Project AWARE

(Advancing Wellness And Resiliency in Education)

Project AWARE is a nationally funded grant that aims to increase awareness of Indigenous Youth mental health and provide mental health services to students, as well as staff training.

Serenity Wellness Center of Santa Fe partners with Santa Fe Public School’s Office of Student Wellness and Native American Students Services to provide services primarily to Native American Students in 9th through 12th grade at both Santa Fe High School and Capital High School.

We have created a designated safe space within these schools, which we like to call the “nest,” staffed by our team of case managers and licensed therapists. We provide holistic support, individual, group, and art therapy. The “nest” is designed as a resource students can use as a retreat throughout the day and for extracurricular needs, academic support, snacks, art supplies, and community activities. Our team has also built a centralized food pantry located at Santa Fe High that serves both sites to support our students and their families further.

To access these free-of-charge Project AWARE services for all Native students and families, the student can be referred by teachers, school counselors, social workers, parents, legal guardians, or by the student themselves. Please contact your school's peer navigator/case manager to request a referral form or direct any questions.

Our Offerings

Mental Health Services

Psychotherapeutic support for students and their families
Art therapy services
Culturally responsive and trauma-focused therapy

Holistic Support

Aid for students and families experiencing housing or food insecurity
Aid for students and families needing increased access to medical care, transportation, and other community resources

Academic Support

Attendance and grade tracking
Free after-school tutoring
Bolstering student success by working with our school instructors, counselors, and other partners.

Community Building & Social Engagement Opportunities

Our “nest” is a designated safe space within each participating high school where students can gather, rest, study, get snacks and drinks, play games, make art, and access computers.
On and off-site events, lectures, and workshops
Summer engagement activities

College and Career Preparation

College, career, and financial aid information and resources, plus help with research and applications are available
Internship and resume-building support
Career counseling and assessment of college and career readiness of students

Meet Our Team

Alisha Shelbourn, MA, LPCC, LPAT

PROGRAM MANAGER, THERAPIST & ART THERAPIST
Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska | Alisha is the Program Director for Project AWARE in Santa Fe and a dedicated advocate for the mental health and success of Native American youth. A member of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, Alisha brings over twenty years of experience as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and Licensed Practicing Art Therapist. Her work has spanned trauma recovery, addiction treatment, and counseling in both residential and outpatient settings, including with inmates in correctional facilities and veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Alisha is the founder and owner of Serenity Wellness Center of Santa Fe, LLC, a private practice and intensive outpatient program focused on treating trauma and addiction. She is trained in EMDR, DBT, sex addiction treatment, and art therapy, and is passionate about using creative expression as a path to healing. Her work often includes collaboration with local Tribes and Pueblos to develop culturally grounded approaches to care.
In addition to her clinical work, Alisha serves as adjunct faculty at Southwestern College, teaching in the Art Therapy and Counseling Department. She is an alumna of the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA), Southwestern College, and Edgewood College, with a BA in Art Therapy and Graphic Design.
Alisha is deeply committed to building community and fostering authentic human connection, which she sees as essential to healing and thriving. In her free time, she enjoys making art, starting new projects (she never finishes), and watching New Mexico’s epic sunsets.
Email: alishashelbourn@gmail.com
William Jenkins, Jr., MA, LPCC

THERAPIST & ART THERAPIST (REMOTE)
William is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the states of New Mexico and Colorado, originally from Queens, New York, and Baltimore, Maryland. He holds a master’s degree in Art Therapy and Counseling from Southwestern College, as well as a dual bachelor's in Psychology and Fine Arts (Painting) from Texas Christian University. William has worked with Presbyterian Medical Services Behavioral Health and the Serenity Wellness Center of Santa Fe, providing person-centered, trauma-informed care through talk therapy and art-based interventions. He spent four years supporting students through Project AWARE in Santa Fe and now continues to serve former participants remotely. Outside of his clinical work, William enjoys figure drawing, playing video games, and unapologetically rocking the color purple.
Email: wjenkins@sfps.k12.nm.us
Sheyenne Johnson, MA, LMHC

