Though she had dealt with depression throughout her younger life, Allison sought out mental health treatment after she began experiencing delusional thoughts in college. No one else had recognized that she was having issues, however. She saw a pr…

Jennifer’s journey with mental health care began with a troubled marriage. She sought help at a mental health center in Arapahoe County, where she saw a marriage counselor for a year. The counselor suggested that Jennifer and her partner needed i…

Patients visit Jefferson Center’s walk-in crisis center for various reasons. Some are experiencing suicidal thoughts, and others may be facing an onslaught of stress and trauma. Kiyo had been on and off medications for years and was at the end of…

Lynn O. was introduced to Jefferson Center during a time of crisis in her family. A teenage family member’s behavior had changed drastically, and no one knew what was happening or what they could do to help their loved one. Was it teenage rebelli…

As Blake recalls his life when he first got involved with mental health care, he is amazed at how unstable his mental state really was. He had been suffering from substance use disorder but did not believe the drugs he took were detrimental to hi…

Suicide is preventable, but steps need to be taken in order to save someone’s life. One of the most important actions that need to happen is the person who is contemplating suicide needs to seek professional help. Susan had been in and out of hos…

When filling time, Gin likes to draw on napkins. Muses and gossips act as her “imaginary friends.” She tells stories through artwork, often about the muses, and compares them to talismans or tarot cards. Charged with meaning and intention. She ca…

When it comes to mental health, not everyone can “fake it till they make it.” This can even be a dangerous sentiment, as it can cause those struggling to believe that, if they slap a smile on their face long enough, they can force the kind of …

Hayley started therapy at a young age when she was about seven years old. Around the age of 13, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, though her therapy visits remained inconsistent for years following. As a child, she was told to “trust the a…

Trigger warning: Suicide The ability to grow up, form substantial relationships and build a lucrative career all while comfortably identifying as the gender in which you were born is something many cisgender people take for granted. Though …