The Art of Healing

At Covenant House, mental health isn’t a side conversation, it’s the heartbeat of our mission. For young people facing homelessness, survival often overshadows wellness. But at Covenant House, we believe healing and hope go hand in hand, and we show up every day to prove that mental health care is not a luxury but a lifeline. 

Every young person who walks through our doors carries a story of survival, of struggle, of fierce resilience. DJ’s story is one such testament. Born to a teenage mother, raised amidst addiction and loss, DJ faced a young adulthood marked by substance use, legal troubles, and the crushing weight of instability. But when he arrived at Covenant House, doors opened that he hadn’t dared to imagine. Through our wraparound programs, DJ found not just shelter but a path forward—one that led him to a thriving career, his own apartment, and even a chance to give back through his artwork, including holiday cards that now carry his message of “Broken But Blessed” to supporters everywhere. 

Mental health care at Covenant House is as multifaceted as the young people we serve. Traditional one-on-one therapy is only part of the story. Across our sites, art therapy, music therapy, recreation, and even pet and equine therapy offer young people alternative ways to process trauma and build resilience. 

Take the Covenant House New York Youth Art Show, where Pride Hall transforms into a gallery of triumph. Paintings, photographs, jewelry—each piece is a window into a young artist’s soul. For some, like Moongelina, art is a way to reclaim resilience from trauma. For Carlos, it’s a portal into a new world of possibility. More than $13,000 from last year’s silent auction went directly into the hands of these young creators—a tangible reminder that their talents are valuable and their voices deserve to be heard. 

In Michigan, the “A Mile in Our Sneakers” project turned plain white Keds into symbols of survival, dreams, and gratitude. Each sneaker told a story—past, present, future—inviting the world to walk alongside youth who’ve endured more than most can imagine, yet refuse to be defined by hardship. 

Music, too, plays a starring role in our healing work. At Covenant House Georgia, a new music therapy studio, funded by community partners and built with love, gives youth a safe space to create, connect, and heal. In New York, our partnership with Republic Records offers songwriting workshops, beat-making sessions, and a culminating live showcase where young performers step into their power. And in Toronto, music therapy sessions led by university students bring young people and staff together for moments of connection, healing, and joy. Whether they’re banging drums to vent frustration or rewriting lyrics to transform pain into poetry, Covenant House Toronto’s youth are finding their voices and reclaiming their peace. 

And on May 1, Covenant House and Republic Records launched “The Rhythm of Resilience,” an event elevating youth mental health through powerful performances and real conversation. As we kick off Mental Health Awareness Month, the message is clear: young people need—and deserve—care that meets them where they are. 

Why does this matter?  

Because more than half of U.S. adolescents report anxiety and depression symptoms. Among youth experiencing homelessness, those numbers soar, with disproportionate impact on LGBTQ+ young people. Left unaddressed, these challenges don’t just delay adulthood—they derail it. 

But here’s the beauty of Covenant House’s approach: we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. We believe in “one size fits one.” Whether it’s therapy with a licensed social worker, a songwriting session in a music studio, or the simple dignity of being seen and heard, we walk alongside each young person on their unique journey. And we stick with them, not just when they take steps forward, but when they stumble back. 

Our vision is bold: comprehensive on-site mental health services at every Covenant House site, from group therapy to psychiatry to creative arts programs. To get there, we need continued partnership, investment, and a collective refusal to look away. 

Mental health care changes lives. It changed DJ’s. It changed Carlos’s. It’s changing hundreds more as we speak. Together, we can build a world where no young person has to choose between survival and well-being. 

So, as we mark Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s remember: every brushstroke, every lyric, every conversation, every dollar matters. Together, we’re painting a future where every young person can heal, dream, and thrive.