Carl Clark on Changing the World Through WellPower

Carl Clark, CEO of WellPower and recipient of the Lean On Me Award, is a passionate advocate for mental health and inclusion. 

Clarks spoke to us on their practices and priorities in addressing mental health. WellPower has helped better the Denver community since 1989 and has offered services to assist people through various struggles and mental illnesses. While mental illness may still be stigmatized, Clark and WellPower aim to use their experiences and expertise to create awareness and more inclusive treatment.

Clark shares that his father inspired him to work within mental health spaces. When he was 18, his father went to the state hospital, and at the time he was worried about what this might entail. He says the hospital “didn’t look like a friendly place, right? It had bars on the windows and fences around it, and you never actually saw anybody when you went there. As a kid, you just wondered, well, what goes on in a place like that, right?” 

Despite his fears, the hospital turned out to be incredibly beneficial for him and his father. Clark says, “The staff there were really great. They said, ‘Oh, you know, your dad has this illness. It’s called bipolar disorder. You know? He’s going to be able to get treatment, and he’ll get better.’ And it was just very helpful. And they even gave us information to read about bipolar disorder.” 

Through his father’s treatment, Clark witnessed that mental illness could be addressed. Reflecting on his experiences, he says, “I had a great dad, like, he was so much more than his illness, like anybody dealing with an illness, there’s so much more than that. And, I felt like we were lucky. I felt like we were lucky that people didn’t give up on my dad, you know, that there was something there for us as a family when we needed it. So I do this work because I don’t want it to be (dependent on) luck.”

Clark began as a staff psychiatrist and eventually became the president and CEO of WellPower. WellPower’s emphasis on mental health literacy is in part due to the positive impact learning about mental health, its effects, and proper treatment had on Clark and his father. WellPower is very hands-on in training people on what certain illnesses entail, how to address them, and who to connect people with for recovery. WellPower has trained more people in mental health first aid than anyone else in Colorado—an issue can only be effectively addressed if one is aware of what the issue is. 

He shares that WellPower has three main areas they focus on to encourage mental wellness. 

Their first area of focus is “things that we can do with the body to help the mind. So it might be medication, but it includes things like eating nutritious food, getting adequate sleep, doing mindful activities, and making sure that your general health care is good. So we actually have a primary care clinic, and we make sure that people are connected with primary care.” 

Their second focus point revolves around psychotherapy: “Our brains do a lot of things, you know, we think, we feel, and we do stuff. And people can have trouble in any of those areas, or more than one area. And that’s really what psychotherapy is about, helping people, if you’re having trouble with feelings or activities, whatever it might be.” 

WellPower’s last focus point is social determinants of health through their “NextChapter program, which is helping people go back to work or helping people go back to school, and then we have a housing program where we develop affordable housing. And, in fact, we’re putting the shovel in the ground in April for a six-unit apartment building.” 

Clark received the Lean on Me Award for WellPower’s inclusive practices. The Lean on Me Award is presented every year by Envision:You at their annual garden party, which works to improve LGBTQ+ people’s mental health and well-being. The award will be given at an annual garden party hosted by Envision: You, which “honors individuals and organizations that have dedicated themselves to improving behavioral health outcomes for LGBTQ+ Coloradans.”

This award is a result of WellPower’s active effort for inclusivity. They work to ensure that people can access the care and services that they need. They do so by acknowledging bias and discrimination that can exist within health spaces. 

“Carl’s unwavering dedication to mental health equity has left an indelible mark on our community. His commitment to empowering individuals and promoting resilience embodies the spirit of the Lean on Me Award. We are honored to recognize his contributions and grateful for his ongoing support in our mission to foster well-being within the LGBTQ+ community,” says Envision:You Founder Steven Haden.

Clark explains, “There are a lot of health disparities that exist in our community, communities of color, the LGBTQ community, communities where the system is not really designed for them. So how do we do things differently in a way that people are like, ‘Yeah, that’s the place; I want to go here. I feel comfortable going here; this is the place I want to be.’” 

They specifically emphasize addressing anti-Black racism. They do so through multiple training, such as DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) training and educating people on the best response if they see discrimination or biases. Clark emphasizes that  addressing anti-Black racism, “actually improves things for everyone.”

WellPower has built an inclusive and comfortable space for both citizens and employees. Through inclusivity, all kinds of people in Denver can receive mental health care in a variety of forms.

“If you’re in the LGBTQ+ community, know you’re welcome here,” C says.

To learn more about WellPower and connect to services, you can visit wellpower.org.