One of the biggest challenges facing Aboriginal populations increasingly is being called "intergenerational trauma." Restoring the cultural heritage is a central theme in the book, "Reclaiming Youth at Risk." That work describes the Circle of Courage model for positive development which blends Native child and youth care philosophy with research…

Millions of the world's children are exposed to traumatic events and relationships every day. Whatever the cause, this overwhelming stress produces a host of unsettling symptoms and reactions. The author highlights six practical principles that undergird healing interventions.

The Holyoake DRUMBEAT (Discovering Relationships Using Music--Beliefs, Emotions, Attitudes, & Thoughts) program was first developed in 2003 as a means of engaging Australian Aboriginal youth who were resistant to talk-based therapeutic approaches. Aboriginal Australians, like indigenous peoples in many other countries, are over-represented in a…

In this article, the authors recount their visit to Chiang Mai, a city in northern Thailand, in late January and focus on their search for resolution in cultural dissonance. So much about Thailand was different to them. Although they tend to relish differences, they still find some differences quite challenging. Thai culture is firmly anchored in…

As Natives have assumed increasing authority and responsibility for tribal and federally funded and administered schools, a more balanced and enlightened view is emerging. Notable among these events is the recognition of the critical need to shift emphasis to the untapped heritage of more recently recognized and acknowledged Native American…

Children who have been born into poverty or into at-risk circumstances are often considered "disposable" and not a societal priority. These youngsters have few advocates and limited successful options in life. In the city of Maracaibo, Venezuela, there is a large population of Amerindians who are called Guajiros. These indigenous people have…

For most, being served in a restaurant, treated nicely at a job interview, smiled at in the street, or being able to work is nothing out of the ordinary. Sadly, it is not the case for many. Especially for those who are poor. Especially for those who have little education. Especially for those who are Roma (or in other words Gypsy) living in…

In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association will release its newest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th Edition (DSM-5). This tome has evolved over the decades, originally including just 112 diagnoses across 128 pages. The upcoming edition is expected to eclipse the 943 pages, and 350+ disorders of the current DSM-IV-TR, offering a variety of…

"Caring communities" is a great sounding line, but what does it really mean? There are many ways that communities which present themselves as caring make life easier or worse for those who live there. For centuries in Germany, there have been religious groups who claim to care for each member. By definition, this is circumscribed caring as it…

Most discussions of youth behavior focus on the small group engaged in high-risk activities, ignoring the majority of youth who are developing in prosocial ways. This article provides a rationale for reversing this self-fulfilling prophecy which creates the impression that problem behavior is the norm. It describes the Youth Risk Behavior Survey…

The authors' commitment to experiential education is rooted in their own training as teachers in Denmark. Throughout college, they engaged in experiential and constructivist learning, placing primary responsibility for learning on the learners. After their graduation, they used the same practices in their work with troubled and troubling youth in…

Educators and practitioners carry heavy obligations of responsibility for identifying knowledge and skills needed to assist those seeking to chart Response Ability Pathways toward reclaiming children, young people, and families who face some of society's greatest challenges. Teachers, social workers, and youth workers require dedicated education…

Bullying has received international attention since the pioneering research over thirty years ago by Scandinavian psychologist Dan Olweus (1978). While prevention programs have proliferated, this article charts new ground by applying Life Space Crisis Intervention (LSCI) to bullying in an example involving young girls. The author describes how…

People are confronting the most pressing challenge facing every family, school, and community--raising respectful children in a toxic world. In simpler societies, raising children was a shared task of the whole community, as adults and youth worked in harmony and mutual respect. Today, humans are the only species in creation living out of balance.…

As caring adults in the lives of youth, many people are privileged to witness young people discover an aspect of themselves that gives them joy and energy, and propels them toward exploration and expression. When this aspect of their lives--their "spark"--is connected to people and places that encourage it, people also witness something amazing.…