About the Institute | Lyda Hill Institute for Human Resilience

Advancing human resilience through interdisciplinary research, healing therapies, and community training and empowerment

The Lyda Hill Institute for Human Resilience is comprised of three divisions working in synergy to address the complex mental health needs of individuals within our community, in other communities around the United States, and around the world. Through scientific discovery and strength-based innovation, the Institute empowers individuals and communities to build resilience and heal from trauma. The Institute has changed significantly since its original creation as the Trauma, Health, and Hazards Center in 2002. In March of 2020, the Lyda Hill Institute for Human Resilience was founded after receiving a generous match grant from the Lyda Hill Foundation. The Institute directly impacts the lives of close to 10,000 individuals per year through the Research, Healing, and Community Training & Empowerment divisions.

Community Training & Empowerment Division

The Lyda Hill Institute for Human Resilience provides a variety of training, empowerment, and peer support opportunities through the Community Training and Empowerment division. From organizational peer support system development and training to a variety of community trainings and workshops on becoming trauma-informed, to the targeted resilience-based GRIT interventions, Community Training & Empowerment teaches the skills needed to build mental health resiliency. The division currently has contracts with a variety of large employers, such as entities within the Colorado state government, healthcare providers, and Veteran-based nonprofit organizations.

First Priority Peer Support is an evidence-informed resiliency and behavioral health initiative designed to help workforces become more resilient by training volunteers within an organization to become “Peer Supporters” and teaching them basic counseling and support skills and providing them with knowledge about stress and psychological trauma related to their occupation. With this training, these individuals can assist their peers with posttraumatic or occupational stress and guide them to an appropriate level of treatment when needed. You can learn more about First Priority Peer Support here.

Community Trainings and Workshops are provided to organizations to assist them in becoming trauma-informed and resilience-informed. As stress and trauma impact many professions and organizations, employees can benefit from gaining a basic understanding of the effects of stress, as well as how to foster resilience within themselves and their organizations. Learn more about our Community Trainings and Workshops here.

The Trauma Training Program is an online program designed to give professionals and students a basic understanding of the symptoms, impact, and treatment of trauma in various populations. The Trauma Training Program provides a foundational understanding of how stress and trauma impact the mind and body, as well as the impact of trauma on different populations. You can find additional information about the Trauma Training Program here.

The Greater Resilience Information Toolkit (GRIT) Program was developed soon after the COVID-19 pandemic began. GRIT was designed to address the needs of individuals and communities impacted by the various stressors created by the pandemic. The resilience-building program helps participants to become more resilient and to cultivate resilience within their families and communities. Over time GRIT has evolved to trainings for various populations facing a variety of different stressors. You can learn more about the GRIT program here.

Healing Division

The Healing division is made up of the Veterans Health and Trauma Clinic (VHTC) and the Institute’s newest clinic, Milestones Resilience Care. VHTC provides an integrated healing experience for individuals belonging to the Veteran, active military, and emergency responder communities, as well as family members of individuals in these groups. To learn more about the Veterans Health and Trauma Clinic, you can visit the website here.

Milestones Resilience Care is open to all and provides a new model of care that empowers clients who have experienced trauma, stress, or burnout, to find inner strength, build resilience, and overcome their negative experiences. Milestones Resilience Care is currently seeing clients through a limited pilot program with Next Chapter, as well as working with a variety of other clients. To learn more about Milestones Resilience Care, you can visit the website here.

Research Division

The Research division conducts both basic and applied research focused on human adaptation from adversity. The Institute is dedicated to scientific discovery related to human resilience and innovation of care models that support the human capacity to overcome, rather than reducing survivors to a set of medical symptoms. The Institute’s research has a direct impact on the development and realization of therapies that are improving the quality of life and outcomes for trauma survivors. The Institute conducts research with funding from entities such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Department of Defense (DOD), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Colorado Springs Health Foundation (CSHF), Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), and El Paso County Public Health (EPCPH).

Our Mission

Our mission is to advance human resilience to adversity by designing evidence-based solutions through interdisciplinary research, healing therapies, and community training and empowerment.