Our Youth Today & A Local Therapist's Personal Story

I’m a local psychotherapist who has written a handful of articles for the Patch on topics such as anxiety, living with chronic illness and parenting. Today I’m going to focus on our children – yours, mine and everyone’s – but I also need get a little personal about me.

Being raised in the 60’s I find myself overwhelmingly fortunate. Family values of high moral standards and respecting others were the norm. While my parents didn’t always attend church themselves, it was very important that my siblings and I did. I recall walking to church with my brother and sister every Sunday from a very young age until at least the 8th grade. I would sit through the sermon, fidget and half pay attention. I easily recall sitting in the pews thinking I’d much rather be home running around in my yard than listening to someone teach me about how to be respectful, kind, the importance of helping others, being truthful, the importance of saying my prayers and asking for forgiveness when I’ve done something wrong.

My parents never pushed religion but it was nudged. In hindsight, I think pushing may have led to some rebellion. My parents were amazing parents and of course they knew what they were doing which was giving me guidance. As a parent myself I see how they have instilled in me the importance of a good foundation and I have passed that on to my children who are now reaping those benefits.

The positive experiences during my youth helped create the person I am today. I’m strong in my faith and do my best to follow the teachings of the Bible. My career is all about helping others strive for their best and learn to overcome challenges they are faced with. With my clients I don’t push religion as it was never pushed on me. In fact, most I work with don’t know my faith but if asked I will share.

I see many youth who are struggling with life and making poor choices. I see a need for stronger family values, good foundations, more guidance and positive role modeling which many of our youth are missing. Our youth not only need to know them but be committed to them. They need good moral reasoning, such as, when they see a wrong, like someone being bullied, do they tell on the bully or are they quiet to remain loyal to the bully? For me, a lot of those good values and moral reasoning’s were gained through my religious guidance as a child and having parents who were good role models.

I have come to know a local Christian camp where I see the values that I grew up with being shared and taught to our youth throughout our area. I’ve learned of the hundreds of youth that pass through their camp located in the San Gabriel mountains up Highway 2. I have personally travelled to this camp and have seen first hand their great facilities: an amazing huge pool, dining area, zip line, amphitheater, archery area, chapel and so much more. I’ve also learned of the programs they share with youth of a foundation of good morals and values being taught through the Christian faith. It makes me feel so good inside that many of our youth are passing through their doors.

I have just learned that this camp, Angeles Crest Christian Camp, is having a fundraising event. I’m very careful who I donate to and in the past have only given financial donations to JDRF because one of my sons has type 1 diabetes which there is no cure. BUT… beginning last year, I am now proud to be a financial donor of Angeles Crest Christian Camp.

My hopes are that some of you reading this will see the value of how a good foundation impacts our children. I find this camp is providing so much of what is needed and they’ve been doing this since 1948! Through their programs they are positively impacting so many of our youth. They also are impacting adults through men’s retreats, mother/daughter weekends, as well as, father/son weekends. It’s amazing all they do!

On Wednesday, May 11, 2016 they are holding their “BIG GIVE” 24 hr. online fundraising event. I hope each of you reading this will consider making a donation. No matter how small you give, it will help provide much needed services for our youth. Please visit their webpage at www.angelescrest.com to learn about all their programs. When on their website just click the BIG GIVE information to make a donation. You can donate at any time but the main donation day will be on May 11. Their goal is to reach $30,000.00! To help impact our youth, I will definitely be donating during this 24-hour event . . . I hope you will too!

Liz Birch is a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist who provides services in her office in Orange County, CA. Her areas of expertise are in communications, relationships, marriage strengthening, stress reduction, depression, trauma, anxiety, anger, personal growth, and ptsd (civilian and military).

*Angeles Crest Christian Camp did not solicit me to promote their fundraiser. I am promoting their organization because of the benefits I personally feel they provide our youth. *image courtesy of chrisroll at freedigitalimage.net