By RTF Editor Bekah Hamrick Martin

Not now. Not again.

I thought this pain was in my rear view mirror… but suddenly it’s crashed through the windshield.

That’s agony. It will sneak up on you. Then it will stop you in your tracks.

Been there? (more…)

Jess wrote:
hey im a 15 year old girl thats been cutting since i was 11 i stoped for like 4 months im a child in care you see and i finaly started to feel at home then social services moved me and i have been cutting again i dont trust anyone anymore and i have tried to commit sucide befor and nearly sucsesed now im concenplating it again but im amazing at hideing my feelings i can pretend everything is peachy when im just dead inside i bottel things up you see and yesterday i noticed that i felt NUMB i havent felt like that for ages the last time i felt like that i nearly doed from taking 82 paracitamoles HELP who can i talk to and you can put this on the ste i dont mind it might bring outhere people that feel like me forward.

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By RTF Editor Bekah Hamrick Martin

Some of you know my story.

Shame.

Loss.

Depression.

Worthlessness.

(more…)

By Guest Writer Patricia Chandler

What Do u do when u feel like this
Suicidal thoughts
Urges to cut
Feeling alone (more…)

By RTF Editor B.J. Hamrick

The scar on your arm

Is only a clue

Of the scar inside

That once terrified you

The fear is gone

The scar remains

A reminder of loss

And the power of pain

Love is a man

With a scar on His arm

It runs deep like yours

He understands harm

The scar on His arm

Is only a clue

Of the scar inside

That He bears for you

****

I wrote this several years ago for a friend when he told me he struggled with cutting himself.

At the time I didn’t tell him that I understood how he felt… I couldn’t even admit to myself that I struggled with self-harm.

Eventually the day came when I was ready to ask for help…

If I knew where he was today, I would tell my friend — you are not alone, and you can be free from this.

I know.

Your journey starts with finding a safe place to be vulnerable…

Contact me or Halee at realteenfaith[at]gmail[dot]com for more information.

Advice from  RTF Founder Suzie Eller

A comment on the RTF site:

Well, I just found out my daughter had been cutting herself and i am soo scared she means the world to me and I thought our relationship was good but in reality now I think she hates me, she had in the last month read the book the virgin suicides I was freaking out today checked it out the plot and dont know what to do it has homcoming in it and Im scared shes not herself these days made crazy alegations against me I am really strict and I really dont know what to do. (more…)

I am 15 years old. My dad is strange, to say the least. He’s sexually hurt others. He has had a ankle bracelet on for a while and just recently had it removed. My mother divorced him and we live with her.

The problem is that my mom works really long hours. I babysit my siblings and mow lawns to make extra money. Everyday, she comes home yelling and screaming. She will tell my siblings to clean house and me to do dishes and other chores. I will usually do my chores, but if the siblings don’t pick up their toys, we ALL get yelled at.

If I make a mistake, she says I’m like my dad.

I’ve attempted to cut myself, but haven’t had the nerve. I backtalked and got grounded for almost a month. My siblings do much worse and get away with it.

I have a boyfriend who is 16. We have been going out for over 7 months and my mother hates him.

I do admit I have an attitude, but I’m 15 for God’s sake! Almost all teen rebel and act like that around this time!

I was told by my friends that if I record her saying “If you don’t like it here, then you can leave” on tape, then I can actually leave and it would be ok because she TOLD me to leave. Is that true?

Is there any way that I can get away from her without going to live with my dad or changing schools?

N, age 15

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Debra Weiss interviews Laura Farrar

Laura Farrar is part of a courageous generation determined to reach out and do something about the problems they see in the world around them.

Because Laura Farrar has struggled with eating disorders, depression, and self-injury, she understands the pain and secrecy they bring. Discontent to just talk about these issues, Laura is determined to do something.

In 2008, Laura started the Dancing in the Rain Foundation. Through her organization, Laura hopes to start a shelter for hurting teens where her organization can offer crisis and intervention services to hurting adolescents so that they may experience God’s mercy and love while receiving the help they need.

Debra Weiss: First of all, Laura, it’s great to have you here at Real Teen Faith. I loved the name of your organization, Dancing in the Rain Foundation, as soon as I heard it. What’s the story behind the name?

Laura Farrar: Thanks, Debbie for having me! Our name was inspired by a few quotes I’ve heard over the years. One of those is “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” That’s the heart of what we believe in. The storms of life bring rain and hardship to our lives, but there is hope–we can learn to dance, cope, thrive and heal even in the midst of the pain. (more…)