Healing. Growth. Grit. Community
Gritty Conscious is a healing-centered organization that helps youth and communities tap into their inner strength, emotional awareness, and purpose. We offer powerful, culturally responsive programs, from mindfulness and resilience training to Reiki energy healing and emotional literacy workshops.
Born from lived experience and clinical expertise, our work is grounded in the belief that emotional wellness is a right, not a luxury. When people are equipped with the tools to manage their emotions, connect with others, and believe in themselves, they thrive. And when they thrive, so do their communities.
What We Believe
Healing starts with awareness.
We help people understand their emotions, their experiences, and their power.Culture matters.
We meet people where they are-spiritually, emotionally, and culturally-and create safe, affirming spaces to grow.Young people aren’t broken.
They just need the right environment to bloom. That’s why our programs build emotional grit, self-awareness, and real-life skills.
Who We Serve
We work with youth and individuals of all ages, families, schools, daycares, community-based organizations, and system-impacted communities, both in-person and virtually.
Our Approach
We blend trauma-informed care, emotional education, and healing modalities to create real transformation. Our programs include:
Mindfulness & Resilience Training
Reiki Certification for Young Adults (18–24)
Psychoeducational Mental Health Workshops
Emotional Literacy for Young Children
Community & Educator Training
Our Founder
Patricia Castillo is the heart behind Gritty Conscious. A licensed mental health counselor, educator, and healer, she built this movement to fill the emotional wellness gaps in underserved communities. Her hands-on leadership and lived experience guide every workshop, every program, and every partnership.
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Why It Matters
The ages of 13 to 24 are some of the most important years in a young person’s life. It’s when identity begins to form, values are shaped, and dreams take root. For many, this phase is filled with discovery, energy, and growth. But for youth who’ve grown up in survival mode - navigating poverty, trauma, unstable housing, or system involvement - here’s often no room left to dream, let alone thrive.
Instead of using their energy to explore who they are, many young people are forced to use it just to make it through the day.
In the New York metro area, over 300,000 young people ages 18–24 are neither in school nor working. That means hundreds of thousands of youth are disconnected from the very systems that provide support, structure, and opportunity. And the Bronx consistently holds the highest youth disconnection rate in all five boroughs.
This isn’t just a statistic - it’s a call to action.
Youth disconnection impacts mental health, economic opportunity, community safety, and generational stability. It’s a heavy cost, for young people, families, and our city.
What We’re Doing About It
Gritty Conscious exists to help youth reclaim their power. Our programs are built to meet them where they are, with cultural sensitivity, emotional support, and real tools for healing and growth.
Our current offerings include:
Mindfulness & Resilience Training
Helping youth regulate emotions, manage stress, and stay grounded, even in chaos.Reiki Certification for Young Adults (18–24)
Empowering youth with holistic healing tools while opening entrepreneurial pathways in the wellness space.Mental Health & Emotional Education Workshops
Breaking down stigma and building emotional literacy around topics like trauma, anxiety, boundaries, and more.Life Skills & Leadership Development
Equipping youth with tools for communication, goal-setting, and problem-solving that prepare them for school, work, and life.Early Childhood Emotional Literacy
Working with daycares and early childhood centers to introduce emotional intelligence from the very beginning.Community-Based Caregiver & Educator Training
Training adults who work with youth to lead with compassion, trauma-awareness, and emotional depth.
Our goal is simple but urgent: