about ok you

okness for all!

Hello! Welcome!

We are a nonprofit that provides arts-based mental health support to youth and youth supporters. Our mission: to turn this country’s youth mental health crisis into a youth-led wellness movement.

Our free arts-based wellness practices, designed by artists of diverse cultures, identities, and ages, engage young people in developing a friendlier, more resilient relationship with complex emotions, and support their development as project creators and leaders in their own schools and communities.

We also offer professional development workshops, youth leadership opportunities, and family workshops in collaboration with schools and community organizations.

With 1 in 3 young people struggling with mental health challenges, this work of inspiring inner OKness is more important than ever, which is why more than 120 schools across Oregon and 30,000 youth supporters nationwide have turned to OK You’s creative approach to inspiring inner well-being.

See below for how this program can be of support to you, and feel free to reach out to us any time.

Download our Impact Report

OK You is an empowering community and practical way for children to overcome their fears through creativity and courage.

- Kevin Ashworth, Clinical Director, NW Anxiety Institute
I learned that there are many ways to not worry about your worries.

- OK You student
My students realized that by putting their fears down on paper via various forms of expression, they can wield more control over their dark thoughts and as a consequence, they become less foreboding.

- LeAnne Cox, school counselor
We support OK You because we believe this program offers a fresh & powerful way for kids to manage their anxiety.

- Christina Volgyesi, VP of Marketing, Dr. Bronner’s
OK You is saving my life right now. It's been a nice surprise resource at a time when I really needed it.

- Anne Witt, speech pathologist, DaVinci Middle School, Grant High School & Providence Hospital
When I'm sad, I can write a sad song and it's like a form of venting my emotions, but through music. I believe it's an effective way of coping with emotions, but also makes something beautiful out of them.

- Nguyen Hoang, 2023 OK Challenge finalist
Feeling sad and stuck is a common feeling. It is important for us to help each other out and figure out ways to find contentment.

- Mila Welch, OK Challenge participant
My creativity keeps me thinking about the positive side of things and that has helped me through many difficult times. I find myself falling back on imagination when things are stressful, and it helps me stay grounded without the overwhelming feeling of in-the-moment fears.

- Joseph Hays, OK Challenge participant
I think of OKness as a mindset of knowing that no feeling is permanent, especially the negative ones, and not giving up on that because it’s easy to spiral if you give up on the idea that happiness can happen.

- Eleanor Song, Inner Peace Corps leader
OK You allowed my students to use art, creativity, and curiosity to flip the script on how they see their worries. I cannot express enough the importance of OK You and how valuable it is to my profession, my students, and my community.

- Liz Kobs, School Counselor
A lot of kids struggle with their mental health, and that’s why OK You and the Inner Peace Corps is more necessary than ever. Everyone can always be more connected with their OK selves. That’s what we’re here for.

- Luke Histand, Inner Peace Corps Youth Leader
No organization I’ve worked with has come close to the depth and breadth of collaboration with the intended users that I’ve seen in the three years of collaboration with OK You.

- Britt Bieberich, LGBTQ2SIA+ Manager, Portland Public Schools
OK YOU not only understands the importance of equity and inclusion, but knows and recognizes that any mental health program needs to be accessible and responsive to culturally specific communities like ours.

- Yoana Molina Marcial, Director, Guerreras Latinas

we believe:

We believe “inner OKness” comes from the acceptance and embracing of all emotions as part of the human experience and as opportunities to know and love ourselves more fully.

We believe that shifting our self-stories from “What’s wrong with me” to “What’s right with me” gives us the power to more confidently navigate the difficult emotions and moments of our lives.

We believe the arts provide an emotionally safe, accessible, and healing language for expressing difficult feelings.

We believe we can have the greatest impact as a program by supporting those who are already in trusted relationships with young people: school counselors, educators, families, culturally-specific organizations.

We believe in using this program to address disparities and lack of inclusion in arts and wellness programming, resources, and opportunity, and are committed to keeping our resources free to all.

We believe in centering the voices and wisdom of youth in growing and shaping our program.

Over time the stories we tell ourselves create neuropathways traveled so often they become our truth. The good news: We can change our stories.

With practice, we can transform the way we see ourselves and move through the difficult emotions and moments of our lives with greater compassion, creativity and courage. This idea is at the center of our program and every project and experience we create.

This program was made for:

YOU

Kids and adults of all ages have used our projects to create a more resilient relationship with fear and worry, and some have even shared their own projects with us (we love that).

If you’re new, the best way to start is to jump right in. You can try our projects on your own or with friends or family. You can also gather a few friends together and start your own OK club! (If you do that, reach out and we’ll send you some stickers.)

