To sit with young people under a tree and to hear their stories is a dream come true. I think of who I was as a teenager and all of the lessons I learned through experience. While I take nothing from those teen experiential moments, none of my experiences can touch the love I feel and the appreciation I have for the lessons I've learned "under the oak tree".Under the oak tree counseling, is a concept that was presented to me in 2009, while stationed in Korea. I didn’t see the importance of this open counseling strategy then but I definitely see it now and have a great respect for group mentorship and one on one coaching.As an adult with varying roles and responsibilities, my oak tree counseling sessions have taken place in numerous places: in my mother's car, in my friend's kitchen (listening to her mother), in foreign countries and many other places. While I write this post people are hurting and they are trying to figure it out. I encourage everyone that reads this to encourage a young person to write their story and submit it to this blog. Writing is healing and every story, poem, or random thought is worth sharing and can save a life.It is not Gods intent that we go through this journey of life alone and we believe that through teens telling their story we can help them to live healthier, safer, more productive lives. Get connected to the Pride so we can roar together!~ Hebrews 10:24-25 NLT : 24: Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25: And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.