Envisioning Peer Support Conference 2026

Why This Gathering Matters

This conference is designed by, for, and with people with lived and living experience. We come together to honor the historical roots of peer support, liberatory healing, and harm reduction movements. Together, we plant seeds for a future where all Coloradans– especially those who are multiply marginalized– are supported in defining what care and healing look like for themselves. We build possibilities for individual and community healing, offering culturally relevant supports that center autonomy, dignity, and self-reclamation

Check out an overview of our conference schedule here.

Check out an accessibility guide for our conference here.

What to Expect

Our sessions are intentionally designed to be applied, practical, and embodied. We aim to illustrate the lesser-known origins of by/for/with movements, provide education around accessible and alternative care practices, and inspire advocates to fight for changes.

• Inspiring Keynotes: Hear from renowned leaders and community members who are keeping the fire alive– through peer support, disability justice, and liberatory harm reduction.
• Practical Breakouts: Engage in workshops and practice sessions on how to maintain the fidelity and resist co-optation of peer support and decolonial healing when working within/alongside traditional systems.
• Deep Dives into Healing: Explore the "how-to" of peer-run respites, disability justice, psychedelic medicines as healing tools, and community care webs.

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Learn from Movement Builders

We are honored to feature a lineup of guests who are at the forefront of the national movement for peer-led alternatives. Get ready to learn from leaders who are actively building the world we want to see:

• Caroline Mazel-Carlton, Wildflower Alliance: An internationally recognized voice in the peer movement, Caroline brings years of experience as the Training Director from the Wildflower Alliance. Caroline’s work with Alternatives to Suicide helped form the bedrock of Yarrow Collective and how we think about community-based peer support.
• Ephraim Akiva, on-site Director of Anemoni trans and queer peer respite at Wildflower Alliance: Ephaim was part of Massachusett's first peer respite team (Afiya) in 2012, a co-founder of Wildflower's LGBTQ+ support group, and now the Director of the first trans & queer specific peer respite in the nation!
• Nze Okoronto (they/them), Executive Director, Yarrow Collective: We are thrilled to introduce our new ED! As the former Director of the Solstice House Peer-Run Respite in Madison, Wisconsin, Nze brings a wealth of knowledge on how to sustain and grow non-carceral, peer-led spaces that prioritize dignity and self-determination.
• Lucrecia Medrano (she/her/ella), Liberatory Harm Reduction Program Director, Yarrow Collective: A fierce advocate for community safety and healing, Lucrecia will lead conversations on Liberatory Harm Reduction and decolonized recovery. Her work focuses on shifting away from punitive measures and toward care models that truly liberate and support marginalized communities.
• Jess Stohlmann-Rainey (she/her), Yarrow Collective Board Chair, Curriculum Designer, and Systems Consultant: Jess combines academic expertise, living experience, and practical experience in crisis services to support organizations in developing responsive, liberatory, programming that meets the needs of their communities.
• Xander Peer Keller (they/them), Yarrow Collective: Xander speaks, coaches, and facilitates with heart—calling on interdependence, creativity, and magic to build worlds where being different doesn’t mean being alone. Their work lives at the intersections of disability, queerness, neurodivergence, and racial justice, and is shaped by years of community-rooted practice. Xander is a touch activist, peer support practitioner, and ICF-trained coach. Xander helped found Yarrow’s Chronic Illness and Disability peer support group. Learn more at creativitydisability.com and @xpeerkeller on IG &, listen to their podcast Held Together for stories about care webs.
• And More!

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Who Should Attend?

If you are dedicated to expanding the impact of peer-led alternatives, harm reduction and peer–to-peer work, we invite you to join us:

• Peer Supporters & Non-Traditional Healers seeking community, connection to lineage, and to deepen practice.
• Recovery Coaches & Community Workers seeking education, awareness, and strategies for advocacy and change.
• Clinicians, Providers & Administrators eager to learn about and support alternative, non-clinical and culturally relevant pathways.
• Policymakers, Funders & Community Leaders looking to support holistic, community-centered care models created by/for/with people with lived experience.
• Advocates, Organizers & Community Members with lived and living experience who are building the "care webs" of tomorrow.

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Event Details

• Date: March 5, 2026
• Time: 9:00am - 5:00pm
• Location: Lory Student Center, CSU, Fort Collins, CO
• Registration Includes: Full-day access to all sessions, coffee/tea, snacks, and lunch.

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Secure Your Spot

Be part of Yarrow Collective’s inaugural conference and let’s come together to carry the seeds of our movements forward.

Want to volunteer at the conference to get a free ticket or support the work? Email: Mia.Campbell@yarrowcollective.org