THERAPIST & ART THERAPIST (SFHS)
OuachitaCherokee | Sheyenne Johnson is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Provisionally Registered Art Therapist with Project AWARE. She is Tsalagi (Cherokee) and was raised in the mountains of Oregon. She brings her heritage, creativity, and compassion into her therapeutic work with Native youth.
With a deep commitment to culturally grounded, trauma-informed, and person-centered approaches, Sheyenne supports young people in exploring their emotions through art and other creative modalities. Her goal is to provide a safe, steady, and calming environment where youth can build resilience, express themselves authentically, and develop adaptive tools for everyday life.
Sheyenne holds a Master’s degree in Counseling and Art Therapy and is currently pursuing board certification (ATR-BC). Outside of her professional work, she enjoys hands-on DIY projects and spending time with her beloved animals.
Email: sjohnson@sfps.k12.nm.us
Sheldon Begody

CASE MANAGER/NAVIGATOR (SFHS)
Navajo | Sheldon Begody is beginning her third year as Navigator at Santa Fe High School with Project AWARE. She is Diné and from Arizona. Sheldon holds a bachelor's in psychology and has extensive case management experience. Sheldon gained knowledge and experience through working in an inpatient adolescent mental health facility and participating in Indigenous healing practices. Sheldon is passionate about sharing Native culture and forming a meaningful, open community with the youth, and empowering them in school and life. She is driven to be a strong role model in her community. When she's not at Santa Fe High School or making food deliveries to Native families, she can be found exploring local hiking trails.
Email: sbegody@sfps.k12.nm.us
Camilla Lewis

CASE MANAGER/NAVIGATOR (CHS)
Tesuque/Tohono O’odham/Akimel O’odham/Wailaki | Camilla is a Case Manager and Navigator for Project AWARE, where she supports the mental health and academic success of Native American adolescents in New Mexico. Originally from Tesuque Pueblo, she also has deep roots in Arizona and California. Camilla recently earned her B.S. in Human Biology from Stanford University, where she concentrated on Food, Physiology, Mindset, and Community—an interdisciplinary focus combining psychology, physiology, nutrition, and community health.
Driven by a strong commitment to giving back, Camilla is passionate about holistic approaches to mental health and ensuring that Native youth have access to meaningful, culturally grounded support. She brings this dedication into her work as a coach and mentor, having coached basketball for Native youth over the past three years and currently serving as a track and field coach at the Santa Fe Indian School. Camilla is also an experienced math tutor and enjoys connecting with students in ways that empower both their academic and personal growth.
In her free time, Camilla loves visiting Top Golf and exploring new foods.
Email: clewis@sfps.k12.nm.us
Katie McCabe

THERAPIST & ART THERAPIST INTERN (CHS)
Katie is an art therapy and counseling student at Southwestern College in Santa Fe, NM. She has gained clinical experience in community behavioral health, memory care centers, hospice, and with native youth through Project AWARE. After nearly two decades of working as a graphic designer, she consciously shifted away from high-pressure commercial art and towards therapeutic art. She hopes to help clients decondition, heal, and fully embody their unique and whole selves. Katie applies a relational-cultural approach to best serve New Mexico and our community at Project AWARE. When she’s not at Capital High School you can find her out rock climbing or relaxing in nature, preferably by a river or stream.
Email: katmccabe@sfps.k12.nm.us

Our Impact

The University of New Mexico aggregates and analyzes all research data collected for Project AWARE. Their insights allow us to look at the impact this project has on New Mexico’s high school-aged students clearly and objectively.

How it Started…

45%

Of students reported their mental health as fair when assessed at their initial engagement with the project.

That means nearly half of these students may not have been in crisis, but needed preventive care and coping tools to enhance their resilience and manage stress more effectively.

59%

Of students screened positive for trauma-related experiences when assessed at their initial engagement with the project .

Trauma-related experiences are events or situations that overwhelm an individual’s ability to cope, leaving them feeling helpless, terrified, or emotionally numbed. These experiences often involve a real or perceived threat to one’s life, bodily integrity, or psychological safety and can have lasting emotional, cognitive, and physical impacts.

How it’s Going…

Managing Everyday Life

Students were asked to rate how they are managing life at the start of engagement with Project AWARE and at their 6-month reassessment on a scale from 1 to 7.

Social Connectedness

Students were asked to rate their connectedness with people around them at the start of their engagement with Project AWARE and at their 6-month reassessment on a scale from 0 to 6.

Why Social Connectedness Matters…

Social connectedness promotes resilience by creating a web of support that helps individuals bounce back from challenges, strengthens families through shared care and communication, and empowers communities to thrive through cooperation and shared purpose. Without it, people are more vulnerable to isolation, which can worsen mental and physical health, stress, and instability.

How Do We Create More?

We connect students, families, and communities through care, culture, and trust—building a web of support that heals, empowers, and challenges broken systems. Together, we turn isolation into belonging and barriers into possibilities.