Be a Better You

We owe it to our families. We owe it to our friends. We owe it to anyone who cares about us or relies us on. But most importantly, we owe it to ourselves, to recommit to our overall well-being. May is National Recommitment Month, and it is the perfect time to recommit to yourself. Recommit to yourself emotionally, physically, spiritually. Take the extra time to better yourself and improve your overall health. You deserve it. Pick up that hobby you have always desired. Get back in the gym. Start that diet back up again. Finish that book you started. Do all of them if you have the time. You owe it to yourself and everyone you know to become a better you.

In honor of Recommitment Month, we reached out to NewBridge and asked them for inspiring stories of people who, with the help of NewBridge services, recommitted to themselves and brought balance to their lives.  The stories below, curated as part of their 50 Faces of NewBridge campaign, tell the tales of people who stopped waiting for change and decided to make it happen.

Meet James Thompson, one of The 50 Faces of NewBridge

In his late 20s, James Thompson developed crippling anxiety, the kind that imprisoned him at home and made him want to end his life. It got so bad that Thompson purposely hurt himself, cutting his arm and punching walls to drown out the overwhelming feelings.

After a particularly bad episode, Thompson turned to NewBridge for help with panic attacks and agoraphobia (a fear of crowded places). Learning that Thompson had a love of the outdoors, his counselors encouraged him to pursue it. He picked up a point-and-shoot camera and began photographing wildlife in his yard at dawn, when nobody else was around.

“Photography gives me something to concentrate on, instead of having my mind race,” said the 37-year-old Passaic County resident.

Thompson is making strides. While once he was unable to go into stores, now he can – as long as he can use self-checkout lines. “I want to keep myself going forward,” said Thompson. “My motivation is to get myself better.”

Meet Brian Wells, one of The 50 Faces of NewBridge

Brian Wells didn’t see much of a future for himself when he was a junior at Dover High School.

“I was doing badly in just about every subject except auto shop and math,” he said. Wells’ fortune changed in May 2010, when his guidance counselor urged him to attend NewBridge 70001 JOBS PLUS, a free alternative education program, so he could earn his high school diploma and pursue a career in auto repair.

By December of that year, Wells had earned his degree with the support of NewBridge instructors, and then enrolled at the Universal Technical Institute, a national automotive school.  The 20 year old graduated in January and is now a technician at Subaru of Morristown.

Wells plans to design his own motor and eventually open a performance enhancement shop, where he will make cars exceed their limits. Wells still goes back to NewBridge 70001 to visit, and shares his experience with the students.

“NewBridge made me want to learn. I tell them you’ve just got to be there and be willing to work,” said Wells, who lives in Morristown. “To be honest, without NewBridge, I wouldn’t have a lot going on right now,” he said.

Meet Katie, one of The 50 Faces of NewBridge

When her family relocated to New Jersey, 7-year-old Katie(name has been changed) began having violent outbursts in school, ripping up papers, kicking walls and banging her head on the desk.

A psychiatrist determined Katie had serious mental health issues. She was placed on home school instruction and began treatment with a NewBridge outpatient clinician.

The clinician used play therapy to help Katie work through her issues and make emotional connections. She introduced Katie to a small stuffed cat named Kitty. Each time Katie returned, Kitty was waiting to play and listen to her feelings about school. Katie looked forward to her time at NewBridge, and was thrilled when she got to take Kitty home for a sleepover.

Before long, Katie was ready to return to school, where she made many friends and developed good relationships with adults. During her last session at NewBridge, the clinician asked Katie if she would like a keepsake, something to tuck in her pocket to remind her of all the strengths she gained in therapy. Katie, of course, chose Kitty.

These stories are all truly inspirational. When you stop waiting for change and recommit to your own personal well-being, you can reach new heights. You owe to yourself and everyone around you to make that happen.