Today I am honored to feature Will Clark. He is tirelessly devoted to serving the youth in our community both in his daily role at the Department of Juvenile Justice and also through his non-profit, Mu Sigma Nu. At the DJJ, Will chairs a team of professionals to place children who have been adjudicated of juvenile offenses in appropriate programs. He invited me to observe this process last fall and I was able to see him in action. Many of the children had little or no support network and it was quite sad, however Will's compassion and the encouragement he gave each child was refreshing. His non profit, Mu Sigma Nu provides mentoring and advocacy services to at-risk male youth ages 13 to 19 in need of academic, pro-social and therapeutic support. Despite the sometimes emotionally draining work, Will exudes an energy and calling to serve others that would inspire anyone. I know you will enjoy this feature.

The story of Ethan Couch is a sensational one. Could a child really be so unaware of the consequences of his decisions because his parents gave him everything he wanted, never told him “no,” or set any boundaries for him? The judge in his case certainly thought so, and his defense of “affluenza,” has been the subject of much debate, discussion, and media attention.

Happy Friday! Today, I would like you to meet Elana Clautice. She is an Associate Professional Counselor who works with youth and teens. From the moment I met Elana, I knew she was made to do this work.  She has a great sense of empathy and compassion for kids that are struggling, or going through a life transition. In addition, she is skilled in working with kids experiencing grief and explains that each person grieves differently and deserves to explore their emotions in a judgment-free zone.  Motivated to provide support to kids that she lacked growing up, Elana is able to connect with her clients in a real way. I am also inspired by her view on therapy and breaking down any negative feelings people might have about the therapeutic process. Read more about Elana, and be sure to check out the section on her profound but simple advice for parents!

New Year's Resolutions for Your Family
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We are only a few weeks into the new year, so it's not too late to get those last minute resolutions and habits mapped out.  Better late than never, right? The American Academy of Pediatrics recently published recommendations for "healthy new year's resolutions" for children of all ages. ​​

Cyberbullying continues to be a hot button topic for parents of youth and teens. The parents that I work with frequently request suggestions in dealing with this prevalent issue.  While there is no universal solution, research and my experience shows that the best ideas are the simple ones, like sitting down to eat dinner as a family a few times a week.​ ​