About Rise and Release Initiative

My journey of creating spaces for healing and empowerment began over two decades ago, long before I envisioned what Rise & Release would become.

In 2003, I co-founded Legacy Preparatory Academy, a charter school built on the belief that education should empower students to grow in both knowledge and character. From there, I moved into the world of health and healing—supporting the creation of two mental health clinics and a medical clinic through business management, all while putting myself through school.

My path eventually led me to partner with Heather Traeden to open Balance in Behavior a ABA and mental health practice dedicated to helping individuals find stability and strength. Today, that vision has expanded into Rise & Release, an umbrella brand that encompasses therapy services, transformational retreats, and community empowerment programs.

This work is deeply personal to me. I’ve walked through my own battles with addiction and the transformative experience of becoming a mother, and now moving into the care giver role for my parents. These journeys deepened my understanding, acceptance, and compassion. Strengthened my resilience, and shaped the way I serve others.

Alongside lived experience, I bring a strong educational foundation. I am a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CMHC) in Utah (with multi-state licensure), hold a Certification in Neuroscience, Graduate certificates in conflict resolution, and communication. I am trained in modalities such as EMDR, DBT-informed practice, and IFS-informed therapy. My work integrates the science of the brain with the art of healing, offering a layered and evidence-based approaches. 

Today, Rise & Release holds everything I’ve built and believed in:

  • Therapy services through Behavior in Balance
  • Transformational retreats through The Golden Path to Balance
  • Community empowerment through WAGE (Women & Action for Growth & Empowerment), on its way to 501(c)(3) nonprofit status

My mission is simple but sacred: to create spaces where people can return to themselves, rise into their strength, and release into their brilliance.

A Personal Note from Me
If you’re here, it’s probably because you’re searching, for healing, for growth, for connection, or maybe just for a safe place to land. I know what it feels like to be in that place. My hope is that Rise & Release feels like an open door: a place where you don’t have to have it all figured out, where you’re welcomed exactly as you are, and where you can discover just how much strength and light you already carry within you.
With love,

Gina Shields, Licensed Therapist; NPT-C

Gina Shields

Licensed Therapist; NPT-C

Utah CMHC | Nevada CPCL |
New Mexico LPCC | Arizona LPC

Certified Neuropsychotherapist

Founder
Rise & Release + 
Behavior in Balance BIB PC +
WAGE

Venette Grisham is the heart of operations across multiple organizations, serving as the Executive Administrator for all of Gina’s companies. With a lifelong passion for helping people and animals, Venette brings a unique blend of compassion, organization, and leadership to every role she takes on.

Her background spans over a decade in administrative and support roles, including impactful positions as a 911 dispatch operator and an administrator at a charter school. These experiences sharpened her ability to stay calm under pressure, maintain precision, and lead with empathy.

Venette holds key roles within two ABA companies, supports operations at the University of Utah, and continues to be a pillar of excellence and trust across all our businesses. Her work is driven by a deep commitment to improving the environments she touches—professionally and personally—through love, care, and unshakable dedication.

Venette Grisham

Executive Administrator