Last day!

Today is my last day working as an intern at Amethyst. I have learned and experienced so much over these past 10 weeks that I will never forget. I have seen that working at a nonprofit is tough. Everyone does everything to get the work done. My experiences here were unlike any I have had before. Dealing with addiction and trauma treatment and all that comes with it is something I have learned so much about. I am going to miss interning here a lot and all of the people I have met. Thank you to everyone at Amethyst for making me feel so welcome at this great place to work. Lauren and Teresa have been the best bosses I could ever imagine. I have had so much fun getting to know them and working with them this summer. Thanks again to everyone!!

Inspirational bathroom messages

"You are special and beautiful." This simple message was written on a sticky note and posted on the mirror of the women's bathroom by one of the clients here at Amethyst. There is now another message posted along with the first to inspire and encourage the women of Amethyst to believe in themselves everyday and remember how great they truly are.

Having a simple message like this can not only lift the spirits of the women going through treatment, but also anyone who might take a moment to read the message no matter who they are. Everyone needs a boost once in awhile and a little reminder to be who you are and always know that you are special is important to anyone. Someone thought that a handwritten note posted on a mirror would help brighten the day of one women and I know that it has done more than that for everyone at Amethyst.

Girls dealing with problems in unhealthy ways

Two recent reports have shown that teenage girls are attempting to deal with their problems and stresses by doing drugs and drinking alcohol. There has been an increase in the percent of girls who drink at a younger age, while the percent of boys has stayed the same. Boys also drink for different reasons then girls like to have more fun at a party. These results are horrible. There needs to be other ways for teenage girls to deal with the issues they may be having at home or at school other than substance abuse. One of the toughest times in a girls life is during her teenage years and getting through it with alcohol or drugs is the wrong road to take. We need to decrease the amount of teens who are drinking and doing drugs at a younger age so the problem does not escalate in their futures.