Lost and Found: Healing Troubled Teens in Troubled Times

"We helped lost kids find themselves." This book invites you into a counseling office at a contemporary urban middle school as students show up, open up, and share their pain. With help over time, they heal and find hope. In the words of the author: "With my counseling team, we helped lost kids find themselves. "Some of the students you will meet within these pages were in conflict with their peers; many were in conflict with parents, guardians, and/or our society at large. Some had been abused by adults; some had been abandoned. Some had witnessed the lives of those they loved taken through drugs or violence. Some were trying to numb their pain through alcohol, drugs, or injury to themselves. Some were threatening violence to others. Some students wanted to give up altogether and take their own lives. All of them were deeply troubled. "With our support, most of these resilient young people made it through those challenging times. I felt privileged to know them-to be allowed into their worlds to help them make positive choices. Many have stayed in touch with me and are still part of my life. Here are their stories-true stories of troubled teens (and preteens) who came to me feeling lost and allowed me to help them find healing. "It is my hope that my experiences will guide you when working with your own or other troubled teens. Unfortunately, they are everywhere; fortunately we can help them." Let's be grateful to Jan Sells for recounting her pioneering work with troubled teens. A must-read for teachers and parents, this rare and remarkable book will reward everyone with a teenager in their life. -Joanna Macy, author of Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We're in Without Going Crazy