as a student coordinator, research intern, resident manager, and member of the resident council. Additionally, I have experience in mental health, having worked as an emotional companion and case manager for El Centro AMISTAD. This has provided me with the opportunity to assist the Latino community within Boulder County for the last two years, and I’m looking forward to providing support to the Boulder community in both Spanish and English. In my free time, I love spending time with my family and friends in the beautiful Colorado weather.

In Person / CAT Team Members

Daniel

Daniel De La Torre (he/him) comes from a diverse academic and professional background. Studying at the UC Denver Business School, Daniel received his BSBA with a focus in Finance and Risk Management. After spending some time in the working world, Daniel decided to go back to school to attain his MA in Applied Psychology at Regis University. Throughout his time as a master’s student, Daniel worked as a 911 dispatcher and at a psychology practice as a psychometrician (administering tests for patients who have sustained traumatic brain injuries, who were mainly Spanish speaking). Post his master’s program, he immediately began his role as a Mental Health Crisis Clinician for Denver’s STAR team and being the only Spanish-speaking clinician on the team, Daniel was requested throughout the city. Now working at the psychology practice for three years and previously working for STAR, Daniel has built a strong rapport with the Spanish-speaking community in Denver. Daniel would like to continue this momentum of growth to serve his community and the underserved and overlooked communities at large.

Jessica

Jessica Jaramillo (She/Her) is a Licensed Professional Counselor, licensed in both Colorado and Florida. She graduated with a M.S. in Professional Counseling Psychology from Florida International University in Miami, FL. Jessica started her career in the mental health field over fifteen years ago in Mexico City, where she grew up, and has since been part of a wide variety of work settings that range from residential treatment centers, university counseling departments, and research programs that focus on the development and implementation of new culturally informed treatments. Jessica specializes in crisis intervention, emotional dysregulation, and suicidal ideation; she has also worked extensively with LGTBQ teens and Latinx communities. Her theoretical foundation is rooted in evidence-based practices and third wave approaches such as Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Motivational Interviewing (MI). In her practice, she seeks to deliver culturally sensitive interventions, in which the person’s cultural background is acknowledged, respected, and incorporated into treatment. Jessica provides services in both English and her native language, Spanish, depending on individual preference.

Testimonials

syndrome at ranch looking at camera.

“I improved a lot, really. They helped me with the problem I had. I feel that their service is excellent, in addition to offering various options and being so accessible. I am infinitely grateful for their help and kindness!”

— John S. Lafayette, CO