There is a kind of courage that doesn't make the news.
It shows up in a church basement in Montana. A living room in Fresno.
A community center in Nebraska. It belongs to the facilitators and
Associate Directors of the Nedley Depression & Anxiety Recovery
Program — ordinary people who chose to step forward, get trained, and
bring real help to the people around them.
In 2025, that courage showed up 137 times.
A Year of Meaningful Impact
Over the course of the year, 372 individuals completed NDARP
facilitator and Associate Director training, equipping a growing
community of leaders to bring evidence-based mental health education
directly to their neighborhoods.
Together, they conducted 137 programs — 99 across the United States
and 38 internationally — extending the program's reach into
communities both near and far.
Among the 703 participants who completed the program with pre- and
post-DAAT assessments, the results were significant:
• 56% reduction in depression scores
• 59% decrease in anxiety
• ~12% increase in emotional intelligence
Behind each of those numbers is a real person who came in struggling
and left with tools, hope, and a new way forward. And behind each of
those people is a facilitator who showed up to make it possible.
The 1st Annual NDARP Leadership Dinner
On March 12, 2026, during the Emotional Intelligence Summit in Weimar,
California, NDARP brought its leaders together for the very first time
at the inaugural Leadership Dinner for Associate Directors.
Dr. Neil Nedley welcomed attendees from across multiple U.S. states,
along with international guests from Aruba and Ireland. The evening was
filled with connection, encouragement, and a meaningful look back at
everything this community accomplished together in 2025.
An awards ceremony closed the evening, honoring Associate Directors
whose work stood out. We are deeply grateful for every facilitator and Associate Director,
both those present that evening and those faithfully serving in their
communities far from the stage.
2025 NDARP Leadership Award Recipients
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Best Overall Improvement
Gayleen Bradley — Lincoln, Nebraska
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Gayleen's program achieved some incredible outcomes. Her participants experienced:
• 71% reduction in depression scores (17 to 5)
• 80% decrease in anxiety (10 to 2)
• 23% increase in emotional intelligence (101 to 124)
Results like these don't happen without a team who is fully
present, thoroughly prepared, and genuinely invested in every person
in the room.
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Rising Leader Award
Bonnie Smith — Thompson Falls, Montana
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For emerging leadership, exceptional initiative, and meaningful
community impact.
Bonnie was certified in January 2025. By year's end, she had already
helped 12 new leaders recieve certification— three of whom launched their own
programs in new communities. She personally conducted five programs
across Montana and Arizona, serving 74 participants in her first year
alone.
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Community Impact Award
Shannon Gott — Santa Barbara, California
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For strengthening communities and transforming lives through exemplary
service.
Certified in late 2024, Shannon wasted no time building momentum. She
assembled a team of five certified leaders (with two more in training),
led a Women's Ministry NDARP program with 28 participants, helped
launch an additional program with 12 participants, and is already
preparing to lead a community program in spring 2026.
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Community Impact Award
Araceli Singh — Fresno, California
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For strengthening communities and transforming lives through exemplary
service.
Certified in August 2023, Araceli has faithfully conducted two programs
every year since.
Through that commitment, 44 participants have experienced meaningful
improvement in depression, anxiety, and emotional resilience.
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Outstanding Distinction Award
Ella Jones — Wenatchee, Washington
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For exceptional leadership and distinguished service.
Ella has been doing this work for twenty years. Certified in 2005, she
has helped train 15 new leaders, conducted 26 programs, and reached
349 participants over the course of her career.
Her story is what happens when long-term vision meets daily
faithfulness. It is a legacy of hope, built one program at a time.
Bring NDARP to Your Community
The leaders honored here share something important in common. None of
them waited until conditions were perfect. They got trained, found a
space, and showed up for their communities.
You don't need a clinical background to do this work. You need a
willingness to learn and a genuine desire to help the people around
you.
Becoming a certified Associate Director gives you the tools, training,
and ongoing support to bring NDARP to your own community — whether
that's a church, a workplace, a community center, or somewhere else
entirely.
