A Hit of Joy: Rethinking Harm Reduction with Youth | Makena Volzing | TEDxCSUMontereyBay
This talk by Makena shares how she went from thriving in high school to struggling with marijuana addiction in college. She explains the loneliness and insecurity led her to use. Her turning point came when she found joy again through coaching soccer. Now, as a counselor with youth, she helps teens reconnect with you instead of solely focusing on drug education. Makena Volzing currently serves as a drug and alcohol counselor with middle and high schoolers in the North Monterey County area. Born and raised in San Jose, Makena moved to the Monterey Bay peninsula to pursue her BA in psychology at CSUMB in 2013. After falling in love with the area and its community, she decided to make Monterey her permanent home after graduating. Since then, she has worked locally with various diverse populations, including the unhoused, those with substance abuse disorders, and developmental disabilities. Her passions include spreading awareness and advocating about issues close to her heart, including sexual assault and domestic violence prevention, mental health, LGBTQ rights, harm reduction, and the autism community. In her free time, she enjoys writing, singing, reading, cuddling with her cats (Atticus and Scout), thrift shopping, and trying every craft Michael’s sells. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
