Over the course of these  17 years ,  I have learned  the value of working  alongside  an agency  that genuinely cares for   the  families  it serves .   My work   at  YouthZone  has taught me so much about being a parent,  a leader,  and  a therapist ;  most of al l , however,  it has taught me to  balanc e   my  fear s   with  courage.    That's why this  February ,  I will  take the next necessary step  to  grow  my  private practice  from part  to full time .  Nothing will ever take away from my time here.  I'll never forget   803 .  

Starting as a case manager I learned that s ometimes it was as simple as a public service project ,  like having kids  express themselves through art  to watch them  bloom.  T hen  as a counselor ,  and supervisor ,  it would be the longest journey you could walk with someone .   Guiding clients  through detox  or depression , tough days of counseling, the ups and  downs of  their  relapse ;  leaving  you drained.  T hen  unexpectedly their  life would open  up ,  because of the  courage  we helped   cultivate .    

Those of us that have worked  alongside  each other have had a front row seat to families suffering and   even our own  at times .  What I know for sure is that shame dies where stories are told in safe places.  Together ,  we earned the right to care for each other and fami lies by being present  for   unspeakable  pain .  We'd  meet   it  right  where it was . W ith care  over   criticism.   Some of this pain was  generational  trauma, addiction, abuse and suicide ,  but  as we made space  to sit  with their  pain, stare it in the face,  we   watch ed  a young person  transform into  the ir  best version   and even gr ew  ourselves.   There are no   words to express the gift it  has been  t o sit with all of you  during  these moments .  

If you know me well you know that one of my favorite quotes is  "The Man in the Arena" by Theodore Roosevelt.   It is not the critic who counts; not the man who  points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. "  

I will  always be a part of the  YouthZone  family in some capacity.   If  you  are  connected to this family, know  that   you are  giving  yourself  to   a worthy cause.   T o all   staff who m  I   celebrated so many  birthdays, funerals, illness , babies being born and children leaving our nests,   and  countless  life transitions with...either as your  co-worker  or supervisor it has been the greatest honor to be in the arena with yo u. C aring, fighting and standing up for those that need ed   our support  t o know they matter.  Never  forget  your gif t, because  you may  be  the  one  person  in  someone' s life capable of  hearing their pain.    

If that 's  not living a purposeful life, I don't know what is.     

So grateful - Kerri