Artists of all ages

How do you use your creativity to explore, express and navigate emotions? Do you have a project idea that could inspire others to create their own OK? We want to hear from you!

youth leaders

Do you want to start an OK group for your friends or classmates? You can do it! Start by reading over our workshop guide, or just pick out a few projects to try with your group. If you have any questions, reach out to us at hello@okyou.org. We would be happy to help you get your group started, and we’d love to send you some stickers!

Are you a high school student in the Portland-Metro/Vancouver area? Check out our Inner Peace Corps youth leadership program — it’s a free, fun way to use your creativity to create more OKness in the world!

parents, guardians, care providers

Our projects provide a safe opening for expression, conversation, and understanding. Beginning or ending the day with a worry-release ritual like Give Worry a Time Out or creative wellness practices like Journal Comics or keeping an art journal are also great ways to connect as a family while using creativity to release, share and navigate through difficult moments and emotions.

counselors & teachers

Using our projects in your small groups and classrooms is as easy as opening our Projects page! If you’re facilitating a group, consider involving your students in selecting and leading projects. We’ve had students as young as 10 organize their own clubs and lead workshops for younger students.

Visit LEAD A WORKSHOP for our step-by-step workshop guide, tips for a successful workshop, and suggestions from other educators and artists. You can also use our project filtering tool to search for projects by age, art form, length, and SEL goal. All of our projects are designed to support social-emotional learning, and also meet many National Arts and National Learning Standards.

Not a lot of room in your lesson plan for a project? A simple worry-release ritual like Give Worry a Time Out can be a powerful way for students to name their feelings, realize they aren’t alone, and exercise their power to decide when and how much time to spend with their fears and worries.

administrators

Would you like a customized professional development training to support your staff in gaining fluency with our resources, while also taking in a wellness experience of their own? Whether in-person or remote, our workshops are lively, hands-on, team-building experiences that provide educators with everything they need to incorporate our projects into their classroom, small-group and one-on-one work with students.

healthcare professionals

Simply sending families to our website can kick-start a creative wellness practice in the home that supports kids in developing skills for navigating difficult moments and emotions. If you’d like us to send you postcards or a flyer for your office, just reach out to us at hello@okyou.org.

Could your worrying mind use a relaxing getaway? Our Take Your Brain on Vacation project invites you to dream up your own mental vacation spot.

Finding time to connect and create as a family is a great way to open up channels of communiation and understanding… while nurturing your creativity and inspiring lifelong wellness practices in those your love.

Involving students in the planning and leading of workshops sends a strong and true message that they have what it takes to create and guide their own wellness journey.

Our OK Kits include all of the materials needed to turn a tin into a self-care toolkit and creative wellness ritual.

How can we support you?

We’re always happy to answer questions or help in planning or organizing the perfect experience for you or your group — just send us a note!

If you’d like occasional updates from us, and be the first to know about new projects, consider joining our mailing list.

How can you support us?

Thank you for asking!

Are you already using our resources? Have you adapted our projects in a way that could benefit others? Would you be willing to complete this short survey so we can learn and grow from your experiences? We’d really appreciate it!

Do you believe in this program and want to see it reach more young people? Consider becoming an Anxiety Society member. You’ll receive a cool pin, a great feeling, and invitations to special events — plus our undying gratitude.

about ok you

okness for all!

OK You is an empowering community and practical way for children to overcome their fears through creativity and courage.

I learned that there are many ways to not worry about your worries.

My students realized that by putting their fears down on paper via various forms of expression, they can wield more control over their dark thoughts and as a consequence, they become less foreboding.

We support OK You because we believe this program offers a fresh & powerful way for kids to manage their anxiety.

OK You is saving my life right now. It's been a nice surprise resource at a time when I really needed it.

When I'm sad, I can write a sad song and it's like a form of venting my emotions, but through music. I believe it's an effective way of coping with emotions, but also makes something beautiful out of them.

Feeling sad and stuck is a common feeling. It is important for us to help each other out and figure out ways to find contentment.

My creativity keeps me thinking about the positive side of things and that has helped me through many difficult times. I find myself falling back on imagination when things are stressful, and it helps me stay grounded without the overwhelming feeling of in-the-moment fears.

I think of OKness as a mindset of knowing that no feeling is permanent, especially the negative ones, and not giving up on that because it’s easy to spiral if you give up on the idea that happiness can happen.

OK You allowed my students to use art, creativity, and curiosity to flip the script on how they see their worries. I cannot express enough the importance of OK You and how valuable it is to my profession, my students, and my community.

A lot of kids struggle with their mental health, and that’s why OK You and the Inner Peace Corps is more necessary than ever. Everyone can always be more connected with their OK selves. That’s what we’re here for.

No organization I’ve worked with has come close to the depth and breadth of collaboration with the intended users that I’ve seen in the three years of collaboration with OK You.

OK YOU not only understands the importance of equity and inclusion, but knows and recognizes that any mental health program needs to be accessible and responsive to culturally specific communities like ours.