Our
Vision
We envision a community where coercive care is no longer necessary because individuals experiencing mental distress have a broad array of effective, accessible, and safe pathways towards their own unique definition of mental wellness.
Our
Values
We value consent & choice; alternatives to conventional system; allowing people to be the expert of their experience; collaboration, community, connection; mutuality and relationship; belonging; disruption; embracing weirdness,
non-normativity and our full humanity; non-judgment.
Our 5 A's
Allow
​space for mental distress:
We all need the space to feel and be with our emotions without immediately trying to “fix” or “cure” them. In allowing and being with our emotions, no matter how intense or extreme, we can be truly witnessed, fostering connection and community.
​Awaken
to the wisdom of our lived experience:
We are the experts of our own experience, and get to choose how to make sense of our own stories and how we share those stories with others. Our power is in re-claiming our stories, with all our complexity and humanity. We are not our diagnoses and we strive to awaken to the wisdom of our own experiences.
Aspire
towards healing:
We enhance well-being through community building and connections built on mutuality. Healing can take many forms and happen on its own timeline. We believe that community and mutually respectful and supportive relationships are the cornerstones of our healing journeys.
​Amplify
Our voices:
We share who we are, what we feel, and what we need without judgment or shame. Our voices matter and we strive to serve as a platform to elevate the voices of persons with lived experience.
Advocate
for meaningful choice and change:
We take a stand and unify as a community to make choices for ourselves and disrupt the harmful aspects of the conventional systems surrounding us. We advocate for increased options, inclusion, and choice.
Commitment to Justice & Equity
At the Yarrow Collective we are committed to racial justice, gender justice, disability justice, and strive for overall health equity. We recognize that systemic injustices and disparities in mental health and addiction/recovery persist in our society, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. We believe that addressing these issues is a fundamental necessity for building a more just and equitable world.
Our approach is rooted in cultivating genuine human connections. We believe in the power of relationships to foster understanding, empathy, and meaningful change. By making identity central we celebrate diversity and recognize how each persons’ unique matrix of identities influences how they move through the world.
Creating healing environments is central to our mission. We understand that healing isn't just physical, it is also emotional, social, and spiritual. That's why we’re committed to creating spaces where each individual feels supported and empowered to heal from past and current trauma and injustices in culturally relevant and inclusive ways. We prioritize lived experience and prioritize leaders/facilitators that are of the communities we serve in our respective spaces.
We know that reaching true equity requires continuous effort and collaboration. By coming together as a community, we aim to be a part of lasting change and liberation for all.