Jaran shines a light on his experiences as a Functional Family Therapist and discusses some of the challenges he has observed in his work with youth and families, particularly during the early days of the pandemic, highlighting rising truancy and violence among youth. He reflects on the impact of societal and personal expectations as well as the value of self-compassion and creating safe spaces to foster growth and reflection.

Guest Bio:
Jaran David Manzanet, MSW is from The Bronx and is now a resident of Harlem. He works as a Functional Family Therapist, helping youths between the ages of 11-18 build support systems with family members and their communities. He has been in Social Service since 2014 and has helped on Community Board projects for Harlem’s District 10. Currently awaiting to retake the License Exam, Jaran David is also deciding on the best options for continuing education in the field of social work.

Contact/Socials:
Email: jmanzanet@fordham.edu
Instagram: atlasrum_87
X: @atlasrum

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Paula is joined by an awesome panel of dedicated social workers Ancy, Cindy, and Emily who discuss the origins and impact of their annual retreat for school social workers and youth mental health providers. The retreat, which began in March 2024, aims to address burnout, provide continuing education units, and foster community among professionals. Despite personal challenges, such as health issues and grief, the organizers emphasized the importance of collaboration and self-care as well as the significant positive changes identified by participants. The next retreat is scheduled for March 2025, with a focus on the youth mental health crisis.

Contact/Socials:
Ancy & Cindy
Email: velocityvisions@gmail.com
Website: www.velocityvisionsinc.com

Emily
Email: emily.george@nyu.edu
Instagram: emg.sw.ed
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-george-lcsw-ms-ed-a4b4ab88/

Retreat, Remix, Revive
Email: retreatremixrevive@gmail.com
Instagram: retreatremixrevive
More Info & Waitlist: bit.ly/retreatremixrevive

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Motivated by recent conversations with parents and students, Paula explores the critical importance of sleep for adolescents and other age groups, shares information on the impact of insufficient sleep on our mental and physical development/health, and suggestions to develop a sleep schedule.

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