When you hear the term isolation, chances are you think about it in a negative sense. Isolation is a state of being alone or apart from others. Now, why is this a bad thing? Well, being isolated for a given time can lead to negative consequences in multiple categories of a person’s life.  Social Effects […]

Hello! My name is Julie Karam and I am a high school junior from Medfield, Massachusetts. I was fortunate enough to be one of the Fall YES interns with avid support from Katrina Bitar and Sarah Mabardy. My internship project focused on menstrual health and making period kits that were sent to a homeless shelter

Dreams are overrated. I understand that sounds a bit bleak, especially with this new year and our collective societal obsessions with goals and new beginnings. But recently I have learned I am not a dreamer. Plain and simple. When I tell this to people, they seem a bit confused and then there is a following

When I think about being rooted in people, the first thing that comes to mind is how our love for God most tangibly shows up.  Loving God means loving each other, and that means that my faith and who I am as a human being, a child of God, is rooted in people.    Our

Having purpose is one of the things that makes an uncertain life peaceful and consistent.  It not only gets you up and out of bed, but it gives you the direction to go in.     Knowing why you are alive and living naturally brings in light when it’s dark.   Not having purpose can feel dark

What are the 3 basic things that roots do in the life of a tree? Anchor us  Nourish us  Connect us to each other.   Forests have a more complicated ecosystem than we realize Roots are the point of contact, almost a nervous system for a forest   To grow and evolve, we need roots that

To start with where we are going –  to the Cross where we are healed, forgiven, and reconciled to God and others. To heal what is broken, so that we are one as we journey to the Cross, which leads to the empty tomb.   To look in the eyes of friends and strangers and be

For most of my life I have been fascinated with language. In college I am currently an English Education major with a Writing minor. I’ve spent dedicated time studying linguistics and reading books about the role of language in different relationships, cultures, and contexts. Yet for years I have been unable to find words I

Warning: If certain mental health topics like su!c!de, $elf-h@rm, or e@ting disorders trigger you, please be aware that this post mentions them. There is no pressure to read this, and your health and well-being come first. Please take care of yourself and your needs.   These stories are all true, but I will use different

The entire mental health community of professionals and advocates will say that the top priority when providing aid to someone in crisis is to reassure them and provide hope. No matter what type of professional assistance or service that they might need, the basis of this kind of service is always comforting, strengthening, and bearing