I've been fortunate in my life to have benefited from some excellent counseling. Not just the kind where a counselor sits and listens and jots notes on a notepad, expecting the mere act of vomiting forth all your pain to somehow alleviate your mental and emotional anguish. No, my life changed by some grace-based, in-your-face counseling. The kind where you're called on the carpet for your dysfunction and have to look it square in the eye, perhaps for the first time in your life.
But when my son was full of anxiety and seeking all the wrong answers to overwhelming questions, our stab at counseling came up empty. Sometimes traditional therapy and counseling can't make a dent in a problem. For me, I felt a gentle internal nudge to seek something for him in nature and with animals. So, on the heels of our failed counseling attempts, I discovered Ben's Ranch, a non-profit organization in the Indianapolis area that recognizes the powerful elixir available to young people when they connect with nature and animals by working on a farm or ranch. Time with animals is healing. Hard work on a farm is enriching and character-building. My son's internship with Ben's Ranch bore out tangible improvements.
He wasn't riding the horses or even brushing them down, but his work clearing their stalls and replenishing water and hay nurtured a new self-confidence. A sense of accomplishment. He recognized visible results from his efforts. It was hard, outdoor work and required the discipline of heading to the ranch for two hours every weekday morning to muck out the stalls.
Our benefits surpassed individual maturity. Our son was 16 and still learning to drive, so I had to accompany him. I relished those morning commutes because, while he was driving, he was a captive audience. We had many in-depth conversations we might not have snatched were it not for those morning trips to a ranch in a town twenty minutes away. Because of the distance, it seemed a waste of time and gas for me to return home, so instead I brought along my lap-top and began working on a collection of poems about the experience of parenting a struggling teen. When your teen is in a rough patch, the road is bumpy for you, too.
Ben's Ranch is a relatively new non-profit organization. They have a fundraiser coming up and I wanted to highlight many of the ways you and I can partner with them to bring these healing opportunities to anguished teens. Here is the information on their flyer:
You don't have to commit to the whole afternoon or dinner. You might wish to simply purchase tickets to the 4 p.m. panel discussion on "Teen Mental Health and Our Schools." Panel participants are highlighted on the above linked events page. Even if you can't attend the Barn Bash, consider making a donation or check out the items up for bid in their silent auction. The silent auction is available for on-line bidders, as well, at this link. The bidding opens 4/24/23 and closes at 5:30 p.m. on 4/30/23. You don't have to attend or live in Indianapolis in order to bid, as they will ship items to winners outside the area. My book is the only Buy-it-Now item available. Why not support this helpful organization?
No comments:
Post a Comment