By Shannon Loehrlein, LCSW – June 30, 2021 – The numbers are staggering. According to the CDC, 61% of adults in the United States endured an adverse childhood experience in their youth. Childhood trauma comes in a variety of forms. It can be caused by divorced or incarcerated parents, death of a parent or caretaker, […]
By Amber Russell, LCSW – June 22, 2021- The words empathy and sympathy are often grouped together or used interchangeably, but they mean two very different things. According to the dictionary, sympathy means: “Feelings of pity and sorrow for someone else’s misfortune.” Empathy, on the other hand, means: “The ability to understand another person’s feelings, experiences, […]
On June 18, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation presented $78,574 to Youth First, Inc. The grant provided HIPAA-compliant Zoom licenses and certification training in telehealth for Youth First’s mental health professionals. Youth First partners with 92 schools across 11 Indiana counties. Youth First Social Workers follow behavioral health best practices to proactively meet […]
By Aisha Givens, LCSW – June 16, 2021 – As parents, we often worry about our children. It’s part of the job. We worry when they are young and continue to worry as they grow into teenagers and adults. Being concerned about your child is a healthy and appropriate feeling. However, constant or excessive worrying […]
By Teresa Mercer, LCSW, LCAC – June 9, 2021 – Throughout the last year, the impact of a global pandemic has increased stress levels for people all over the world. Although pre-pandemic life had its fair share of stressors, Covid-19 introduced a new form of stress that many of us weren’t prepared to cope with. […]
By Grace Wilson, MSW – June 3, 2021 – In a world that is constantly on the go and filling our family’s schedules with various activities, it is important that we take time to slow down and spend quality one-on-one time with our children. If you have multiple children, take time to spend individual […]
By Haley Droste, LSW – May 26, 2021 – Today’s youth have never known a time that was not heavily focused on the digital world. Even before a global pandemic shifted work, school, and social events to online spaces, children today have been experiencing a childhood that is very different from that of their parents. […]
By Laura Keys, LCSW, and Heather Miller, LCSW – May 21 2021- More than half a million Americans have died of COVID-19 and, in Indiana, families are grieving the loss of nearly 15,000 loved ones. The pandemic will define a generation of children who lost a parent, grandparent or caregiver. A recent study estimates 43,000 […]
This year’s Passport to Adventure Auction will be a virtual event held on May 13, 2021, at 7:00 pm. Online bidding begins May 3. The program will be live streamed on our Facebook page and YouTube channel (Youth First Indiana). Click here for all of the info!
By Kacie Shipman, LSW – May 12, 2021 – Webster’s Dictionary defines the word communication as “the imparting or exchanging of information or news.” Communication goes much deeper than words alone. Every day we communicate through various means of technology including news and social media, through body language, and through our actions. Communication starts at […]