Counseling offered to children, teens at Rawhide Youth Services

NEW LONDON, Wis. (WBAY) - Two of the most recent mass shootings in Texas and New York were both reportedly committed by 18-year-old males.

Investigators noted in both incidents the teens shared troubling messages on social media.

“Social media is a challenging space for youth that are not yet mature. They’re not mature in their thought, they’re not mature mentally,” Rawhide Youth Services Director of Community Services Danny Stone said

Rawhide Youth Services is dedicated to providing counseling for troubled youth.

Stone says one of the biggest challenges Rawhide confronts is the stigma of discussing mental health. This where parents can step in to help break the barriers down and begin normalizing the conversation around it.

“Our nation and our communities are struggling with that because there’s a stigma. A 15-year-old young man is not going to say I have problems and I want to talk about it, the same with a 16-year-old female,” Stone said.

Focusing on prevention work through counseling, Rawhide will be in 30 schools in our area starting this fall.

Stone says it’s hard for teens to verbalize what they’re experiencing. Since the start of the pandemic, the organization has seen teens suffering from anxiety, depression and suicidal feelings.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in five youth between the ages of 3 to 17 have a mental behavioral disorder.

“It’s okay as parents to know you have more influence than you think you do. Sometimes we hold back. it’s okay to step into that space to talk with your son or daughter to be watchful,” Stone said.

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