This free event is especially designed for leaders and members of faith communities—but is open to all. Join us for a powerful morning with keynote speaker Tony Cloud, a nationally recognized trainer and former social services professional, as he shares insight on:
What the Bible says about mental health
Common myths and misunderstandings
How to recognize and respond when someone is struggling
Plus, connect with local faith-based and community service providers at our resource fair.
Here are the details:
When:
Thursday, May 8th, from 9:30am – 1:00pm
Where:
Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch Chapel 1732 South 72nd Street West Billings, MT 59106
Event Schedule:
🕗 8:00am – Event & Resource Exhibit Set Up 🕤 9:30am – Resource Exhibits Open 🕙 10:00am –11:30am – Keynote Presentation: Safe Sacred Spaces 🕦 11:30am – 12:30pm – Resource Exhibits Open 🕐 1:00pm – Event Close
Want to Attend?
Reserve your spot by emailing HHSOFCBS@mt.gov.
Interested in Tabling?
Faith-based & community service providers can reserve free exhibit space. Email info@tonycloudcommunications.com to get a spot.
What a match! April 2nd marked the end of volleyball season at the Ranch, and our youth wrapped it up in style—with a spirited game against staff. In a close and exciting match, the staff team edged out a win with a final score of 25–21.
More Than Just a Volleyball Game
While the scoreboard showed a staff victory, the real wins this season came to the kids through the lessons learned on the court. Throughout the season, our youth practiced teamwork, communication, strategy, and perseverance—skills that extend far beyond the game.
From learning to collaborate with peers to encouraging each other through challenges, our volleyball season offered more than just physical activity. It created space for connection, growth, and a whole lot of fun.
We’re incredibly proud of the heart, hustle, and positive spirit our youth brought to every practice and game. And we’re grateful to the staff who stepped up—not just for the final match, but for encouraging and supporting the kids all season long.
🏐 Here’s to a season full of memories, movement, and moments that matter.
In today’s world, caregiver burnout is more common than ever—especially for those juggling parenting, work, and the endless demands of life. Whether you’re a stay-at-home parent or balancing a full-time career with caregiving responsibilities, the emotional and physical toll adds up fast.
In fact, an article by Investopedia reports that stay-at-home parents work an average of 98 hours per week—and for working caregivers, that number only increases.
Without a strategy to manage stress and prevent caregiver burnout, it’s easy to run on empty. Here are six practical tips to help you recharge, protect your well-being, and bring your best self to those who depend on you.
Tips to Combat Caregiver Burnout
Connect with others.
Social support is a must for parents! Studies show that when caregivers are connected and have an open dialogue on stress and burnout, it serves as a buffer against it. So, carve out time for friends, family, and build a tribe you can lean on.
Re-evaluate your stress.
Mindset is a critical component of navigating stress. The truth is, how we look at our circumstances directly affects how they impact us. So, explore areas of your life that make you grateful. And if you’re confronting parenting challenges, ask yourself, “How can I use these as opportunities to grow?”
Make small changes.
Do you feel trapped by your parenting responsibilities? If so, make small changes to help you manage stress over the long haul. For example, try delegating tasks among family members, cutting down on commitments, or scheduling carpools with other parents.
Let go of perfectionism.
No one’s perfect. And when we shoot for such an unrealistic mark, we put unnecessary pressure on ourselves—creating stress and fostering feelings of shame when we don’t live up to our expectations.
So, drop the “should” statements and swap them for “it would be great if I had more energy to…” instead. Reframing like this will help you deal with your current reality rather than what you think it should be.
Take microbreaks.
Self-care is a critical component of managing stress and burnout recovery. Yet, being a caregiver is a full-time job, so taking long breaks or vacations for yourself isn’t always realistic. But you can take tiny moments throughout your day.
Try sitting in your car to listen to a guided meditation after grocery shopping or going into the bathroom for five minutes to practice deep breathing to enhance your resilience.
Find meaning.
Has stress brought you to the point of detachment? If so, take the time to re-explore and connect to your values.
What are the meaningful aspects of parenting? Don’t get lost in the drudgery of your role. Instead, dive deep, and don’t forget the purpose behind your work.
YBGR Shelby recently joined Logan Health’s CycleMT fundraiser, rallying behind a powerful cause: raising funds for Montana children facing serious medical hardships.
The high-energy stationary bike relay brought community members together to support youth across the state—kids whose needs aren’t fully met by traditional funding sources.
YBGR Shelby in Action for Montana Kids
For YBGR Shelby, CycleMT was more than just a fun competition—it was a mission in motion. Funds raised during the event directly support children and families facing the overwhelming costs of medical care, including travel, lodging, and other essentials. These efforts ensure more Montana kids have access to the resources they need to stay healthy.
Events like this create a ripple effect of hope and healing, and we’re proud that our team showed up, heart and soul, to be part of it.
