Many teenagers are dealing with outsized challenges such as drug and alcohol addiction, depression, academic pressures, teen pregnancy and relationship issues. All teenagers travel through periods of isolation as they struggle to cope, but for some the benefit derived from counseling can be crucial to a healthy outcome.

Mark Cherny, LCSW supervisor of outreach and community services for the Ruth Rales Jewish Family Service of South Florida (RRJFS), offers free e-mail counseling at www.teentalk4u.org as well as counseling via phone at (561) 852-3333 or (800) 393-5397 Monday through Thursday, 8:30 am to 8:30 pm, and Fridays until 4:30 p.m.

The teen talk e-mail counseling is a confidential service that is offered to all teenagers regardless of race, religion, creed, ethnic background, or sexual orientation. Cherny also welcomes calls from concerned parents dealing with teenage issues.

Cherny may be a familiar name for children who have attended his lively, interactive skits at south Palm Beach County middle and high schools. Cherny has reached out to 7,500 students annually during the past 10 years using his unique skit format to address issues of addiction, substance abuse and other significant problems.

The Ruth Rales Jewish Family Service of South Florida has been offering various programs to benefit the Boca community for over 27 years from their west Boca location at 21300 Ruth & Baron Coleman Boulevard, as well as the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Center located at 14620 South Military Trail in Delray Beach. The organization boasts of over 200 volunteers, which include teenagers. Trained teens participate in the Teen Connect program weekly by calling homebound elderly people. Twice a year the teenagers and their elderly counterparts have an opportunity to meet face-to-face for a richly rewarding inter-generational experience during a RRJFS sponsored luncheon.

A Federal Grant titled “Fighting The Pain of Youth Depression” has recently been awarded to RRJFS to work with teenagers in local middle and high schools. Cherny says, “An important aspect of this work will be to train teachers to spot symptoms of depression and identify suffering students”. Teenagers often do not admit to feeling depressed, and it is the adults in their lives who can make all the difference in getting the needed help.

For additional information on services provided by RRJFS visit www.ruthralesjfs.org

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