Weak to Strong (#weaktostrong)

About this campaign

Hello and thank you for checking out Weak to Strong!

My name is Tj Rowden and I'm a Clinical Mental Health Counselor serving youth and families in and around Syracuse, UT. This when I'm not working full-time in the residential teen treatment industry serving families from all parts of the nation. In such work, I've learned that strict "talk therapy" is only so helpful. But when youth have opportunities to get out of the office, into their bodies, and into lived experience more fully - help and healing efforts are enhanced tremendously. Furthermore, creative & collaborative intervention efforts via other providers & community partners invested in the success of today's teens can be incredibly effective. Sadly, such collaboration is largely missing or all-together absent from many communities. Not for lack of interest, but lack of careful& consistent coordination in such efforts.

Think about it, how often in your own experience have you found "actions speak louder than words," "go and do versus sit and stew," etc. to be more effective than just talking bout tough times? This is not to down-play the importance or power of healing conversations. Yet quite often when engaging youth in traditional community outpatient therapy efforts the trusty old "therapy hour" is marked by show-up, talk about "stuff," here's your homework, and see you next week - or some variation on that well-worn theme. This Booster is more about what Mick told Rocky so many years ago: "CATCH THE CHICKEN ROCK!!!"

It's about encouraging our youth to be up and doing as part of healing! Opportunities will range from (but are not limited to):
~ Equine Assisted Initiatives (i.e. joining with horses and skilled equine facilitators in awesome activities supporting youth in improving how they relate with others with greater confidence, skills, and success).
~ Adventure Trips (i.e. outdoor rec trips - hiking, skiing/snowboarding, rafting, camping, rock climbing, etc.)
~ Local Service Opportunities
~ Neurofeedback (i.e. a unique and creative way of improving brain function related to a number of challenges and/or to enhance peak performance mentally, emotionally, and even athletically).
~ Various local individual & team fitness opportunities from obstacle and mud runs to fun runs to cycling events and triathlons.
~ More!

ALL OF THE ABOVE IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF INTRODUCING YOUTH TO THEMSELVES AND POSSIBLE NEW INTERESTS, PASSIONS, OPPORTUNITIES, AND LIKE MINDED-PEEPS TO BUILD CONFIDENCE THROUGH COMPETENCE & HEALING THROUGH HELPING!

What's more, life and professional practice have taught me that such experiences shared with others (e.g. family and/or friends) are the most powerful and the most "sticky!" I firmly believe that individuals DO NOT change in a vacuum. Who they are and are becoming inescapably impacts and is impacted by others. My focus is to help encourage intentional impact with others. In this way youth and their families & friends share in efforts and experiences that affect each other - for good AND FOR! GOOD!

Finally, I've learned that most youth I meet with (and their parents for that matter) feel in some way inadequate, insecure, or uncertain about personal ability or worth - especially when considering engaging in something new that pushes comfort zones. Often some form of "not good enough" thinking has crept in around the edges of public portrayal of having it together, "doing fine," or even "life sucks, I dare you to prove me wrong." Even when considering opportunities like those noted above, self-doubt due to self-perceived weakness often discourages a first step, call, risk to try or change.

Weak to Strong is about meeting youth and their families right where they are without judgment - AND without fear of challenging such views of self, others, and life. At its core Weak to Strong affirms that from weakness we develop our greatest strengths. This through the help of others AND our Divine Other! Whatever one's spiritual orientation or walk in life, I unapologetically affirm that strength from weakness occurs when one is willing to look outside of self for help within oneself. For me, this is through Christ. For others, it may be different. I and those associated with Weak to Strong WILL NOT proselyte. We WILL support others getting clear for themselves where their source of strength from weakness is found!

Weakness to strength in and through efforts like those described here is what I envision for the youth and families in our local Utah community. This booster reflects a small way to begin chipping away at the financial means necessary to further and ultimately fulfill this vision! Please don't hesitate to contact me with any further questions, needs, proposed collaboration, and/or other awesome ideas for helping our local terrific teens!

Let's Join Up in efforts to SEE - FIGHT - SAVE!

Trampas (Tj) Rowden, PhD, CMHC