2018 DSP Week vol. 7 - Collin Whitten

To celebrate Direct Support Professional (DSP) Recognition Week, each day we are highlighting a standout DSP employee from one of Imagine!’s several service departments. Collin Whitten is a therapeutic instructor with the Out & About program for kids and adults, providing community based, recreational activities within a therapeutic framework. 

“Collin is completely reliable, confident, and attentive when working with the participants,” said Out & About Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist Nicole Hebert.

Collin started working for Imagine! just last spring and has already made a splash in the department. He is a therapist by trade, earning a degree in Music Therapy, proving his positive instructional skills all summer long. “He makes sure that his participant’s needs’ are met and they are reaching a goal by the end of the activity,” explained Nicole.

Collin’s roots are in the south. He grew up in Mississippi, attended Alabama University, and then moved to Atlanta for his post grad internship. Music has been a big part of his life since the beginning, having performed in his first blue grass festival at 10 years old. Naturally, he pursued music in college and started out as a musical theater major.

“Musical theater is a tough program. I wasn’t sold on doing the whole auditioning thing for the rest of my life,” said Collin.

He realized teaching music and working with people was more of his sweet spot and switched his major to music therapy.

During his post grad internship in Atlanta, Collin met and fell in love with former Coloradoan, Laura,

Collin, with his fiance, Laura. 

who had actually worked for Out & About a few years ago. They got engaged and moved back to Broomfield, CO last spring. Collin wanted a break from the music therapy business and sought out Imagine!.

“It’s one of those jobs that until you’re in it, you don’t see the full scope of it,” said Collin. “I thought it was great.”

Collin’s training in school combined with his passion to help people, cultivated instincts to support the participants at Out & About to achieve goals every single day. Near the end of the summer, Collin worked with a 12 year-old who has a sensory disorder and typically does not enjoy sitting in one place for long periods of time. They spent the day at the Boulder Reservoir and the young boy gestured to sit in a raft by the dock. Collin didn’t think he would like it, but helped him into the raft and the boy sat in it for 15 minutes.

Collin looks on while participant Lee taste tests fresh basil
straight from the garden during an Out & About activity.

“It was a cool moment,” reflected Collin. “I realized I should always be open to what people can do, never presume lack of ability.”

Thanks for all you do, Collin, in creating a world of opportunity for all abilities!