The Goodness Within: Reaching Out to Troubled Teens With Love and Compassion

by Redmond, Mark V.

• ISBN13: 9780809141869
• ISBN10: 0809141868
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-11-01
• Publisher: Paulist Pr

Summary

In The Goodness Within, Mark Redmond offers readers pragmatic reflections on mentoring, as well as a chronicle of his own experiences with young people in crisis. Incorporating stories from his twenty-year career as a counselor, Redmond examines some of America's crucial social issues, such as: neglect, adolescent self-destruction and racism. The author writes, "This book is about helping adolescents discover their own worth, dignity and goodness." Each chapter invites readers to consider ways to support young men and women "at-risk" in the discovery of their value and significance. The Goodness Within is a call to adults--parents, students, educators, counselors and clergy--to become involved with at-risk adolescents. Redmond writes, "The adult must take the position, I'm going to stand by this young person, no matter what it takes, no matter how long it takes... The long-term consequences for negative behavior are real, often severe and sometimes lethal." Based on the real life accounts described in various chapters, the appendix includes these discussion poi

Author Biography

Mark Redmond is the executive director of Spectrum Youth and Family Services in Burlington, Vermont.

Table of Contents

Introduction	1	(3)
Commitment	4	(13)
Role Model	17	(10)
Taking It Seriously	27	(4)
Forgiveness	31	(10)
Honesty	41	(7)
Faithfulness	48	(8)
Perseverance	56	(4)
Leadership	60	(10)
Courage	70	(4)
Setting Limits	74	(17)
Taking a Stand	91	(5)
Saving One Another	96	(10)
Creating Memories	106	(12)
Connections	118	(8)
Loss	126	(5)
Nonviolence	131	(7)
Learning from Failure	138	(10)
Faith and Change	148	(4)
Dealing with Death	152	(11)
Hope	163	(15)
Remembering What Is Important	178	(5)
Appendix: Points for Discussion	183