When someone reaches out to a crisis line, the moment is often filled with urgency, fear, and uncertainty. The person answering that call, however, meets this intense wave of energy with openness and a gentle presence that gradually shifts the interaction toward something lighter and more hopeful.
This journey from distress to hope is the inspiration behind Pat Milbery’s mural at the Solari Crisis and Human Services center in Denver. A visual representation of transformation, the mural captures what happens in those critical moments of connection when someone in crisis is met with understanding, care, and compassion.
a portal of hope
Milbery describes the mural as a portal – a gateway from darkness to light. The unique shape of the piece is meant to represent the sound waves that are transforming the caller through the line as they speak with a supportive Solari staff member.
“When you share your light with someone, it’s almost like the yellow brick road,” Milbery explains. “You’re showing them a path forward.”
Nature elements such as mountains, flowing energy fields, and lighter spaces symbolize the healing power of open landscapes, a contrast to the overwhelming feeling of being surrounded by walls and the noise of everyday life. There is also a deliberate play of shadows and peaks, illustrating the difficult but necessary process of facing challenges before emerging into clarity and strength.
“You need to understand your shadow before you get to that lighter, brighter side of the snow peak and the lighter part of the mountain,” Milbery says. “It takes courage. That climb isn’t easy, but it’s completely possible, and there is light on the other side.”