(Photo courtesy of Teen Lifeline Hotline)

Phoenix nonprofit Teen Life Hotline trains teenagers to help peers deal with stress and anxiety.

With the return of school this fall, the stress level for kids escalates.

The pressures of classwork, homework, a part time job, and the new and ever-evolving dynamics of peer groups can all create a lot of tension and anxiety. September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and one Phoenix-based nonprofit trains teenagers to help their peers. Teen Lifeline has been around since 1986, taking calls from teens who need help.

Anna, a 17-year-old  who’s been volunteering there for about a year and a half, explained more about the group. Anna is not her real name, but the one she uses on the hotline. Nikki Kontz, the Teen Lifeline’s clinical director described what exactly the service is about.