Living the Mission—At Work and Beyond
At Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch (YBGR), our commitment to kids doesn’t end when the workday does. We believe in living the mission—at work and beyond—and that means stepping up for our communities in meaningful ways, like volunteering time and energy to causes that align with our values.
Our Shelby team’s participation in CycleMT reflects that spirit of service. It’s a powerful reminder that the same values guiding our work with youth extend into every corner of our lives. We’re proud to support efforts that make Montana a better place for children and families, one ride at a time.
Thank you, Logan Health, for leading the charge. We’re honored to ride alongside you for a cause that matters.
Got grit? By grit, I mean the stubborn refusal to quit: the mindset—the mental fortitude to navigate even the most challenging circumstances.
The truth is that the discipline and attitude we bring into each day are critical—they determine our ability to succeed in our endeavors, resilience in the face of adversity, and even play a key role in our mental health.
So, what exactly is grit? It’s a unique blend of passion and perseverance. Below are eighteen quotes illustrating the path to being gritty.
18 Quotes Exploring Grit
Quote 1: At its core, the idea of purpose is the idea that what we do matters to people other than ourselves. – Angela Duckworth
Quote 2: Purpose is the reason you journey. Passion is the fire that lights the way. – Anonymous
Quote 3: Passion begins with intrinsically enjoying what you do. – Angela Duckworth
Quote 4: Our potential is one thing. What we do with it is quite another. – Angela Duckworth
Quote 5: As much as talent counts, effort counts twice. – Angela Duckworth
Quote 6: Without effort, your skill is nothing more than what you could have done but didn’t. – Angela Duckworth
Quote 7: The only thing that I see that is distinctly different about me is: I’m not afraid to die on a treadmill. I will not be outworked, period. You might have more talent than me. You might be smarter than me. You might be more attractive than me. You might be all of those things; you got it on me in nine categories. But if we get on a treadmill together, there are two things: You’re getting off first, or I’m going to die. It’s really that simple. – Inspired by Will Smith
Quote 8: It was passion and perseverance that made high achievers special. In a word, they had grit. – Angela Duckworth
Quote 9: It soon became clear that doing one thing better and better might be more satisfying than staying an amateur at many different things. – Angela Duckworth
Quote 10: Life is more about consistency than about intensity. Intensity steals the limelight. – Angela Duckworth
Quote 11: Grit is passion and perseverance for very long-term goals. Grit is having stamina. Grit is sticking with your future, day-in, day-out. Not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years. And working really hard to make that future a reality. Grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint. – Angela Duckworth
Quote 12: Grit is having the courage to push through, no matter what the obstacles are, because it’s worth it. – Chris Morris
Quote 13: To be gritty is to keep putting one foot in front of the other. To be gritty is to hold fast to an interesting and purposeful goal. To be gritty is to invest, day after week after year, in challenging practice. To be gritty is to fall down seven times and rise eight. – Angela Duckworth
Quote 14: Grit is choosing to hang on when you desperately want to let go. – Anonymous
Quote 15: Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you thought you could not. – Rikki Rogers
Quote 16: True grit is making a decision and standing by it, doing what must be done. No moral man can have peace of mind if he leaves undone what he knows he should have done. – John Wayne
Quote 17: Use mistakes and problems as opportunities to get better — not reasons to quit. – Angela Duckworth
Quote 18: Grit is about having what researchers call an “ultimate concern,” a goal you care about so much that it organizes and gives meaning to almost everything you do. And grit is holding steadfast to that goal even when you fall down. – Angela Duckworth
Curious to dive deeper into the science behind grit?
Angela Duckworth’s book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance is a must-read. It’s packed with powerful research, real-life stories, and practical insights on how grit shapes success—not just for adults, but for kids too. Highly recommended for anyone passionate about personal growth and resilience.
Are you familiar with labeling theory? Sociology buffs probably are. It proposes that people come to both identify and behave in ways reflecting the labels we place on them— Essentially, how we label people impacts their behavior.
The theory helps explain changes often occurring in individuals diagnosed with mental health conditions—suggesting cultural ideas associated with mental illness become personally relevant for those struggling.
Labels, and the stigma associated with them, lead to internalized negative self-beliefs, resulting in secrecy around diagnosis, reluctance to seek treatment, and social withdrawal.
Diagnosis is frequently necessary for kids to access treatment. But that label need not define them.
Instead, there’s a more robust approach. Everyone has a unique set of strengths that, when illuminated, helps them shine!
A Different Perspective—Focus on Strengths!
Want to know the secret to engaging kids and families in behavioral health services? It starts with focusing on strengths! Studies show positive outcomes happen when we build on competencies instead of concentrating on deficits.
