Connecting with Life Today and Every Day

The popular Latin slogan, Carpe Diem, or “seize the day,” and the equally popular “make the most of every day” are often voiced, but seldom carried out. However, for a boy or young man at CBR YouthConnect, it is vital that today and every day be important and meaningful. Today and every day means that no matter what his ethnic origin, hair color, height, weight, hairstyle or walk, each CBR YouthConnect youth is given an abundance of care and support. “Today and every day” becomes an abiding message that each youth can carry with him throughout his life’s journey.

Such is the case with Josie, who arrived at CBR after unsuccessful placements at various group homes and residential treatment facilities. Jose grew up in a low-income urban neighborhood with a single-parent mother, and several siblings. The only other significant adult in his life was his mother’s boyfriend who physically and emotionally abused Josie from age 5 until he was placed in out-of-home care at age 13. Josie attended public school for a while, but was repeatedly involved in acting-out behavior, including frequent altercations.

At CBR YouthConnect, Josie distanced himself from the other youth and staff and tried to “just fit in.” However, the more attention, support, and care Josie received, the more his acting out behavior increased. We soon discovered that Josie was scared to get close to anyone. He had always felt safer being left alone in the shadows. Despite early resistance, Josie began to respond to the programs and services offered at CBR YouthConnect. He began to view himself as a more significant person with some true potential as an artist. As Josie’s time to leave CBR YouthConnect and return home approached, he talked about his life journey to that point—from being in the shadows to becoming more secure and confident in his role as a contributing member of society.

“I know what has come before and what I have gone through,” Josie explained. “I tried to cope by becoming invisible and distancing myself from others. When the pressures became too great, I would act out to be noticed. It has taken some time, therapy, and working in the programs and services at CBRYC, but I now feel whole. I don’t think I need to shrink or become invisible anymore. I know that I am and can be an important person. I want to be the right person for me. I want that today and every day.”

As with Josie, CBR YouthConnect’s commitment to helping youth and their families make the connections that inspire change continues to happen today and every day.

This entry was posted on 13. August 2008 at 17:30 and is filed under Youth, Treatment, Clinical, Parents. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.