Widening the Shell
Programs that expand access to therapy, supervision, consultation, and professional development — so the work reaches the people who need it most.
Access should not depend on what you can pay
Turtle Shell Therapy Institute was built around a commitment to challenge social injustice, respond to problems that affect living beings in need, and honor the central importance of relationships. The Growing Shell Initiative is how we put that commitment into practice.
Across every service line — therapy, EMDR consultation, clinical supervision, and school consultation — the cost of quality care is one of the most significant barriers to the people who need it most. The Growing Shell Scholarships exist to remove that barrier. The Visiting Instructor Program exists to bring excellent teachers and their expertise to the broader mental health community, expanding what professional development can look like.
Each program is built on trust. No financial documentation is required to apply. Every application is read personally.
Five scholarships, one purpose
Each scholarship widens access to a different Turtle Shell service. All are trust-based, personally reviewed, and funded directly by Turtle Shell.
Growing Shell Scholarship — Therapy
1 full-tuition · 2 half-tuition · Rolling waitlist
For prospective and current clients experiencing financial hardship. Applies to individual, couples, and family therapy. Awards last one year, and recipients may reapply. Open to clients ages 12 and older.
Learn More →Growing Shell Scholarship — EMDR Consultation
1 full-tuition · 2 half-tuition · Rolling waitlist
For clinicians seeking EMDR certification hours or ongoing EMDR consultation who face financial or structural barriers to quality consultation. Includes individual and group consultation hours.
Learn More →Growing Shell Scholarship — Supervision
1 half-tuition · Rolling waitlist
For LSW and LPCC candidates pursuing Colorado independent licensure whose access to quality supervision is shaped by structural barriers. Applies to all individual and group supervision hours throughout the supervisory relationship.
Learn More →Growing Shell Scholarship — Trainings
1 full-tuition · 2 half-tuition · Per training cohort
For licensed and pre-licensed clinicians whose access to continuing education is shaped by structural barriers. Awards are offered for each eligible Turtle Shell training cohort, with applications tied to the training’s registration timeline.
Learn More →Growing Shell Scholarship — School Consultation
1 at 50% · 1 at 75% · Academic year cycle
For schools, ECE programs, Head Start sites, and educational organizations serving populations of focus who could not otherwise access Turtle Shell consultation. Applications open March 1 and close June 30 each year.
Learn More →Bringing excellent teachers to the broader mental health community
The Turtle Shell Visiting Instructor Program makes space for experienced clinicians and educators to share their expertise through trainings hosted by Turtle Shell. Visiting Instructors bring deep subject matter knowledge; Turtle Shell brings the CE accreditation, platform technology, administrative support, and growing audience of clinicians committed to ethical, inclusive, evidence-informed practice.
Both invitation and open application pathways are available. If you are a clinician or educator with something meaningful to teach — and a teaching style that prioritizes accessibility, affirmation, and real clinical usefulness — we’d love to hear from you.
Learn About the Program →Supported directly by Turtle Shell
The Growing Shell Initiative is funded directly by Turtle Shell Therapy Institute. It is not grant-funded or donor-funded — it is supported as part of Turtle Shell’s operating commitment to its values. This means the programs are stable across recipients and do not depend on fundraising cycles.
You don’t have to leave your shell — you get to grow it.
"Feel comfortable inside and outside of your shell."