Teen & Young Adult Mental Health Blog
Written By Colorado Therapists
This is where our Colorado clinical team gets real about what teens, young adults, and the parents and caregivers who show up for them are actually going through. Here you’ll find posts on anxiety, trauma, identity, neurodivergence, chronic stress, disability, and life transitions…and why the advice you’ve already tried probably isn’t enough.
We write for teens trying to make sense of what they’re feeling. For young adults figuring out who they are and what they want out of life. For the parents and caregivers who continue to show up every day, even when they don’t have the answers.
Every post comes from inside our practice here at Interfaith Bridge Counseling, written by therapists, clinicians, and supervised interns actively working with teens and young adults across Colorado, in Denver and statewide via telehealth. No recycled advice. No watered-down wellness content. Just honest, grounded information from people who support people just like you.
Anxiety & Teens: A Fickle Friend
I know–anxiety? A friend? How in the world could anxiety be my friend?
Believe me, I hear you. How could something that causes so much turmoil be beneficial for us? How could something that makes our palms sweat, our legs bounce, and our throats constrict be good?
Well, here’s the kicker. Sometimes, anxiety can help us do wonderful things.
Why Coping Skills for Your Teen Isn’t the Answer: A Parent’s Guide
Suffice it to say, the teenage years are rough. Parents fear their teens are depressed, anxious, and stressed out, but struggle with how to support them in a healthy, sustainable way.
One of the things we hear parents ask is how to provide or teach their teens coping skills. "What tools can teach my kid so they can better manage their stress and emotions?" they ask. And while we're pleased to hear that parents are trying, we also internally groan.
Understanding Self-Harm: A Guide for Teens & Young Adults
Life isn't easy. And that's an understatement. Sometimes these strong feelings and thoughts overwhelm us and we react in ways that physically hurt us. In other words, we self-harm. If you're struggling with stopping the harmful cycle of overwhelming feelings that lead to destructive habits, read on.
I Just Need a Little Space: Creating Boundaries During the Holidays for Teens & Young Adults
It's that time of year again. Whether it makes you feel excited or anxious, hopeful or hollow (or any feeling in between,) the holiday season is upon us. For many of us, all of this can be overwhelming. Creating strong boundaries can help us navigate this often stressful time and help us regain that holiday joy!
Perfectionism, Productivity, and Mental Health: Society's “Need to Succeed” Effect on Teenagers and Young Adults
Let's face it. We've grown up in a fast-paced and competitive world, where the pressure to excel and succeed has taken center stage in our lives as teenagers and young adults. The ideals of perfectionism and relentless productivity are so deeply ingrained in societal norms that it fosters an environment where the pursuit of success often overshadows any consideration for our mental well-being.
Sexcess Story: Ehlers Danlos SyndromE & Our Disability’s Impact On Society
A few months ago, I had the exciting opportunity to go on Heather DeKeyser’s podcast Sexcess Story. We discussed a wide variety of issues, but especially how disability can affect peoples’ sexuality or sexual expression. Below is the transcript of the podcast linked above.
Group Work: Using Groups as Part of Pain Management for Disabled Teens A Podcast interview
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of hanging out with Katie K. May at Group Work, which is a podcast all about group therapy. This was my second time as a guest on the show and we dived into using group therapy as a part of pain management. Below is the transcript of the podcast linked above.
ADHD, Anxiety, and Depression: Understanding the Links
Sometimes, challenges with mental health are hard to navigate. Even more so when the things that you’re feeling seem like they could be easily caused by a few different conditions.
One of the most common examples I see on the daily: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Anxiety, and Depression. Is it one? Two? All three? Without knowing some of the differences, it can cause one or all to be missed.
The Mind-Body Relationship: A Disabled Therapist’s Perspective
When you’re a disabled person, it can be really difficult to find a community of peers who get it.
Like…maybe you need to find a solution to something. Maybe you need validation. Maybe you need someone to tell you you’re not the only one experiencing something. Communication is a large part of our lives. In fact, it’s a human need. But when you’re disabled, for some reason, finding the right community of people to communicate with and about things, is sometimes just a bit more difficult.
In Other Words: Talking to Kids About Stuff That Matters A Podcast Interview
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Rev. Amelia Richardson Dress of UCC Longmont to chat about my blog post 7 Ways on How to Mentally Survive Your High School Lockdown. Below is the transcript of the podcast linked above.
Teen Feeling Stressed? Here's What You Can Do to Help
Are you (or if you’re a parent, your teen) feeling stressed? You’re not alone. All people experience some sort of stress, but teen stress is reaching an all time high. From school to social media, our friends to our parents…the pressures of every day life just keep on growing. And while some level of stress can be healthy, high levels of stress can interfere with our abilities to learn, to create and sustain relationships, and even to manage our own emotions and overall mood.
How to Manage Anxiety After a High School Shooting
If you’re a teen or even the parent of a teen, the fear and anxiety of a school lockdown or school shooting is all too real. In 2018 alone, more than 64 school lockdowns turned into school campus shootings. It’s as if school lockdowns and school shootings are becoming our new norm, establishing an all-too-familiar cycle of fear, devastation, and loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Every post comes from inside our practice here at Interfaith Bridge Counseling, grounded in real clinical experience with teens and young adults across Colorado. You’ll find a clinician’s name, credentials, and a last updated date on every post.
Liked a post? Want to know our authors? Learn more about our clinical team. -
Our blog is primarily for teens (ages 10-18), young adults (19-35), and the parents and caregivers who support them. If you’re looking for a teen therapist in Denver or therapy for young adults in Colorado, this where we share more about what you can expect in sessions and with our approach. A lot for what we write is also useful for school counselors, educators, and anyone supporting young people through hard things.
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Some of the most important stuff - anxiety, trauma, identity, neurodivergence, chronic stress, disability, chronic illness, dissociation, life transitions, and intergenerational trauma, and much more. These tie directly to the areas we treat at our Denver therapy practice, including therapy for chronic stress, life transitions counseling, identity exploration, and disability and chronic illness therapy.
If you have an idea for something you want us to cover, we’d love to hear from you. -
Yes, 100%. And more than affirming, Interfaith Bridge Counseling is LGBTQIA+ owned, trained, and competent. Every person on our clinical team has the training and clinical competence to work with LGBTQIA+ teens and young adults in Denver and across Colorado.
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Yes. We accept all RAEs of Health First Colorado (Medicaid), the Second Wind Fund, Health Savings Accounts (HSA), and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs). For self-pay clients we offer a sliding scale from $60-$140 per session. Our goal is to make therapy financially accessible without sacrificing quality of care.
Outside of Medicaid, we do not accept any commercial insurance plans and are happy to provide you with a superbill for possible reimbursement. -
Yes, every post on our blog comes from inside our practice here at Interfaith Bridge Counseling. Our blog is grounded in real clinical experience with teens and young adults across Colorado. In each post, you’ll find a clinician’s name, credentials, and a last updated date.
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No, there is a human behind every blog post and paired with a clinician’s name on it. Every piece of content on this blog is rooted in real clinical experience with teens and young adults across Colorado from therapists here at Interfaith Bridge Counseling.