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.
Demand Avoidance vs. Pathological Demand Avoidance
What, exactly, is this feeling or need to avoid demands? Why can it be so frustrating for both parents and teens and young adults who experience it? Is demand avoidance always linked to Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)? And why do we care?
Understanding How You Process Language: Gestalt vs. Analytic Language Processing
Have you ever found yourself struggling to get your point across? Or missed the punch line when the rest of your friends were laughing? Does it feel like a struggle to verbally connect with others, or “keep up” with conversation”? If so, know that you’re not alone and that your feelings may result from how you process language.
Therapeutic Skills for Neurodivergent Teens & Young Adults: Interoception Skills
Many neurodivergent adolescents, teens, and young adults, including those with autism, ADHD, or sensory processing differences, struggle with body cues that can be crucial to interpreting emotional or physical needs and navigating an ableist world. These inner sensations, like knowing when to use the bathroom or when to eat when hungry, are called interoception skills.
Low Demand Parenting: Stop Worrying & Start Letting Your Teen Be a Person
When we demand something of our children, regardless of their age, we externalize our expectations. We want our kids to get good grades, participate in extracurriculars, and have a good group of friends. We want them to be healthy and happy and we have perceived expectations about how they should go about to achieve those things.
Herein lies the problem. Developmentally, teenagers have lower tolerance for managing frustration and other big emotions. Learn more about how Low Demand Parenting might be your answer to less stress for you and your teen.
Educational Diversity: Finding the Best Fit Among Traditional, Alternative, Online, and GED Schools for My Teen in Colorado
If you’re a teen, you’re probably here because something about school isn’t working and you’re ready for a change. If you’re a parent, you’re here because you want the best for your child. Either way, welcome. I’m glad you’re here!
In this article, we'll investigate the different types of school options in Colorado and the pros and cons of each.
Understanding the Neurodiversity Wheel
"I'm on the spectrum."
"My brother is autistic."
"She's on the autism spectrum."
Chances are you’ve encountered this kind of language at some point. Maybe you use this language, or your friends do, maybe you’ve seen it on social media, or maybe you’re new to it entirely. Maybe you have questions about what the spectrum is, or maybe you’re eager to dive a little deeper. Whatever the case, I'm glad you're here to learn more! Without further ado, let's dive into what exactly neurodiversity means and explore one of my favorite resources, the Neurodiversity Wheel.
Skill Regression: The What, Who & Whys
Maybe this feels familiar. You're a teenager or young adult who used to be a straight-A student or–who somehow balanced extracurriculars, a social life, hobbies, and work. But for some reason, you're suddenly at a loss and don't seem to have the motivation to try any longer. Maybe you just find that what once came easily to you is now difficult and frankly, it now makes you feel burnt out.
Even if these specific circumstances don't mirror your own, there's a common thread here: skill regression.
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.