Honoring Juneteenth: Celebrating Freedom, Resilience, and Equality
Honoring Juneteenth: Celebrating Freedom, Resilience, and Equality Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, holds profound historical significance as a celebration of freedom and equality. On June 19, 1865, enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, were finally informed of their emancipation, marking the end of slavery in the United States. In this blog […]
Mental Health Awareness in Action
Mental Health Awareness in Action Mental health awareness and education are paramount to our daily work. Throughout the pandemic, two things kept rising to the top (1) mindfulness and (2) people want to learn more about mental health. This article includes some of the mindfulness techniques that we use with our clients, in our programs, […]
Coping with Going Back to School
Coping with Going Back to School The events leading up to the back to school season can trigger a prior adverse childhood experience. Behavioral or mental health challenges are not a “phase” or “stage” to be outgrown; for many children and teens they are very real. Trauma Experts say that these events are not singular instances […]
9 Ways to Build Resiliency this Summer
9 Ways to Build Resiliency this Summer Summer is in full swing and many children, teens, and families enjoy leaving the structure of the school year behind them and leaping right into the fun and carefree days of Summer. For some, the change presents a challenge. Structure Feels Safe The wide-open space of Summer can […]
Mental Health Champion – Gene Lyons
Mental Health Champion – Gene Lyons “Sometimes one person can make all the difference in the life of another. One man more than any other made such a difference to me, both personally and professionally, and he positively affected the course of my life in too many ways to enumerate. That man was Eugene Michael […]
Cutting to the Core
Cutting to the Core Nonsuicidal Self-Injury or self-harm, shows up in the form of intentional self-mutilation, often cutting. According to research compiled by The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine the numbers are staggering, 15% of adolescents in the US are afflicted, and the number increases from 17% to 35% to college-aged students. […]
WYS Celebrates 45 Years
Making an Impact in the Community for 45 Years In 2017, Western Youth Services (WYS) celebrates our 45th year of service in the Orange County, CA community. We are overjoyed about this significant milestone. Not only have we survived through ups and downs both in the world and within our organization, but we have thrived. […]
Thanks Dee Hase
Congratulations and Thanks Dee Hase What can be said about an employee who has faithfully dedicated 35 years to serving one organization? Thank YOU so very much! Over the years Western Youth Services (WYS) has been Dee’s home away from home…she sees us (and we see her) as family. She is extremely conscientious, has a […]
ACEs – From Adversity to Resiliency
ACEs – From Adversity to Resiliency Recently, we attended a local Rotary Club event and shared a bit of what we do at Western Youth Services (WYS). A man approached our booth and told us that his children were WYS clients 15 years ago. He said his entire life has been turned around as a […]
The Trauma of Bullying
The Trauma of Bullying Western Youth Services (WYS) has worked with children and families in Orange County, California since 1972. Through the years we have witnessed the many faces of bullying and the effects of the trauma that it causes in a child’s life. Although October is National Bullying Prevention Month, we support the prevention […]