At New Day Recovery Family and Youth Service, we believe every child and young adult deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential. However, many of Oklahoma’s youth face challenges that limit their access to education and support services. Whether due to economic hardship, family difficulties, health issues, or involvement with the juvenile justice system, too many young people lack the resources and guidance needed to thrive.
Our nonprofit organization seeks to empower these at-risk youth by providing comprehensive therapeutic services focused on fostering healthy growth and development. Located in Oklahoma, we serve youth in state custody, their families, and the local community. Through individual, group, and family therapy, case management, psychosocial rehabilitation, and a variety of treatment modalities, we help young people overcome obstacles, heal from past traumas, and acquire the life skills needed to succeed.
The Importance of Education
Education is one of the most valuable tools for empowering disadvantaged youth. Schooling creates opportunities for career and personal growth, allowing individuals to reach financial stability and contribute to society. Yet at-risk youth often struggle to succeed in traditional academic environments. By addressing mental health needs and promoting healthy social development, our therapy programs help remove barriers to education.
We collaborate with local schools, courts, state agencies, and community partners to ensure the young people we serve have access to educational services tailored to their unique needs. These include alternative schools, special education plans, tutoring services, credit recovery programs, and more. By diagnosing and treating learning disorders, helping students improve study habits, teaching critical thinking skills, and more, our therapies re-engage youth with school and set them up for achievement.
For those who have dropped out altogether, we provide counseling and support to help them work toward completing a high school equivalency. Furthering education is one of the most empowering things an individual can do to transform their life. Our programs guide students through getting diplomas, pursuing vocational training, attending community college, or preparing for four-year university studies.
The Journey of Healing Through Therapy
Along with education advancement, mental and emotional health services are key to empowering at-risk youth. The challenges these young people face often leave them struggling with psychological distress, maladaptive behaviors, and impaired functioning. However, with comprehensive therapy centered on their unique needs, youth can embark on a journey of healing and growth.
Our organization practices an integrated, holistic approach to therapy for empowering youth. We incorporate various evidence-based treatment modalities as needed for each client, including:
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – to replace negative thought patterns with positive cognitions
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) – to build healthy coping mechanisms and emotional regulation skills
- Play Therapy – to process trauma through symbolic expression in a developmentally-sensitive format
- Art Therapy – to nonverbally explore feelings, increase self-awareness and relieve anxiety
- Pet Therapy – to teach caretaking, responsibility and empathy through human-animal interaction
- Music Therapy – to connect with emotions, practice self-expression and enhance the therapeutic process
- Wilderness Therapy – nature immersion activities combined with individual and group counseling
We develop custom treatment plans to address problematic behaviors at their roots. Our clinical team then guides each youth on their unique path toward reclaiming personal power.
Through therapies grounded in compassion and care, clients find motivation to turn their lives around, pursue dreams, and overcome ingrained patterns holding them back. They build self-confidence to ask for what they need and set firm boundaries. They gain tools to manage strong emotions, improve relationships, and make healthy choices aligned with personal values.
In weekly individual and family sessions, youth also work through specific current issues in a safe space. And during regular group meetings, they realize they aren’t alone. Peer support teaches empowerment as clients uplift each other every day.
Holistic Health and Wellness Services
While therapy heals psychological and emotional wounds, developing healthy lifestyles is also essential for at-risk youth empowerment. Our organization’s psychosocial rehabilitation programming helps young people cultivate stability, life skills, and overall well-being.
We place special emphasis on teaching:
- Proper nutrition – Clients learn to meal plan, grocery shop, cook nutritious foods, and understand dietary choices that energize body and mind.
- Physical fitness – Youth participate in exercise programs incorporating outdoor recreation, sports, yoga, and other activities to reduce stress and improve health.
- Mindfulness practices – Meditation, breathing exercises, journaling, and art activities help center thoughts, manage unpleasant emotions, and maintain balance.
- Organization and time management – Strategies for tracking assignments, creating schedules, setting goals, and meeting deadlines facilitate academic and personal success.
- Communication and conflict resolution – Clients gain knowledge for clearly conveying needs, engaging respectfully with others different than themselves, and defusing tense situations.
- Household maintenance – Learning to properly clean, make minor repairs, perform yardwork, and manage living spaces promotes confidence and life skills.
- Financial literacy – Budgeting, balancing accounts, understanding taxes/insurance, and researching major purchases help youth achieve economic empowerment.
- Job readiness – Resume/application writing, interview practice, and career guidance prepare clients for gainful employment.
Mastering these practical abilities and healthy habits empowers youth to take charge of their well-being. It also enables them to function successfully as independent adults.
Ongoing Support Through Case Management
Navigating school enrollment, state systems, healthcare, transportation, housing, and other domains can prove overwhelmingly complex for at-risk youth and families. Our licensed case managers help clients overcome these bureaucratic barriers and coordinate access to a diversity of services.
We assist with:
- Referrals to educational resources, medical/dental care, public assistance programs, legal help, and more
- Paperwork completion for benefit applications, disability claims, academic accommodations, and other requests
- Transportation to appointments via bus passes, ride-sharing, volunteer drivers, or reimbursement assistance
- Securing temporary or permanent housing placements in group homes, treatment facilities, or independent arrangements as appropriate
- Discharge planning when leaving juvenile justice placements, treatment centers or foster arrangements to transition smoothly back into community life
- Crisis intervention to promptly address destabilizing events and prevent relapse of high-risk behaviors
- Parenting education classes for young clients who now have children of their own
This intensive level of personalized guidance and advocacy ensures vulnerable youth don’t fall through the cracks. Case management is essential both for empowering at-risk youth in the present and setting them up for ongoing success.
The Ripple Effects of Empowering One Young Person
When we empower the most marginalized youth through education, therapy, rehabilitation, and case management, the impact reverberates across families and communities.
As clients heal trauma, discover self-worth, achieve academically, and adopt healthy lifestyles, the benefits spread. These young people transform into empowered adults who realize their full potential. They become gainfully employed, financially secure, and civically engaged members of society. They build firms, lead nonprofits, innovate, create jobs, and fuel economic growth.
Empowered youth also develop into present, patient, supportive parents who raise the next generation to be healthy and strong. The cycles of poverty, incarceration, addiction, abuse, and dysfunction break. Families flourish and communities rise.
So when we serve one disadvantaged young person today, the returns multiply for years to come. Our commitment to empowering Oklahoma’s youth changes trajectories. It saves lives, strengthens families, fosters community, and enhances our shared future.
There is no greater investment than giving young people the tools to uplift themselves.
New Day Recovery Family and Youth Service Offers Hope
At New Day Recovery Family and Youth Service, empowering disadvantaged youth is our calling. Through comprehensive mental health treatment integrated with education advancement, life skills training, and community reintegration support, we illuminate the path forward for struggling young people.
Our licensed therapists, dedicated case managers, and passionate team nurture growth cultivate resilience, and walk with youth hand-in-hand on their journey toward reclaiming personal power. We help transform both lives and legacies.
Young people wanting to break destructive cycles and rewrite their futures: we believe in you, we stand beside you and we will never give up on you. Your healing and empowerment matter because you matter.
To all who feel hopeless in the face of immense challenge: there is light ahead. A new day of possibility awaits. Reach out – we’re here to listen and guide you toward the support you deserve.
Contact New Day Recovery Family and Youth Service today at +1 (405)-525-0452 or visit https://www.newdayok.org/ to take the first step.