On the weekend of October 11-14, a group of young adult burn survivors gathered in rustic Mount Carroll for the first ever Strive to Thrive: Beyond the Burns Young Adult Retreat. The long weekend program drew participants from Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Texas, and California and against the beautiful backdrop of rocky bluffs and rolling hillsides, the magic happened.
While there were plenty of activities such as kayaking, crafting, ziplining, hiking, game-playing and campfires, there were also special sessions with topics relevant to adulthood including Resume Writing/Job Skills, Body Confidence, Leadership and Conflict Resolution and a Relationship Q&A.
An off-site trip to the Shenandoah Riding Center in Galena provided an excellent opportunity to learn about nonverbal behavior from a horse’s point of view, along with a beautiful fall trail ride.
These young adult attendees were surrounded by mentors and session leaders, who were encouraging, supportive, motivating, and inspiring. These individuals helped continue engagement through the length of the retreat while bravely sharing elements of their own lived experiences.
Part of healing is connection. While another part is feeling safe enough to grow open. Strive to Thrive provided both and then some.