Teen Dating Violence Prevention Month

February is the month in which many of us think of hearts and roses, candle lit dinners, and Valentines. It is the month of love. It is now also Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. One in three will experience some form of abuse before leaving the teenage years. Name calling, pushing, isolation from friends and family, hitting, devaluing, forced pregnancy are just a few of the many tactics a dating partner may use to control his/her partner. It begins with a belief that the abusive boyfriend (less commonly, girlfriend) has an entitlement that, if written on paper, looks like: I am in charge of our relationship. If you love me, you will do what I want. I have a right to control your behavior. I take priority over your family,…
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Frozen

Frozen. While many of us may wish the ground were frozen and the snow would fly in January, the season can stand as a powerful and frightening metaphor for our hearts and minds at times. I remember working in a school for emotionally and behaviorally disturbed students, a school that embraced children from kindergarten to seniors in high school. It was a unique school. One para aptly stated that “the halls were filled with sadness.” Although there was laughter in the school at times, and a great deal of care coming from the staff, the emotional range of the students appeared limited. Frozen. A student was often either happy, angry, or numb. The rainbow of emotions like sadness, hurt, joy, embarrassment, shame, delight, and all the complex emotions humans have…
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