Rooted in Resilience. Driven by Community. Centered on Restoration.
The Don't Look Back Center's Story
The Don't Look Back Center (TDLBC) was founded with a simple but powerful belief: every person deserves the opportunity to heal, rebuild, and create a meaningful life—regardless of where they have been or what they have experienced.
Our Mission
TDLBC was created to empower socially and economically marginalized individuals of all racial and ethnic backgrounds to pursue safety, restoration, leadership, courage, resilience, and health. Our work recognizes that addiction, trauma, mental health, housing instability, poverty, and criminal legal system involvement rarely occur independently. They are often interconnected experiences that can create significant barriers to stability and well-being.
As a licensed behavioral health entity, TDLBC provides trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and LGBTQ+ affirming services that address the whole person. We consider the physical, emotional, social, behavioral, and mental health needs of each participant while supporting them in breaking cycles of addiction and harmful patterns of thinking and behavior.
A Founder's Story of Survival, Recovery, and Purpose
The story of The Don't Look Back Center begins with its founder, Corinthiah Brown. Corinthiah founded TDLBC in 2018, drawing deeply from her own lived experiences with trauma, substance use, mental health challenges, incarceration, homelessness, and the criminal legal system.
Her journey began with adversity at a very young age. Corinthiah experienced abandonment, abuse, exploitation, and profound trauma. As a young mother, she experienced homelessness and struggled to create safety and stability for herself and her child.
At just 16 years old, Corinthiah and her newborn son were welcomed into the home of two transgender women, Paula and Michelle, who cared for them and provided something Corinthiah desperately needed: safety, love, acceptance, and community. They became family. The transgender community embraced Corinthiah and her son during one of the most vulnerable periods of their lives. That experience left a lasting impression on her and ultimately became part of the foundation for the work she would later create.
When Corinthiah founded The Don't Look Back Center, Paula—affectionately known as "Auntie Momma"—was one of her greatest supporters. Together, they helped envision a safe, trauma-informed space where transgender women could access support without fear of judgment, rejection, or discrimination. That vision became the foundation of TDLBC's Trans Outreach Program (TOP). Michelle has since passed away, but their love, generosity, and belief in Corinthiah continue to live through the work of The Don't Look Back Center.
From Survival to Service
Corinthiah's own experiences with substance use and the criminal legal system profoundly shaped her understanding of what people need when they are trying to change their lives. She served time in the Colorado Department of Corrections and was released from incarceration in October 1999. Rather than allowing her past to define her future, Corinthiah made a commitment to use her experiences to help others.
After completing parole, she pursued higher education in Applied Behavioral Science and obtained her Certified Addiction Specialist (CAS) credential. She began working professionally with individuals experiencing substance use and behavioral health challenges. Today, Corinthiah brings decades of recovery and lived experience to her leadership of TDLBC.
One of those people who believed in her was a corrections officer named Michelle, who was fostering Corinthiah's eldest son while Corinthiah was incarcerated. Michelle treated Corinthiah with dignity and compassion. She helped her maintain a relationship with her children and supported her as she worked toward rebuilding her life. That experience reinforced a lesson Corinthiah carries into her work every day: Sometimes one person believing in you can change the trajectory of your entire life.
The Birth of The Don't Look Back Center
In 2018, Corinthiah transformed her lived experiences into a mission. The Don't Look Back Center was created to provide the kind of support, compassion, accountability, and community that Corinthiah herself needed during her journey.
Recovery means rebuilding.
- Finding safe housing
- Reconnecting with family
- Developing healthy relationships
- Finding employment or pursuing education
- Learning how to manage trauma
- Developing confidence and self-worth
- Discovering that life after addiction can be meaningful and fulfilling
Serving Communities Too Often Left Behind
TDLBC understands that some communities face barriers that traditional systems are not designed to address.
TOP – Trans Outreach Program
Provides a trauma-informed and affirming environment where transgender individuals can connect with behavioral health services, recovery support, care management, community resources, and peer support.
H.E.R. – Habilitation, Empowerment & Recovery
Creates space for BIPOC women to address trauma, substance use, mental health, relationships, identity, parenting, re-entry, and recovery.
H.E.A.T. – Habilitation Empowerment Accountability Therapy
Supports BIPOC men and transmen in developing accountability, healthy decision-making, emotional regulation, and life skills.
RAHAB Mommy & Me
A recovery residence designed to support pregnant women and mothers with young children, allowing eligible mothers to remain connected to their children while working toward recovery, stability, and independence.
A Continuum of Support
TDLBC provides a continuum of recovery-oriented and behavioral health services designed to address the many dimensions of an individual's life.
You Don't Have to Look Back
There is hope after addiction.
There is life after incarceration.
There is healing after trauma.
There is purpose after pain.
You can rebuild your life.
Corinthiah's story is not a story about where she came from. It is a story about where she went. And that is the heart of The Don't Look Back Center.
BOLD JOURNEY
Meet Corinthiah Brown
Bold Journey caught up with the brilliant and insightful Corinthiah Brown to learn more about her story. Click the link to find out more and read this awesome article.
Find out more