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Welcome to the CALMSS blog, where we share insights, stories, and advice on emotional wellbeing for young people. Explore our latest posts and discover how we can support your journey to better mental health.
Understanding the emotional wellbeing challenges faced by young people (16–21)
Young people across the UK face a growing range of emotional wellbeing challenges, often shaped by a complex interplay of personal, social, and systemic pressures. Between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one, young people are navigating transitions into adulthood, often without the emotional tools or consistent support needed to manage the weight of these changes.
According to the Mental Health of Children and Young People in England 2023 report published by NHS Digital:
One in five young people aged 17–19 is now experiencing a probable mental disorder, a figure that has doubled since 2017.
Self-harm and suicidal thoughts are significantly more common in this age group, particularly among girls and gender-diverse young people.
Anxiety and depression remain the most prevalent difficulties, often linked to academic pressure, social isolation, family instability, and trauma.
Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, care-experienced youth, and LGBTQ+ individuals face disproportionately high rates of emotional distress.
The Office for National Statistics (2023) also reported a continued rise in youth unemployment, which is closely tied to lower life satisfaction and increased mental health difficulties. Furthermore, the impact of social media, particularly related to self-image, comparison, and exposure to harmful content, has been well-documented by Ofcom and the Children’s Commissioner.
At CALMSS, we see these realities every day. Young people often arrive carrying trauma, low self-esteem, identity confusion, or a deep sense of disconnection. Many feel that the systems around them do not understand them, or have failed to offer early, compassionate intervention.
Our trauma-informed, relational approach is designed to meet these challenges head-on, by offering a safe, consistent space where young people are truly heard, supported, and empowered to rebuild trust, regulate emotions, and rediscover their sense of self.
Effective strategies for navigating emotional crises (16–21)
Supporting young people through emotional crisis requires more than immediate intervention—it requires relational consistency, emotional safety, and trauma-informed care that respects the complexity of their experience.
According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines (NG225, 2022) on self-harm and mental health crisis care, the most effective strategies for helping young people aged sixteen to twenty-one include:
Non-judgemental, empathetic listening as the first response
Validation of distress, rather than minimisation or excessive clinical assessment
Safety planning developed collaboratively with the young person
Relational continuity, being supported by the same practitioner or service over time
Access to creative, therapeutic interventions, particularly where verbal expression is limited
The Mental Health Foundation (2021) also emphasises the importance of co-produced care, in which young people are not passive recipients but active participants in shaping their support.
At CALMSS, we apply these principles in every interaction. Our most effective crisis responses include:
Trauma-informed relational presence, offering calm, non-reactive support during heightened distress
Creative regulation tools, such as grounding through movement, breathwork, or expressive arts
Therapeutic listening spaces, where the young person does not need to justify or explain their crisis
SMART goal planning, used gently to restore a sense of control and future orientation
School and outreach-based support, ensuring access where it is needed most, without long waiting lists or formal barriers
We do not believe that crisis support should begin with questions like “What’s wrong with you?”, instead, we begin with “What has happened to you?” and “What do you need right now?”
The evidence shows that authentic connection, rather than clinical detachment, leads to the most meaningful outcomes for young people in emotional crisis. CALMSS stands firmly on this foundation: care that is consistent, creative, and built on trust.
CALMHSS’s commitment to a stigma-free environment
At CALMSS, we believe that emotional wellbeing begins with feeling safe, seen, and never judged. For many young people, stigma remains one of the most powerful barriers to seeking support. Research by YoungMinds (2022) shows that over half of young people aged 16–25 feel embarrassed or afraid to talk about their mental health, fearing they won’t be taken seriously or might be labelled as “difficult” or “broken.”
That’s why everything we do at CALMSS is designed to actively remove shame and create a stigma-free environment, where mental health is treated with the same dignity as physical health—and where identity, experience, and emotion are never pathologised.
We create this environment by:
Using non-clinical, welcoming spaces that feel safe, comfortable, and age-appropriate rather than medical or intimidating
Offering relational, trauma-informed care, where the practitioner walks alongside the young person rather than directing or diagnosing them
Avoiding clinical jargon, and instead using real, accessible language that promotes openness and shared understanding
Honouring choice and autonomy, giving young people control over how they engage, what they share, and what they want from support
Normalising emotional expression, through creative modalities like movement, art, and story—especially for those who struggle to find words
Respecting neurodiversity, gender identity, and lived experience, recognising that emotional distress often reflects unmet needs, not “illness”
According to the Centre for Mental Health (2021), “environments that promote psychological safety, relationship-building, and creative expression help reduce shame and improve long-term outcomes for young people.” This is precisely what CALMSS offers—not a service that seeks to “fix,” but one that offers presence, patience, and care.
By leading with compassion, creativity, and consistency, we make it possible for young people to seek help without fear of judgement, and to begin their healing journey on their own terms.
A story of finding stability, strength, and self-worth with CALMSS
When this young person was first referred to CALMSS, they were experiencing deep emotional distress. They had been self-harming regularly, disengaged from education, and carried a history of trauma that had left them feeling unsafe, unheard, and disconnected. Trust in professionals was low, and their sense of self had been shaped by years of instability, loss, and shame.
From the outset, we took a relational, trauma-informed approach, meeting them with calm, consistency, and care. Rather than focusing on risk or diagnosis, we focused on presence. They were offered a safe space where their voice mattered, their story was honoured, and their emotions could be expressed without fear of judgement.
Through weekly sessions, we used a blend of therapeutic listening, creative expression, SMART goal setting, and emotional regulation strategies. As trust grew, so did their confidence. With encouragement, they began to consider their future and set small, meaningful goals. Over time, those goals became reality.
Today, this young person is studying full-time on a vocational bricklaying course and working part-time at McDonald’s. They are no longer self-harming. They continue to engage with CALMSS weekly and access outreach services when needed. Most importantly, they have developed a sense of emotional resilience, identity, and self-worth. They describe feeling “more like myself than I ever have before.”
This journey reflects the essence of CALMSS: we do not rush, label, or fix. We walk alongside young people, offering presence, compassion, and the space to rebuild on their own terms.
Seeking support?
If you or someone you know is struggling with emotional wellbeing, CALMSS is here to help. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can support you.