Escape from Dark Places ― Guideposts to Hope in an Age of Anxiety & Depression

Young people today are tech-savvy, confident, and positive. They are also stressed, anxious, and depressed. One in four young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 has a diagnosable mental illness, and the number is growing. So what is the problem and how can we help?

A motivating story of triumph over anxiety and depression, "Escape from Dark Places" shares a mother's journey to find answers to her son's anxiety and depression. Her discoveries offer a new framework for intergenerational dialogue that will enable all of us---parents, grandparents, church leaders, and mentors---to be part of the solution. 

Moms and others traditionally sidelined from the recovery process can learn how to play a critical role in empowering young people to:

Accomplish a more stable sense of self to enable feelings of contentment and fulfillment

Filter out the noise of technology and the Information Age to reduce stress and anxiety

Initiate a stronger conversation about prevention and recovery that can better drive attitudinal change

Think about the big life questions that enrich lives with meaning and purpose

Attain real world life skills that enrich interpersonal relationships and promote success in the workplace

"Escape from Dark Places" offers guideposts toward mental and spiritual health that will inspire societal and spiritual reconnections, fight indifference, stop the stigma, and spread hope.

Ambra Watkins is an expert in organizational change management and training who lived and worked in Northern Africa and has traveled extensively in Europe, South America, and the Middle East. She has her master’s degree in rhetoric and writing and her Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. Ambra is the author of a historical book, "The Birth, Being and Burning of Worumbo Mill," and more than twenty-five magazine and newspaper articles. Ambra lives with her family in Denver, Colorado.