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Share Your Story

Thank you for being here and for considering sharing a piece of your journey with us.

Your Story Has a Home Here

Thank you for being here and for considering sharing a piece of your journey with us.

Stories are powerful. They build bridges of understanding, create communities of growing confidence, and have the ability to make others feel seen and less alone. Your unique experience—with all its challenges, lessons, and moments of resilience—is an important part of a larger human narrative, and it deserves to be told.

We want you to feel safe in this process. Please know that we will treat your story with the utmost care, respect, and confidentiality. As you fill out the form below, you will have complete control over how your name is displayed and where your story can be shared, ensuring your privacy is honored in the way that feels right for you.

Take your time as you write. There is no need to be a professional author; your lived experience is what matters most. We are simply honored to read.

Enter the first name of the person whose story is being told.
Enter the last name of the person whose story is being told.

Please select how you would like the storyteller’s name to be displayed. This is a critical step to ensure your privacy and comfort.

If you selected “Use pseudonym” please enter the pseudonym you wish to use here.

Please provide your email address. Our editorial team will use this to contact you with any questions. Your email will be kept strictly confidential and will not be displayed publicly.

If you are comfortable speaking with us directly, please provide a phone number. This is completely optional and will only be used by our team if we need to clarify important details about your story. Your number will be kept confidential and will not be published.

Enter a concise and compelling headline for the story. Example: “From Hopkins to Homeless and Back: My Story of Recovery”

Provide a brief preview of the story, limited to about 280 characters. This summary may be used for social media and on the main “Stories” page.

Enter the main body of the narrative here.
Writing Guide
Your Story Writing Guide

Your story is a powerful tool for connection and hope. To help you structure your narrative, we suggest following a simple three-act format. This is just a guide; please feel free to write in the way that feels most authentic to you.

Act 1: The Setup (The “Before”)

Start by painting a picture of your life before the main challenges became central. This helps readers connect with you as a whole person, beyond any diagnosis or difficulty.

Guiding questions: What were your ambitions, relationships, or daily routines like? What brought you joy? What was considered “normal” for you or your family?

Act 2: The Confrontation (The Struggle)

This is the heart of your narrative. Describe the challenges you or your loved one confronted. This is where you can humanize the struggle and share the reality of the journey.

Guiding questions: What did the struggle look like and feel like? What were the internal or external conflicts you faced? Were there specific turning points, barriers, or moments of breakthrough? Focus on the resilience and courage it took to navigate this time.

Act 3: The Resolution (The “After” and The Hope)

Conclude with the path toward healing, management, and hope. This is the most critical part of the story, as it shows others that recovery and resilience are possible. This does not need to be a perfect “happily ever after” ending.

Guiding questions: What tools, support systems, or key learnings helped you move forward? How have you or your loved one grown? What does life look like now, and what gives you hope for the future?

Upload a photo of the storyteller. This can help humanize the narrative, but please ensure you consent to our use of the image. 

Max size: 10MB. Accepted: .png, .jpg, .jpeg, .gif, .webp

Combine all images for the gallery into a single .zip file and upload it here. This is useful for showing a journey over time. For best results, please ensure the image files within the zip folder are named in the order you wish them to appear. Zip Instructions: Windows/PC | iOS/Mac

Max size: 50MB. Accepted: .zip, .gzip, .rar

If you have a video, paste the full URL of a video from a platform like YouTube or Vimeo into the URL field. This is the best method for fast page loading and a smooth viewing experience for visitors.
If you have audio, paste the full URL of an audio clip from a platform like SoundCloud or a podcast player into the URL field. This is the best method for fast page loading and a smooth listening experience.
Options for Sharing Your Story *
Sometimes, the most powerful support comes from connecting with someone who has had a similar experience. If you are open to it, would you be willing to be a resource for others who may be experiencing challenges like yours? Checking this option does not commit you to anything right away—it simply lets us know that you are open to hearing from our team about opportunities to support others.
I’m available to provide support to others. *
Please use this space for any additional notes, questions, or comments for our editorial team. This information is for internal purposes only and will not be published with the story.
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Stories help raise awareness and inspire community support of our advocacy efforts. Your story and any attached photos/videos/audio files may be featured through various marketing and fundraising materials. These outlets include but are not limited to the following: email newsletter, targeted emails, thank you notes, proposals, brochures, reports, donor solicitation letters, our website, and our Facebook, Twitter, X, Bluesky and Instagram channels. By submitting your story, you consent to Mental Health Colorado’s use of various iterations of your story (in whole or in part) and images through the communication channels detailed above.