How to Make the Most out of Summer 2020: Teen Edition
For over 15 years of my life, I spent my time counting down the days until I could grab my duffel bag and hop on the bus to sleepaway camp. During the school year, I used to dream about those warm summer nights spent staying up late into the night with my friends.
Reflecting back on those summers at camp, although I didn’t fully realize it at the time, those experiences were formative in my personal growth. Camp taught me how to form healthy relationships and understand true friendship. I learned valuable life lessons that built confidence and resilience, as well as leadership skills that shaped the person I am today.
As a result of school and extracurriculars coming to an abrupt halt due to COVID-19, kids and teens have experienced a serious lack of socialization and isolation. Especially for our youth, being stuck inside has wreaked havoc on their mental and emotional health.
With the majority of camps being canceled due to the pandemic, a summer without a camp-like experience seemed unimaginable to me. Combining years of camp experience with clinical training, we’ve created a summer program for teens and tweens to fill that much-needed void.
Introducing Camp Therapyology: Developed by a team of mental health professionals to bring a “camp-like” experience (at a social distance, of course) to allow for teens to have a safe, judgment-free zone to express themselves and connect on a deeper level with their peers.
For four weeks – a total of eight sessions – teens and tweens will be able to feel like campers again. From relay races to making friendship bracelets and tie-dye to having discussions on stress management, tolerance and inclusivity, body image and self-worth, and of course the immense pressures of social media… the list goes on!
These past few months taught us an imperative lesson: our youth need social interaction. They need fresh air. They need physical activity. They need a safe space to talk about what’s going on in the world today. And we all can agree on this one: they definitely need to get off their phones!
Just as Robert Glazer, a columnist for mission.org, wrote in his article, “5 Lessons Summer Camp Teaches Future Entrepreneurs,” we believe that camp teaches kids and teens how to get out of their comfort zone, build leadership skills, and exercise personal and family values without adult figures hovering nearby.
Our goal is to provide this space for teens to reconnect with what’s really important, while still giving them opportunities to form unforgettable bonds with peers — and maybe learn a little something about themselves, too.
Camp Therapyology is here to keep the camp vibes going; all they need to do is show up!
For details and registration for Camp Therapyology, click here.
