Duane Barone

Duane has been working in the mental health field since 1989. It's All About Relationships! The first dozen years of his career encompassed community-based support services, both residential and vocational, to adults with Intellectual Disabilities, and those with Chronic Mental Illness. He is a graduate of Columbine HS and knew many of the faculty and staff present and deceased from the 2020 massacre. He and his family lived in Scotland from 1995 - 2001, and his daughter was born there. He returned to Denver to obtain a masters degree in Clinical Psychology. Having met several of the Columbine graduating seniors through Intro Psyched, he wanted to perform his internship at Columbine to help the students heal from the trauma and tragedy. Because this didn't come to fruition, he entered the field of domestic violence treatment in 2002 through an internship with Action! Counseling. This began a 20+ year career in private practice and contract counseling services serving court-ordered men, women and teens. Approximately 15-20% of his clients were veterans, and nobody grew up in healthy, happy, or peaceful homes. Due to the positive feedback from his clients, the men in particular, Duane founded STAHRS - STudents & Athletes for Healthy RelationshipS on the night of Valentine's Day 2018, after finishing that night's therapy groups. Even though Duane considered Colorado home since moving there in high school, he is thrilled to be living be living on O'ahu, where he works as a civilian contractor for the Navy providing counseling support to the active duty members and their families of the Navy and Air Force. Duane is excited to be a part of the local community and thrives off the Aloha Spirit and salt-water therapy that the ocean provides. He feels connected to the Aina and feels the Mana of the land, people, culture and history. Duane hopes to introduce STAHRS to the local elementary schools through the Bruno's Amazing Adventures series and to share the valuable lessons each book brings with the Keiki. Duane is also excited to share information and materials with the high school students around healthy relationships and emotional intelligence. The goal is to reduce teen dating violence, sexual assaults, and bullying. The STAHRS mission is Lowering the Trajectory of Violence in our Schools, Families, and Communities. He received valuable and positive feedback from students at Radford HS this spring (2023) and is looking to expand the influence the materials offer. The materials presented to the students is also excellent for team building and corporate trainings.