Second annual Youth Mental Health Summit

BANGOR — Caring for young people means ensuring their mental and emotional wellbeing is part of the conversation. It’s not only important to talk about mental health, teens need tools to help them cope as they navigate becoming adults in this complicated world.

To support teen mental health in the community, Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center invites high school students in the Greater Bangor area to take part in the second annual Youth Mental Health Summit on Thursday, March 13 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Gracie Theater, Husson University.

A group of passionate student volunteers at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center created the first summit in 2024, envisioning the need for a supportive mental health event for their peers.

“The summit was established to address the mental health crisis among teenagers in Maine, while working to break the stigma,” says Stacey Coventry, director, community engagement, Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center. “We encourage teens in the Bangor area to be part of the dialogue about mental health, make connections with others, and learn new skills while building resiliency.”

Participants will hear from keynote speaker Darryl Bellamy, a national youth motivational speaker, who will lead workshops and speak about Moving from Fear to Fear(less). The event features workshops about: adventure-based therapy, bullying, creative expression, eating disorders, equine assisted therapy, LGBTQ+ identity and allyship, nature therapy, setting healthy boundaries, sports and mental health, substance use, suicide prevention, the impact of social media, and yoga and meditation.

The 2025 summit includes partners from local high schools and experts from Northern Light Acadia Hospital, NAMI, Partners for Peace, and Healthy Acadia.

To register and learn more, visit http://northernlighthealth.org/YMHS25. High schools will recognize the summit as an educational field trip.