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What Makes Teens Really Happy?

By Lauren Muriello, LPC | February 15, 2024 | Comments Off on What Makes Teens Really Happy?
Teen on shoulders of another teen

“Things are never quite as scary when you’ve got a best friend.” — Bill Watterson The longest study of human development revealed what makes people truly happy. It’s not getting straight As, it’s not the college you attend, it’s not how much money is in your bank account, and it’s not even getting a gold…

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Teenagers are a Lightning Rod to Show us How we Are as a Society

By Adam Simon | November 2, 2022 | Comments Off on Teenagers are a Lightning Rod to Show us How we Are as a Society
Adam Simon, Odyssey Teen Camp Director With Teen

If teenagers are truly a lightning rod or a barometer to show us how our society is doing, then we know we have plenty of work to do, but we knew that anyway. Doesn’t it feel like our society is more polarized and maybe angrier than we have been in a long time? It feels…

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Packing For Summer Camp: An Insider’s Guide to Packing Smart

By Odyssey Teen Camp | May 1, 2022 | Comments Off on Packing For Summer Camp: An Insider’s Guide to Packing Smart
Teen packing suitcase on her bed.

The countdown before camp has begun, and while excited, you may be less than enthusiastic about packing. Whether you’re speed packing after diligent procrastination or slow packing far in advance, we’d like to share some tips and tricks for a smoother experience. First Things First: Something not to pack: electronics! From Zoom to Netflix, the…

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Telling Ourselves a Different Story 

By Adam Simon | October 6, 2021 | Comments Off on Telling Ourselves a Different Story 
Camper Performs at Talent Show

Learning from disappointment and frustration When a camper wants to call home after only being there for a few days, they usually ask their parents to come and get them. They are tired from walking; they don’t love the rustic camping lifestyle; they miss their cell phones or all of the above. Usually, parents reluctantly…

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Our Summers Save Lives

By Adam Simon | November 8, 2020 | Comments Off on Our Summers Save Lives
Adam Simon, Odyssey Teen Camp Director with campers.

20 years ago, when I started Odyssey Teen Camp, I could not have imagined the impact this camp would have on my life and thousands of other people’s lives. A safe space The concept was simple – create a summer camp for teenagers where they were safe from bullying and emotional abuse. A place where…

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Finding New Hope in Virtual Camp

By Adam Simon | May 28, 2020 | Comments Off on Finding New Hope in Virtual Camp
OTC online camp banner

Update Nov. 2022: This is an old post from the pandemic. Odyssey Teen Camp is no longer offering the virtual camp because the real camp is now back in session. Please check out our camp activities page and definitely see the old video of Georgios & Chloe at the bottom of this post. It’s fun…

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How My Twice Exceptional (2e) Teen Became a Happy Camper

By Adam Simon | November 26, 2019 | Comments Off on How My Twice Exceptional (2e) Teen Became a Happy Camper
Fin wearing a grass suit

A mom recently wrote about her son Fen’s experience at camp. He’s been coming to OTC for the past five years. Fen is one of the most original, interesting, and hilarious campers who has come to camp. He’s not always the easiest, and when he first came to camp, he seemed to want to go…

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The Dark Tunnel of Adolescent Evolution (Part 2): What Does “Staying in The Game” Look Like For Parents?

By Adam Simon | May 23, 2019 | Comments Off on The Dark Tunnel of Adolescent Evolution (Part 2): What Does “Staying in The Game” Look Like For Parents?
Amy Frisch Dark Tunnel Part 2 Video Thumb

  As I continue my discussion in video 2 with therapist Amy Frisch, who has been leading groups for teenage girls for twenty years, Amy offers some great advice for parents (none of which will necessarily be easy to follow). Staying in the game Staying in the game, as she says, can take many forms.…

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Shyness and Fear as an Invitation to The Great Unknown

By Adam Simon | March 29, 2019 | Comments Off on Shyness and Fear as an Invitation to The Great Unknown
Young teen feeling inspired and joyful

Every month I receive calls from concerned parents whose teenagers have been spending too much time alone, having trouble making friends, seeming irritable, etc. It’s easy to understand why parents get worried. They see their wonderful, kind, sensitive, vulnerable, and generally very shy teenagers withdrawing. Tending the fire I’m pretty sure teenagers have always been…

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Teaching Teens Healthy Habits Around Technology

By Adam Simon | March 28, 2019 | Comments Off on Teaching Teens Healthy Habits Around Technology
Lauren and Adam in discussion, video thumbnail.

I recently had the chance to sit with my friend Lauren Muriello of Well Being Therapy Center, a great therapist who works primarily with teenage girls. Lauren worked with me at camp for many years before leaving to start a family and a successful business.   I talked with Lauren about several topics regarding teenagers and parents.…

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Find Out About Odyssey Teen Camp

A Non-Profit Overnight Summer Camp For Teens Ages 13-18
Located in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts.

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