I believe this cliché statement whole heartily. I was the perfect example of this statement while in high school. When I was seventeen, I suffered from depression, anxiety, low self-confidence and panic attacks. There were days when the simplest homework would stump me because of my confidence issues and unnecessary stress. Also, it felt that trying to become a leader or beyond my comfort zone travel was completely out of the question. For me, I was just trying to survive. The only reason why I can stand here today and confidently tell you about my problems is because of the help I received during my sessions at Personal Counseling Services also known as PCS.

Being a teenager, I was naturally hesitant to accept myself the way I am and understand that the only way to work through my issues was to confront them head on. With my counselor, I went on an amazing journey to discover myself. And I found out many wonderful things. I am a lot stronger than I think, with help, I really can achieve anything I put my mind to, and I learned most of all to accept myself, faults included.  

Since my sessions with PCS, I have gone through four years of college; I am a semester away from graduating with a bachelor’s degree. I studied abroad for a semester in Germany, miles away from home. And I plan to continue my travels with knowing confidence that I can achieve anything.  

Fortunately I was able to afford sessions for PCS, but there are many teens who are in the same position I once was. With your generous donations of purchasing a bear, you will pay for one session for someone who can’t afford it. You could help a hesitant teenager harshly critiquing themselves. You could play a part in someone finally accepting themselves for who they are so they can go on to achieve goals they never thought possible. 

 ~ Katy Hume