Below are nine guiding principles of a strength-based approach:
Shining a Light on Strengths! How to Leverage a Strength-Based Approach
Interested in learning more about how you can use a strength-based approach to drive excellent outcomes in your work with kids? Check out the tips below!
#1: Emphasize positive outcomes
Focus on positive and healthy treatment outcomes for kids, such as self-confidence, connectedness, and healthy relationships with their family, friends, and community.
And don’t forget to highlight positive traits like strong character or being caring and compassionate.
#2: Involve kids in decision-making
Kids and caregivers should be able to voice their opinions and reason through decisions with their mental health providers.
#3: Emphasize collaboration
Echoing the previous recommendation, give kids every opportunity to collaborate regarding their treatment! To engage kids in their strengths, they need to feel empowered and supported.
#4: Provide stability
Long-term involvement builds trust and helps children understand how to develop and maintain supportive relationships. Avoid frequent treatment team member changes and discontinuing support services before kids are ready.
#5: Connect kids to their community
Make sure kids have lots of opportunities for community involvement. Link them to local committees, school activities, youth groups—whatever lights their fire and keeps them connected!
Below are seventeen quotes on childhood trauma and the journey to healing.
Quotes on Childhood Trauma & Healing
Quote 1: Childhood trauma doesn’t come in one single package. – Dr. Asa Don Brown
Quote 2: Behavior is the language of trauma. Children will show you before they tell you that they are in distress. – Micere Keels
Quote 3: Nine times out of ten, the story behind the misbehavior won’t make you angry; it will break your heart. – Annette Breaux
Quote 4: Children don’t get traumatized because they are hurt. They get traumatized because they’re alone with the hurt. – Dr. Gabor Mate
Quote 5: Students with childhood trauma don’t have faulty brains. They have minds designed in threatening environments to help them survive. – Inspired by Peggy Leigh
Quote 6: Repeated childhood trauma causes a child to live in a constant state of hypervigilance, always alert to impending perceived danger. – Unknown
Quote 7: Kids with trauma history don’t need more punishment. And quite frankly, they don’t need more stickers. – Dr. Ross Greene
Quote 8: A child who has experienced trauma will sometimes show they feel connected to an attachment figure by releasing all their big emotions in their presence. What may appear as disconnection may actually be a sign of trust. – J. Milburn
Quote 9: People raised on love see things differently than those raised on survival. – Joy Marino
Quote 10: Our brains are wired for connection, but trauma rewires them for protection. That’s why healthy relationships are difficult for wounded people. – Ryan North
Quote 11: Trauma comes back as a reaction, not a memory. – Bessel Van Der Kolk
Quote 12: A trigger is anything that sets you off emotionally and activates memories of your trauma. It’s particular to you and what your experience has been. Triggered, we revert to the feelings and behaviors we had in the traumatizing situation. – @healingfromtrauma
Quote 13: As traumatized children, we always dreamed that someone would come and save us. We never dreamed that it would, in fact, be ourselves as adults. – Alice Little
Quote 14: When it feels disheartening to learn that trauma changes the brain, remember that healing changes the brain, too. – @howhumansheal
Quote 15: Trauma is a result of an overwhelming sense of danger, powerlessness, and fear. Healing is a result of feeling safe, empowered, and supported. – Unknown
Quote 16: People start to heal the moment they feel heard. – Cheryl Richardson
Quote 17: There’s a saying that goes, “Hurt people will hurt people.” But I rarely hear the opposite, “Healed people heal people.” Get healed. Then, go heal. – Unknown
At Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch (YBGR), we’re committed to meeting kids where they are—and for many, that means providing support right inside their schools. Through partnerships with 24 school districts across Montana, YBGR delivers school-based mental health services that help students stay engaged, build resilience, and thrive both in and out of the classroom.
What Are School-Based Mental Health Services?
School-based mental health services integrate therapeutic support into the daily school experience. Led by therapists, our teams of behavior specialists work directly in classrooms to deliver targeted interventions and counseling tailored to each child’s needs.
Support doesn’t end at the school doors—our services extend into homes and communities, creating wraparound care that provides stability and consistency for youth and families alike. This model keeps kids in school, reduces disruptions, and builds strong foundations for emotional and academic success.
A Statewide Effort to Support Students in Schools
From small rural communities to more populated school districts, YBGR’s school-based teams are making a meaningful difference across the state. These caring professionals play a vital role in early intervention, helping students navigate challenges before they escalate.
To our school-based community care teams: thank you. Your compassion, skill, and dedication are empowering Montana kids with the tools they need for life.
Below are twenty-one quotes illustrating how to raise kids with grit.
Quotes on Raising Kids with Grit
Quote 1: My father didn’t tell me how to live; he lived and let me watch him do it. – Clarence Budington Kelland
Kids don’t learn grit through lectures—they learn it by watching how you respond to challenges. If they see you keep going when things get tough, they learn that perseverance is normal—not something special or rare. They model their mindset after yours.
