ADVANCING THE MISSION
A Unique Counseling Center Offers
a Future to LGBTQ Youth.
Photos by Mikel Healy
When Colors LGBTQ Youth Counseling Center first
opened its doors in 2012, it had just five clients.
A lot has changed since then.
Two years later, Colors has provided more than 2,100 free
counseling sessions to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,
queer, and questioning youth under 25 and their families at
its office near MacArthur Park in Los Angeles. There is often
a waiting list.
Colors is an initiative of the LGBT-Affirmative Psychology
Specialization within the graduate Clinical Psychology program
at Antioch University Los Angeles. Dr. Douglas Sadownick,
director of both the Specialization and Colors, oversees the
AULA-trained counselors in partnership with the Antioch
University Counseling Center.
“Our counselors are trained to provide affirmative
Watch a video about Colors at
groundswell.antiochla.edu/colors
Counselor Cassie Najarian greets a new client.
psychotherapeutic healing to a deserving community in
need,” explains Sadownick. “As part of the therapy process,
we teach our clients about the lasting cultural impact of
LGBTQ individuals throughout history, to empower them to
lead lives of integrity, dignity, wholeness, and contribution.”
Colors – one of AULA’s mission-driven community
projects – is funded entirely by gifts. As a result, it relies
heavily on the generosity of donors and its Colors LGBTQ
Advisory Board, which includes three members of the AULA
Board of Trustees: Jack Illes, Roland Palencia, and Jason
Oclaray. The Advisory Board is working to build sustainable
funding from alumni and friends, which will enable Colors
to support even more LGBTQ youth.
“There is just so much that could be done,” explains
Illes, to allow for “more program time, additional
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