You may have noticed Kenny Nguyen gets Family Service a ton of tags on Instagram by our community partners. He describes himself as dynamic, unorthodox, and passionate, all of which comes through in every picture and every interaction he has on the job. As a Youth Development Specialist, he is always in the community, engaging …
Welcome to the time of the year when all your favorite shows dropped at the same time and you feel the need to watch them all at once. This is definitely the case for me! As often happens, my personal life collides with my professional life and I get to thinking about mental health while …
Continue reading “‘Dear White People’: The PTSD story you haven’t heard”
Liam Hudson is one of the brightest personalities at Family Service. He’s always ready to take a celebration to the next level, as you can see he did for World Turtle Day and National Grilled Cheese Day. His extra special personality makes him a compassionate, caring and effective Youth Development Specialist. Liam worked with adults struggling with addiction …
Humans are social beings and generally do best when we are connected and in supportive relationships with the people who are important to us. Many of us have ongoing and ever-evolving relationships with our families, friends and coworkers, but may not always be aware of how the views about ourselves are reflected in how we …
Continue reading “Compliments and jealousy: Unusual relationship advice”
Lauren does almost all of the things a youth development specialist could do with youth through Family Service. She’s interning to help with Positive Action and Teen Outreach Program® groups, and offering community counseling with middle school students too. Plus she’s spending some of her time providing outpatient counseling, as she works towards a master’s …
As school ends and summer begins, many children and young adults are starting a new season of sports. Though some may play sports year-round, for many, summer is a time of exposure to different sports. This is a time for them to determine what works for them, related to both teamwork and athleticism. If you …
Jane Harris always has a smile on her face, I swear. But, that makes a lot of sense considering she’s a case manager in our Guardianship Program. As a case manager, Jane primarily works with adults who have intellectual disabilities and have been declared incapacitated by the court system. She makes sure that each person’s health …
Rae Barker, who shared her personal story of substance use and addiction at this week’s Shared Space (pictured above), said she started drinking at 12 years old to ease her anxiety. The 23-year-old, who has been in recovery for two years, eloquently spoke to the audience of 70 gathered for the community conversation. She talked about her early …
Continue reading “What you need to know: Teens and substance use”
Maintaining self-control and making personal decisions are important to all persons. Being able to decide where to live, who to live with, daily activities, choosing a doctor, money management, religious preferences, and whether to be buried or cremated are basic human desires and rights. Everyone wants to be able to make their own life choices. …
Continue reading “Guardianship brings dignity and respect to life decisions”
According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, one in five of adolescents (20 percent) have a diagnosable mental health disorder with problems starting as early as 14 years old. If left untreated, teens can face isolation and discrimination. Undiagnosed and untreated trauma and mental health issues may lead to increased emotional and behavioral …
Continue reading “Learning life skills empowers teens to address mental health”
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