WellPower’s Minecraft Therapy Wins Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council’s 2026 Golden Lightbulb Award

Innovative program transforms a popular video game into a powerful tool for engaging youth in mental health care

DENVER, CO, UNITED STATES, October 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- WellPower’s innovative Minecraft Therapy program has been awarded the 2026 Golden Lightbulb Award by the Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council (CBHC), recognizing the program’s creative approach to improving mental health care for children and adolescents.

Developed at WellPower during the COVID-19 pandemic, Minecraft Therapy began when therapist Braulio Rivera, LPC, was meeting virtually with a young client who was distracted during their session. The child was playing Minecraft and asked Rivera, “Do you want to join my world?”

Rivera did — and the idea grew into a structured therapeutic program. Working with his daughter, Rivera recreated WellPower’s Dahlia Campus inside Minecraft, creating a secure, WellPower-only environment where clinicians could connect with young clients in a world that already felt familiar and safe.

Today, Minecraft Therapy serves children and adolescents ages 6–17 through clinician-led individual and group therapy. Grounded in established play therapy principles, the program uses collaborative gameplay to help youth practice communication, emotional regulation, problem-solving, social skills and healthy relationships.

The program also supports specialized clinical needs, including trauma-focused EMDR and DBT groups, as well as groups for LGBTQ+ youth and a Spanish-language group.

“Minecraft Therapy is grounded in established therapeutic approaches, thoughtfully adapted for a digital generation. It gives us a way to enter a world where young people already feel comfortable and engaged, allowing therapists to truly meet them where they are in ways that weren’t possible before,” said Rivera.

What began as a creative response to the pandemic has evolved into a permanent clinical service with daily therapy groups. Youth participating in the program report increased confidence, stronger social skills and a greater sense of community, while clinicians use the shared virtual environment to create therapeutic opportunities that can be difficult to replicate in traditional settings.

The Golden Lightbulb Awards recognize innovative programs that demonstrate creativity, impact and excellence in Colorado’s behavioral health system.
For more information, visit wellpower.org/minecraft-mental-health/

About WellPower
WellPower is Colorado’s largest community mental health center and is recognized locally and nationally as a model for innovative and effective behavioral health care. Serving more than 22,000 individuals each year across the lifespan, WellPower provides a range of services at more than 30 sites and nearly 200 locations throughout the community — including schools, hospitals, shelters and assisted living facilities.

Joy Meadows
for WellPower
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