Stronger Than You Think Youth Villages

As a child, Elliot never quite felt “right” and struggled knowing he could not be the daughter his parents wanted. Elliot was experiencing gender dysphoria but without a name for it or a supportive environment, he was trapped. His sense of hopelessness was compounded by an abusive household and childhood trauma. At times, he could not see himself making it out alive. In high school, Elliot entered the foster care system and found Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Through CBT, Elliot was able to deconstruct his past and find the right pieces to build himself back up. Learn more about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Youth Villages’ Clinical Services Program Manager Dr. Lindsay Pate and how it may help you find compassion amid destruction on this episode of Stronger Than You Think.  
 
 
Links from the show 
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 988-273-8255 
Learn more about all the programs at Youth Villages here. 
Join the force for families. 101 locations across 23 states (including D.C.) Check out open positions near you. 
 
Full show description  
www.youthvillages.org/podcast   
   
Social Media   
Instagram - @youthvillages   
Facebook - @youthvillages   
Twitter - @youthvillages  
YouTube - youtube.com/user/youthvillages   
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/school/youth-villages  
  
   
Listen to this episode on  
Apple  
Spotify   
Google Play  
Amazon Music   
YouTube  
  
  
Privacy Policy    
All rights reserved. “Youth Villages” is a registered service mark owned by Youth Villages®, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 58-1716970). Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.   
Youth Villages® is an equal opportunity employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.   
www.youthvillages.org/privacy-statement/  

Jaquelyn was motivated to embark on the difficult journey from Guatemala to the United States by the promise of opportunity. By the time she and her 5-year-old nephew arrived to the U.S., she’d experienced so much trauma; she literally had no fear left in her body. Through foster care and a revolving door of new environments, Jaquelyn remained grounded in her determination to go to college. To Rosa Duvall, a clinical manager for strategic partnerships with LifeSet, Jaquelyn is a shining example of the self-efficacy Youth Villages hopes to elicit in foster youth. All people have the ability to form goals and dreams, and Jaquelyn's story is one example of how they can propel a person forward, unrelenting in achieving them. 
 
 
Links from the show 
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 800-273-8255 
Learn more about all the programs at Youth Villages here. 
Join the force for families. 101 locations across 23 states (including D.C.) Check out open positions near you. 
 
Full show description  
www.youthvillages.org/podcast   
   
Social Media   
Instagram - @youthvillages   
Facebook - @youthvillages   
Twitter - @youthvillages  
YouTube - youtube.com/user/youthvillages   
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/school/youth-villages  
  
   
Listen to this episode on  
Apple  
Spotify   
Google Play  
Amazon Music   
YouTube  
  
  
Privacy Policy    
All rights reserved. “Youth Villages” is a registered service mark owned by Youth Villages®, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 58-1716970). Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.   
Youth Villages® is an equal opportunity employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.   
www.youthvillages.org/privacy-statement/   
 
 

Twins Jordan and Devan escaped generational poverty and found themselves on the road toward embodying their ideal selves. Being educated, healthy and financially stable once was only a fantasy, but with the help of Youth Villages and strong support systems, Jordan and Devan have found themselves living their wildest dreams. Poverty, anxiety and depression can make it impossible to help yourself, but there will always be someone equipped to help you. As Youth Villages mental health professional Becky Smith explains, doing better is a skill, not a will -- and sometimes, we just need to be taught.  
Since the interview–Both Jordan and Devan now work for Youth Villages. Jordan, a Mentor Liaison, helps with recruiting, training, and managing volunteers who mentor the youth participating in Youth Villages’ services.  Devan, a Clinical Applications Specialist, provides IT support and training for the digital tools used by the clinical team.  Jordan and Devan also participate in public speaking events representing Youth Villages and advocating for child welfare programs. 
Links from the show 
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 800-273-8255 
Learn more about all the programs at Youth Villages here. 
Join the force for families. 101 locations across 23 states (including D.C.) Check out open positions near you. 
 
