Found on The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Letter submitted to the Philadelphia Inquirer on July 28, 2021.

To the editor:
Simone Biles’ brave withdrawal decision offers a wake-up call about danger to parents and educators — indeed all who hold the well-being of our young as paramount — one that applies far beyond the Olympics. Biles frames this danger with precision:,…”what I love has been taken away from me to please other people. (It) hurts my heart.” Her words call attention to many of our young deprived of the opportunity to be, to play, to relax, to learn to think for themselves, and in this way, decide what they want and need. Instead, they are programed relentlessly, all free time filled with activities, pushed far too hard to accomplish perfection, Why? To please all of their important role models — to make others feel good about themselves. The dangers of this pattern, without the insistent intervention, “enough is enough,” echoed by Biles, are palpable: life marked by constant dangerous choices and decisions -- or an underbelly — lack of self-confidence, withdrawal, and giving up on life entirely

Sincerely, SaraKay Smullens

Found on The Philadelphia Inquirer on 8/3/21.

Found on The Philadelphia Inquirer on 6/21/21

The letter above was in response to this article addressing the frightening rise in teen suicides.

Found on The New Social Worker.

Found on The Philadelphia Inquirer on 5/2/21.

Found on The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Found in The Philadelphia Inquirer - 3/30/21

Found on The New Social Worker.

Found on The New Social Worker

Found on The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Found on The New Social Worker.

Found on the Philadelphia Inquirer, January 1, 2021. With warm, hopeful new year wishes.

Found on the The New Social Worker.

Found on the The New Social Worker.

Found on The Medium.

Found on The New Social Worker.

Found on patientsafetyj.com

Found on The Medium.

Found on The New Social Worker.