Welcome to the Natural Highs Community!

Who are we?

Natural Highs - Healthy Alternatives to Drugs and Alcohol is an interactive, strength-based, peer-led nonprofit program that integrates traditional and alternative approaches to substance abuse prevention/intervention and mental health resilience. Natural Highs is based out of Boulder, Colorado, and serves over 2,000 youth per year.

Natural Highs provides healthy alternatives to drugs and alcohol by inviting youth to discover healthy rituals, cutting-edge brain chemistry development, body-mind experiments, non-judgmental dialogue, and herbs that are truly good for you. Natural Highs also offers inspiration for youth to examine their own relationship with themselves. You’re invited to learn more about Natural Highs by watching our intro video or our short documentary film.

naturalhighs.org

Natural High’s MISSION is to empower teens and adults to become inspired leaders around healthy lifestyle choices and to work for positive change and social justice, especially around substance abuse & mental health issues in their communities.

I connected with Natural Highs in 2018 by joining the adult community program. Natural Highs was my support in getting sober and I truly could not imagine my life without this community.

After seeing the tremendous impact Natural Highs has on so many lives, I knew I wanted to be a part of the movement. So, I convinced Avani to let me intern with them for a semester (they usually only take grad students and I was an undergrad). I ended up loving helping out with afterschool programs, community presentations, workshops, and community events so much that I then spent the next 3 years volunteering with them every chance I could get. Through this time I gleaned 3 years of experience co-facilitating the Natural Highs programming.

In 2022 I ran this program with diverse groups of community members (women, men, and youth) in Iqaluit, Nunavut and the curriculum was very positively received!

Brain Chemistry.

Learn cutting-edge brain chemistry education & find creative alternatives to drugs.

Compassion.

Understand that substances & addictive behaviors are always an attempt to serve our unmet needs.

Health.

Learn & practice holistic strategies for cravings, recovery, challenging emotions, and a healthy, sober lifestyle.

Community.

Discuss social & cultural issues that drive unhealthy coping skills; learn leadership skills that help us become a leader for positive change!

“I would recommend because it is the only drug prevention program that works without using scare tactics or exaggeration and it truly helps with my sobriety."

— Anonymous Youth Participant

“Natural Highs allows teens to connect with each other over complex and scary topics. The safe space in this program allows teens to explore topics that are not often discussed or supported to be discussed in our mainstream culture.”

— Natural Highs Peer Mentor

“I think the biggest learning experience that I can take away from Natural Highs is how to take care of my body and mind and how to be the best human I can be.”