March 2025 Newsletter
Spring Greetings!
As we step into the season of spring, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for the continued dedication you’ve shown for our mission.
With exciting updates on the horizon, we can’t wait to share the incredible impact we’re making thanks to you!
Your commitment to Garrett’s Space is enabling us to bridge the huge gap in services to support young adults facing mental health challenges in our community.
Sometimes we're asked, “Why young adults?” and if we'll ever expand our reach to include teens or other age groups. While we believe other age groups could benefit from the Garrett's Space model, our focus for now remains on young adults ages 18-28 because of their unique challenges. And we’re memorializing our best practices and processes so that our model can be replicated in other geographies and age demographics.
A Vulnerable Time of Transition
Young adulthood represents a uniquely vulnerable period. According to a recent report from Harvard, On Edge: Understanding and Preventing Young Adults' Mental Health Challenges, young adults experience anxiety and depression at double the rate of teens.
Many are navigating life away from home for the first time, facing academic and career pressures, and managing changing relationships with limited support systems.
Falling Through the Cracks
This age group faces some distinct barriers to finding treatment options:
Young adults are too old for pediatric services but often feel disconnected from all-ages adult programs
It can be a huge time of transition and upheaval—transitioning between support systems, moving away from home, changing schools and starting careers.
There’s an expected independence, often without developed coping skills, and a critical need for peer connection and community
Evidence-Informed Approach
Our wellness programming targets two key well-documented protective factors against anxiety, depression, and suicidality: connections and coping skills. Our wellness groups create safe spaces for young adults to build meaningful peer relationships, learn and practice healthy coping mechanisms, and develop resilience through shared experiences.
Building a Lifeline
By focusing on young adults during this critical life stage, Garrett's Space is filling a vital gap in our mental health ecosystem. Together, we're creating a model of holistic support where young adults can find connection and community, develop resilience, and rediscover hope—exactly when they need it most.
Meet Lana, Garrett's Space’s social media intern!
Ever wonder who is behind Garrett’s Space’s social media accounts? We’re thrilled to introduce you to Lana Haddad, a junior at the University of Michigan majoring in Biology, Health, and Society with a minor in Business. Lana, who is from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, is passionate about public health, community engagement, and mental wellness. After college, she plans to attend medical school and pursue a career as a physician.
She first connected with Garrett's Space through the University of Michigan's Ginsberg Center Community Leadership Fellowship program, which pairs students with local organizations to help address community needs while building leadership skills.
Why were you attracted to Garrett's Space?
I was drawn to Garrett’s Space because of its dedication to providing free, accessible mental health support for young adults. The organization’s approach to mental wellness - focusing on connection, self-care, and peer support - resonated a lot with me. As a young adult myself, I understand how important these kinds of resources are. Mental health struggles are incredibly common among our population, yet finding support can often be difficult or feel overwhelming. Garrett’s Space not only addresses this need but also fosters a sense of community, ensuring that no one has to navigate these challenges alone. That commitment to both individual well-being and collective support is what truly drew me in.
How do you find inspiration for creating content that promotes connection and hope in an authentic way?
When creating content for Garrett’s Space, I focus on what will genuinely excite young adults and make them feel seen, supported, and empowered. I often look for inspiration in everyday moments - conversations with friends, shared experiences, and even small reminders of self-care that have helped me personally. I also find creative ideas through wellness-focused Pinterest boards! I try to keep the messaging on our social media authentic, approachable, and hopeful. I want our content to not only inform but also encourage people to pause, reflect, and feel a sense of community in their mental health journey.
How has working with Garrett's Space influenced your own understanding of mental health and wellness?
Working with Garrett’s Space has helped remind me of the idea that mental wellness doesn’t always require massive changes. It’s often the small, intentional acts of self-care that make a lasting impact. Through this work, I’ve realized how simple actions, like taking a few deep breaths, getting outside for a short walk, or journaling for a few minutes, can help alleviate stress and anxiety. I’ve also come to appreciate the power of connection in mental health. Sometimes, just knowing that others understand what you're going through can be incredibly healing.
What do you like to do when you’re not working on Garrett’s Space’s social media or studying?
I love playing pickleball with friends. To me, it’s a fun way to stay active and unwind. I also enjoy re-watching early 2000s drama TV series and have been recently trying to learn new cooking recipes!
Did You Know?
In a study of 21,000 patients ages 18 to 25 who had been diagnosed with major depression, 11,000—more than 50 percent—reported that they had not received any treatment. The study also explored the most common reasons that young adults said they didn't get treatment. Garrett's Space remains committed to addressing these common barriers that prevent young adults from accessing the mental health support they need. Read on to learn how.
4 Common Barriers to Mental Health Treatment & How Garrett's Space Helps:
Cost: Many cite this as the biggest obstacle, which we address by offering our wellness programming completely free to all participants, and, ultimately, on a sliding scale when we open our residential center.
Not knowing where to go: Others simply don't know where to find services, which is why we conduct active outreach at local universities and community spaces where young adults already gather.
Believing they can handle it alone: Our professionally facilitated peer support programming quickly demonstrates the power of connection, community and shared experience.
Worries about work repercussions and confidentiality concerns: Many worry about others finding out about their treatment, which is why we run strictly confidential programs that can be attended outside work hours, creating safe spaces where participants can be vulnerable without fear of judgment or disclosure.
Garrett's Space remains dedicated to reducing suicides and filling critical gaps in supportive care options for young adults ages 18 to 28 facing mental health challenges. Through our evidence-informed programming, we'll continue promoting connections, self-worth, and resilience while addressing these common barriers to mental health treatment. Thank you for making this work possible!
Sources: https://www.newportinstitute.com/resources/treatment/young-adults-dont-seek-care/
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2792128
How You Can Help
Thank you for your generous contributions to our efforts! Your support helps us offer free wellness groups and monthly in-person gatherings while we work towards realizing our vision of creating a residential space for young adults in need. We are excited to continue this journey together and are grateful for your ongoing commitment! Here’s how you can stay involved:
Volunteer: Join our dedicated team of volunteers to support events or help with tasks that keep our mission moving forward. To learn more contact sarah@garrettsspace.org.
Donate: Your generous contribution directly supports our programs, offering hope and healing to young adults facing mental health challenges. Every donation, no matter the size, makes an impact. Donate at our website.
Spread the Word: Follow us on Instagram and Facebook. And share our mission with your network to help raise awareness and grow our community of support.