Have you ever ridden a bike 18 miles in 47 mph winds? I sure haven’t – but a group of boys in our Specialized Care program recently did.

You may be asking yourself: “Why on earth would they do that?!”

Well, these boys are all in Trauma Group – a treatment group focusing on addressing our trauma and moving forward by climbing 5 milestones on the Trauma Mountain:

1. How our trauma affects our behavior
2. How our trauma affects our identity
3. Making meaning from our trauma
4. Creating a plan to deal with triggers from our trauma

5. Writing our survivor story

Part of climbing over milestone #3 is a “Making Meaning Project.” The purpose of this project is to come to terms with our trauma and do something positive after experiencing it.

For their project, our boys decided to do a bike-a-thon to raise money for Good Samaritan.

Here’s the best part: we didn’t tell them to raise funds for Good Samaritan. They chose unanimously to give back to the place that is keeping them safe and giving them the opportunity for a new future.

When processing after the bike ride, one boy said: “I still don’t understand how this helps me make meaning out of my trauma.”

Another boy responded: “It’s okay to feel things and have different reactions to our trauma. You give back to show you can be positive and that you have resilience. It’s rebuilding and recovering from trauma and giving back is a big part of it.”

That. Is. So. Wise.

Want to know how much the boys raised?

An incredible $1,500!!!

The group therapists encouraged them to choose something specific for the money to go toward. Just a few short months ago, we lost a valued staff member of our Transitional Living program. Knowing this, our boys decided to donate the money to purchase a memorial for her at our group home. 

They realized that her family, the Transitional Living staff, and the boys in that group home also experienced trauma through that loss.

But by working to overcome their own trauma – even with so much windy resistance – they created space for others to heal from their trauma, too.

They knew the outcome was worth it. Just another pedal. Just one more mile.

They showed up for themselves, for each other, and for those they don’t even personally know.

We are so proud of them.

What mountain are you ready to climb in your life? Our boys are doing it – we believe you can too!

I hope you have a wonderful week.