Avanti Behavioral Health

11/30/2023

We have options available today to help teens get the help they need for addiction and mental health. Call 720-734-5354 for immediate assistance.

11/29/2023

Understanding Teenage Substance Misuse

Behaviors are driven by the desire for increased autonomy and exploration—unfortunately, that frequently results in dangerous risk-taking. “The teenage brain is not there all the way,” neurologist Frances Jensen explained in an NPR interview in 2016. “It takes often into your early 20s and possibly late-20s and maybe even beyond for the brain to fully mature to adult levels.”

The part of the brain that isn’t fully developed is the prefrontal cortex (PFC), the area responsible for executive decision-making. This explains why teenagers can make so many bad judgment calls despite being aware of the possible consequences. They simply assess the risks differently from an adult with a fully developed brain.

Unfortunately, the natural teenage propensity for impulsivity can lead to behaviors that compromise the executive functioning of the prefrontal cortex even more.

Read the Full Article:

As most parents of adolescent children know, it’s not always easy to understand the mental states or behaviors of teenagers. “It is crucial to acknowledge that as adults, we often […]

11/20/2023

How Avanti Supports Your Teen’s Recovery

Recovery coaches can play an important role in the ongoing efforts to overcome this crisis. According to addiction expert William White, recovery coaches provide emotional and informational support, assistance in task accomplishment, and companionship, that is, “helping people in early recovery feel connected and enjoy being with others, especially in recreational activities in alcohol- and drug-free environments.”

Building up recovery capital—the total resources that a person has available to find and maintain their recovery from addiction—is an essential goal of peer recovery support services as they partner with individuals toward a healthier future.

Read the Full Article:
https://www.avantibh.com/how-avanti-supports-your-teens-recovery/

America’s young people are experiencing a mental health crisis. Suicides have increased. Many teens are struggling with anxiety, depression, and trauma—and they are turning to self-harm, drugs, and alcohol to […]

11/01/2023

If you have Medicaid, we are dedicated in helping you find options for your teen. Please call 720-753-4030 to speak to our team.

10/28/2023

10/26/2023

Constructive feedback helps, but constant criticism can wear down their self-esteem. Focus on the behavior, not the individual.

10/24/2023

Avanti’s Partnership With FullCircle Denver

Avanti has forged connections with several organizations in the Denver Metro area to find additional support for teenagers participating in our intensive outpatient program. Our talented team of recovery coaches has built relationships with multiple organizations and communities.

Our partnership with the alternative peer group FullCircle allows our teens to practice social interaction with other like-minded youths choosing to live a life in sobriety. FullCircle provides an atmosphere of caring, support, and fun at all their events, weekend social activities, and 12-step meetings for young people.

Read the Full Article:

Avanti recognizes the transformative power of connection, belonging, and active participation within a larger recovery community. We strive to engage our clients in meaningful ways, fostering a sense of purpose, […]

10/23/2023

Is Social Media Safe For Our Kids?

Dr. Murthy called the impact of digital platforms on teenage well-being a “pivotal issue in public health” during an event on October 13 marking the launch of the Center for Digital Thriving at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Up until now the burden has been placed on parents, he said, but it’s clear that resolving the problem will require a broader effort.

Read the Full Article:

US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy wants to see both the government and private industry step up and reduce the mental health risks of social media for young people. Dr. Murthy […]

10/20/2023

Equip your teen with skills to handle disagreements constructively. It's not just about being right, but about understanding and finding common ground.

10/19/2023

New Report Shines Light on America’s Youth Mental Health Crisis

“While awareness has grown, barriers to getting mental healthcare remain for many families – chief among them are knowing where to turn for support and finding the right provider. As conditions like depression, anxiety, and addiction become more pervasive, we need to think differently about how we break down barriers once and for all,” said David Cordani, chairman and CEO of The Cigna Group. “To curb this crisis and safeguard America’s future, we need to work together to equip and empower communities with the support they need to revitalize social connections, strengthen resiliency, and improve health and vitality.”

The new report is based on Economist Impact research commissioned by The Cigna Group. It shows parents face multiple barriers to supporting family mental health needs including:

Not knowing the type of help needed (50 percent)
Difficulty finding a trusted provider (46 percent)
Lack of information about community resources (43 percent)
Lack of support from schools (43 percent)

Read the Full Article:

“The prevalence of mental health conditions among youth in the US has reached alarming levels,” wrote Kati Chilikova recently on Economist Impact. As we previously reported on this blog, our […]

10/17/2023

Social Media and the American Youth Mental Health Crisis

The American Federation of Teachers, the American Psychological Association, Design It For Us, Fairplay, and ParentsTogether recently published a report entitled “Likes vs. Learning: The Real Cost of Social Media for Schools,” in which the partners drew attention to the widespread negative impact of social media on children’s well-being, including increased anxiety, depression, and addictive-like behaviors. They emphasized five guiding principles that social media companies are urged to follow: prioritizing safety for children, protecting students from overuse and addictive-like behavior, maintaining students’ privacy, guarding against risky algorithms, and directly engaging and working with schools and families to help address these issues.

“Students are experiencing an unprecedented decline in their mental health and well-being,” noted the authors of the report. “The community of people who work to ensure students have a safe and supported environment in school—educators, paraprofessionals, mental health counselors, and school health professionals, among others—are overwhelmed by the disruption that is playing out daily in our educational settings.

Read the Full Article:

“Social media has had a disruptive and often detrimental role in the well-being and academic success of students across the nation, with the consequences growing more concerning each year,” wrote […]

10/16/2023

Ed Venerable extends his deepest gratitude to Cody Gardner and Orion Consulting for their investment in building the early stages of Avanti Behavioral Health. We are pleased to announce our completion of work with Orion Consulting who was instrumental in helping with licensing and accreditation, staff recruitment, marketing and clinical program development.

We believe our current team is poised to move Avanti to the next level and grateful to Orion for helping us lay the foundation for a robust adolescent treatment program in metro Denver.

10/13/2023

Thank you to for stoping by! Together we work to make a difference in serving Colorado.

10/12/2023

EMDR Therapy in Addiction Treatment

EMDR uses elements of cognitive therapy, exposure therapy, and bilateral brain stimulation, such as eye movements or taps, to stimulate the brain’s natural healing processes. By using bilateral stimulation and focused attention, EMDR helps teens reprocess traumatic memories, alleviate emotional distress, and promote healing and resilience. It has shown remarkable success in treating PTSD, anxiety disorders, phobias, and other trauma-related conditions.

Read the Full Article

Avanti Behavioral Health provides cutting-edge addiction treatment and mental health care services for 13–18-year-olds and their families. Since not all people are the same, our therapy program has been designed […]

10/09/2023

Trauma and Adolescent Substance Use

“Ample evidence has shown that childhood trauma compromises neural structure and function, rendering an individual susceptible to later cognitive deficits and psychiatric illnesses, including schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance abuse,” wrote Khoury, Tang, et al. in a 2010 study on substance use and childhood trauma.

Adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, include experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect, witnessing violence in the home or community, or having a family member attempt or die by su***de can be devastating for a child. ACEs are linked to chronic health problems, mental illness, and substance use problems in adolescence and adulthood.

Read the Full Article:

“Mental health conditions and substance use are inextricably linked, and during a time of concurrent overdose and youth mental health crises,” state governors in the United States are working to […]