 
Full show description  
www.youthvillages.org/podcast   
   
Social Media   
Instagram - @youthvillages   
Facebook - @youthvillages   
Twitter - @youthvillages  
YouTube - youtube.com/user/youthvillages   
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/school/youth-villages  
  
   
Listen to this episode on  
Apple  
Spotify   
Google Play  
Amazon Music   
YouTube  
  
  
Privacy Policy    
All rights reserved. “Youth Villages” is a registered service mark owned by Youth Villages®, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 58-1716970). Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.   
Youth Villages® is an equal opportunity employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.   
www.youthvillages.org/privacy-statement/   
 

When Ajah was experiencing childhood sexual abuse, she reached out to the adults in her life for help and was met with only indifference and betrayal. Ajah felt powerless until a slogan at school, “You are what you make,” redefined her life's trajectory. The idea she could build a better life for herself was invigorating and made more tangible when her LifeSet specialist exposed her to new places and experiences. Youth Villages Managing Director of Clinical Services Dr. Rebekah Lemmons discusses how our environments shape our outcomes. Dr. Lemmons believes we influence our environment by choosing what kind of media we consume. Learn how Ajah set herself on the path to a better life by becoming an ‘information shopaholic.’  
 
Since the interview – Ajah graduated from Wake Technical Community College in North Carolina with a bachelor's degree in Accounting and Finance. She is currently working in the billing department at Walmart, but is currently seeking a career in the tech industry. 
 
Links from the show 
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 800-273-8255 
Learn more about all the programs at Youth Villages here. 
Join the force for families. 101 locations across 23 states (including D.C.) Check out open positions near you. 
 
 
Full show description  
www.youthvillages.org/podcast   
   
Social Media   
Instagram - @youthvillages   
Facebook - @youthvillages   
Twitter - @youthvillages  
YouTube - youtube.com/user/youthvillages   
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/school/youth-villages  
  
   
Listen to this episode on  
Apple  
Spotify   
Google Play  
Amazon Music   
YouTube  
  
  
Privacy Policy    
All rights reserved. “Youth Villages” is a registered service mark owned by Youth Villages®, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 58-1716970). Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.   
Youth Villages® is an equal opportunity employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.   
www.youthvillages.org/privacy-statement/   
 

When Jake found himself in a residential facility as a teenager, he was constantly told by staff he would never amount to anything. Jake was aware the statistics on foster youth who age out of the system are grim and was determined to break out of the cycle of institutionalization. Driven by a strong desire to help others in his situation, Jake took matters into his own hands and proved his naysayers wrong. Youth Villages Licensed Program Expert John Milner explains how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps young people like Jake avoid “acting out the label” by offering an alternative way of thinking.  
 
Links from the show 
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 800-273-8255 
Learn more about all the programs at Youth Villages here. 
Join the force for families. 101 locations across 23 states (including D.C.) Check out open positions near you. 
 
Full show description  
www.youthvillages.org/podcast   
   
Social Media   
Instagram - @youthvillages   
Facebook - @youthvillages   
Twitter - @youthvillages  
YouTube - youtube.com/user/youthvillages   
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/school/youth-villages  
   
Listen to this episode on  
Apple  
Spotify   
Google Play  
Amazon Music   
YouTube  
  
  
Privacy Policy    
All rights reserved. “Youth Villages” is a registered service mark owned by Youth Villages®, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 58-1716970). Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.   
Youth Villages® is an equal opportunity employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.   
www.youthvillages.org/privacy-statement/   
 
 

Jennifer’s brother Michael was her biggest advocate growing up. Upon entering the foster care system as small children, Michael aggressively defended his sister. But without the tools to manage his emotional reactions, Michael ended up attracting harm to himself. As a late teen, Jennifer was connected to Youth Villages and their program, Life Set. Using their resources and undergoing therapy, she is now able to advocate for foster youth enduring experiences like her own. Learn how it’s possible to break generational curses by managing trauma effectively and advocating fiercely on this episode of Stronger Than You Think 
 
Links from the show 
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 800-273-8255  Learn more about all the programs at Youth Villages here.  Join the force for families. 101 locations across 23 states (including D.C.) Check out open positions near you.   
Full show description  
www.youthvillages.org/podcast       
Social Media   
Instagram - @youthvillages    Facebook - @youthvillages    Twitter - @youthvillages   YouTube - youtube.com/user/youthvillages    LinkedIn – linkedin.com/school/youth-villages        
Listen to this episode on  
Apple   Spotify    Google Play   Amazon Music    YouTube       
Privacy Policy    
All rights reserved. “Youth Villages” is a registered service mark owned by Youth Villages®, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 58-1716970). Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.   
Youth Villages® is an equal opportunity employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.   
www.youthvillages.org/privacy-statement/