Through intensive and personal work with our local teenagers, I've discovered the startling fact that our teens are really struggling and do not feel like they have the support they need. They are crumbling under the pressure to succeed in school and in life. Our Napa community tragically lost two teenagers to suicide in 2016, motivating my colleagues and me to dive deeper into the mental and emotional health of our teens through our grassroots group, Village: Napa. We discovered that many of them have considered suicide, a harrowing fact that led me to formalize my work with teens by founding a nonprofit called Teens Connect.
Teens Connect is meeting teens where they are, to offer support, a platform for them to be heard in our community, and engagement in meaningful, interpersonal work. We collaborate with Mentis, the Napa Valley Unified School District, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Napa Valley, Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership, Ekam Yoga and Wellness, the Napa Police Department Youth Services Bureau and other organizations, to empower teens through programs centered around art and wellness, professional therapy, peer support and volunteer projects. 
When my boys were little, we were part of a parent-participation, cooperative preschool, Napa Valley Nursery School. Their motto, "Together We're Better" perfectly summed up the holistic approach to learning which they explain as "teacher, parents, and children work, play, learn and grow together as family and as a supportive community for each other". I learned so much about my children and myself, most importantly how to guide my boys safely through the rambunctious toddler years, while embracing their individuality and teaching them how to interact with others. It was this collaborative approach that set the stage for my parenting, and has greatly influenced how I engage with my now teenage boys and their peers.
Read the complete article published in the Napa Marketplace here: Teen Connect New Nonprofit Dedicated to Teen Wellness
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