Breaking the Stigma: Mental Health Resources for Young Adults in Denver

Article Written by: Denver Therapist, Molly Ward

Taking care of our mental health is an ongoing journey.

We all have struggles with our mental health at some point, so knowing ways to manage these struggles is the best tool in moving forward. 

One of the best ways to manage this is by increasing connection and community.

The decline of our mental health thrives off of isolation.

By creating more community, we have a chance to pull ourselves out of dark times or prevent things from getting much worse. 

However, we know that finding community or connection as a young adult is not the easiest task, especially when your mental health is declining or you feel overwhelmed.

Read More: “What is Mental Health and Why is it Important”

Luckily, Denver seems to be a Mecca for mental health support and resources.

Therapy is a helpful tool to manage these struggles, but as complex human beings we need more systemic support outside of our weekly or every other week therapy appointment.

Highlighted below are some resources in the mile high city that can support a young adult’s mental wellbeing that aren’t just related to individual therapy.

Support Groups

Getting support from a group can be a powerful way to normalize your experiences and increase compassion and acceptance for yourself.

Clients I have worked with who have engaged in groups often share that simply being in a space with people going through a similar experience can be incredibly healing.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) offers support groups for adults that have experienced symptoms of a mental health condition.

These groups are peer-led and offered in various counties around Colorado.

There are also many other groups related to more specific mental health issues, such as managing anxiety, substance use, or relationships, that you can attend around Denver.

Meetups

Meetups can be daunting for some in regards to the social anxiety we can feel, but they are such a powerful and flexible way to create more engagement in your life, particularly around specific topics of interest.

Some Meetups that could be a good mental health resource include the Wim Hoff Breathing and Cold Water Immersion group, Jungian and Self Improvement Discussions through Discord, or meditation groups.

Browse the health and wellbeing category on Meetup and see what calls to you!

Mentoring Opportunties 

Mentoring someone who has gone through a similar situation as you is incredibly healing.

Mentoring can also be an opportunity to tune in to the skills that you already have.

Supporting someone else also tends to hold us accountable to practice what we preach and the connection and relationships that are built can be long-lasting and powerful.

To learn more about mentoring opportunities, check out MENTOR Colorado, Denver Rescue Mission, or Denver Kids as potential options to explore!

Young Professional Groups

Another way to increase community is to get involved in a group for young professionals.

Read More: “Spring Into Action: Engaging in Mentorship Benefits People of All Ages”

Navigating our careers can be incredibly overwhelming, especially as we are getting started.

Young Professional Groups, such as Mile High Young Professionals or Young Professionals, provides a chance to speak with others in regards to what they are navigating, how they are doing so, seek advice, and have a place to air your stressors.

The connections you make in these types of groups can keep you going and help you feel less isolated, especially if you are just getting started in your career, an independent contractor, or entrepreneur and have less people in your circle to support you.

More of these groups can be found on Meetup as well!

Attend a Fun Exercise Class

Moving our bodies is one of the most essential things we can do to create a healthy well-being and manage our mental health.

In Denver, we have some pretty fun options to get your body moving.

Additionally, there’s also movement options that can help us better connect with our bodies and needs and prepare us to process experiences in therapy easier.

Movement can and should be joyful and is an excellent resource for mental health.

Some fun classes that clients and I have both enjoyed could be dancing at Block21Fitness, going to a twerk class, trying Filipino Martial Arts, or connecting with your body through yoga.

Urban Sanctuary is one of our favorite yoga studios at Denver Metro Counseling, and they offer some incredible workshops, such as sound baths and cold plunging that can be a mental health resource also.

Work with a Healer

Some clients I have worked with have taught me the power of going to a healer in conjunction to therapy.

A healer provides an intuitive and spiritual approach to mental health that can help you better understand what your body is holding on to and ways that it may be impacting you.

Though none of these resources are the magic solution to your struggles, it can be a powerful way to let go of pain and find ways to move forward.

Being more in tune with your body can also allow you to manage and understand emotions easier as they come up.

Get Outside

This one may be obvious, but my god we live in such a beautiful state!

Connecting with nature is cleansing and grounding for the soul and is imperative to our every day lives, so why not take advantage of what’s in our backyard?

Being in nature increases joy, calmness, and even creativity.

This can mean simply driving to a no-hike alpine lake and taking in the views, creating your own ice bath by getting in the crisp water that melted from the mountains, going to a hot spring, or grabbing a hammock and posting up among the trees to forest bathe.

Whatever you chose will have an impact, as the power of nature can not be downplayed in regards to its healing properties.

Connect with Animals

Whether it’s through equine therapy, goat yoga, going to a cat cafe, or going to a puppy adoption event (search adoptable puppy events on google!), connecting with animals is one of my favorite ways to manage big feelings.

Being with animals reduces loneliness, can help us feel more socially supported, and can improve our mood. Spending time with animals can also create more play in our lives, a powerful antidote to depression. 

Attend a Breathwork Session

Breathwork is a tool that can increase relaxation and help slow down or manage trauma responses.

Read More: “How To Develop Healthy Habits That Support Trauma Healing”

Breathwork also been shown to help manage medical concerns such as high blood pressure or insomnia, in addition to helping to manage anxiety and depression.

Attending a breathwork session can be a way to learn more about the process and practice with an expert before practicing at home.

Our nervous systems hold on to a lot and often need more than talk therapy to manage everything.

There are so many options here in Denver, but our list of possible resources is not conclusive!

Other resources that can support with our mental health include attending a reiki healing session, getting acupuncture, getting a tarot reading or even a tea leaf reading at The Well and The Wheel.

Therapy is one of the most powerful ways to manage mental health issues, and in addition to therapy, in the Mile High City we have so many resources outside of therapy than can be incredibly effective.

The most important thing we can do is take care of our mental well-being and there are many ways to do so.

With all these opportunities, mental health does not need to be taboo.

So whether it’s on your own or with a friend, I hope you can try one of these resources, normalize your struggles, and work towards breaking the stigma around mental health issues!

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Molly is a therapist in Denver and loves connecting with and trying out local Denver hangs and businesses.

Denver Therapist, Molly Ward

She values community and diversifying ways of supporting her mental health and loves hearing what works for her clients as well.

Molly has been with Denver Metro Counseling since 2019 and we love trying new things with her as well.

She is a leader in our practice, offering support for our team in her expertise of working with family systems, community systems, substance abuse and intuitive eating.

Molly loves working with teens, families and young adults. She shows up authentically, ready to meet you where you are.

To learn more about Molly, check out her bio on our website. You can also find her on instagram at @therapy_with_molly.