Quote 2: The attitude you have as a parent is what your kids will learn. They don’t remember what you try to teach them. They remember who you are. – Inspired by Jim Henson
You don’t need the perfect words. Your tone, your reactions, your effort—all of that teaches your kids how to handle life. If you stay calm during stress or keep trying after a failure, your kids pick up on that. Grit is caught, not taught.
Quote 3: Children have this way of becoming who we tell them they are. If we tell them they are strong, they become strong. If we tell them they are kind, they become kind. If we tell them they are capable, they become capable. Speak life into your kids, so they will have what it takes to tackle their own life one day. – Amy Weatherly
A child’s sense of identity forms early, and it shapes what they believe they can handle. If you consistently speak strength and capability into them, they begin to believe they can face difficulty. Kids who see themselves as capable are more likely to persist through setbacks.
Quote 4: My teacher once told me, “You’re going to do big things.” It made me feel 10 feet tall. I’ve remembered his words during the darkest lows and the highest highs. I always knew he believed in me—and that helped me believe in myself. Never underestimate the power of words. – Leslie Means
Encouragement doesn’t just boost confidence—it builds a child’s narrative about who they are. One meaningful comment can echo in a child’s mind for years, especially during hard times. That belief becomes a foundation for grit.
Quote 5: Don’t tell your kids, “I’m proud of you,” tell them, “You should be proud of yourself.” – Kristen Welch
If a child only works for adult approval, they’ll stop trying when no one’s watching. But if they learn to feel pride in their own effort, they develop the inner motivation that keeps them going—even when it’s hard and no one’s clapping.
Quote 6: Don’t waste a lot of time and money pushing kids in directions they don’t want to go. Instead, find out what weirdness they excel at and encourage them to do that. Then get out of the way. – Seth Godin
Passion drives perseverance. When kids are forced down a path that doesn’t fit, they resist. But if they’re encouraged to pursue what they love, they’ll stick with it through struggle. Grit is more likely to grow where there’s natural interest.
Quote 7: Instead of focusing on making your child’s life easier, help them recognize they are capable of handling hard things. – @dr.siggie
It’s natural to want to protect your child from struggle, but doing so sends the message they can’t handle it. When kids are trusted to face hard things—with your support—they learn to believe in their own strength, which builds resilience.
Quote 8: Self-esteem can’t be given or received. It’s developed through a sense of capability and the self-confidence gained from dealing with disappointments, solving problems, and having lots of opportunities to learn from mistakes. – Inspired by Jane Nelson
Real confidence doesn’t come from praise—it comes from doing. Each time a child faces something hard, learns from a mistake, or bounces back from disappointment, they gain proof they can handle life. That’s how grit and self-esteem grow.
Quote 9: If we’re not preparing our kids for the small challenges while they are young, how will they ever be prepared for the larger challenges and losses we all face as adults? – Brandon & Pace Verner
Struggles in childhood aren’t just bumps in the road—they’re training grounds. When kids are allowed to work through minor issues now, they build the emotional muscles they’ll need to handle bigger ones later. Grit grows in layers.
Quote 10: If parents want to give their children a gift, the best thing they can do is to teach them to love challenges, be intrigued by mistakes, enjoy effort, and keep on learning. That way, their children don’t have to be slaves to praise. They will have a lifelong way to build and repair their own confidence. – Carol Dweck
Kids who are obsessed with praise often avoid challenges—because failure feels like the end. But if we teach them that effort matters most, they’ll start to value learning over looking good. That shift is at the heart of grit.
Quote 11: By loving them for more than their abilities, we show our children that they are much more than the sum of their accomplishments. – Eileen Kennedy-Moore
When kids feel valued only for their accomplishments, failure becomes terrifying. But if they know they’re loved no matter what, they’re more likely to take risks, try again, and keep growing. That emotional safety is key to building grit.
Quote 12: When we give them permission to fail, we give them permission to be brave. – Karen Young
Kids can’t be brave if they’re afraid of disappointing you. But when you normalize failure, you give them the freedom to take risks. Grit isn’t about never falling—it’s about learning to get back up without shame.
Quote 13: When we shield children from failure or choreograph success for them, we’re distorting the experiences they need in order to grow. – Madeline Levine, Ph.D.
Struggle is how kids develop coping skills. When we step in too often, we deny them the practice they need to manage stress, problem-solve, and build confidence. Protecting them from all hardship actually makes them more fragile.
Quote 14: Let them fail. Life is not always going to be kind, and they won’t always reach their goals or achieve what they want but learning how to deal with these failures is a critical life lesson. They have to develop the internal drive and grit to not let these setbacks permanently undermine them. When they fail but then dust themselves off and get back up to face their next challenge, it helps them recognize their own strength and resilience. – Parenting Teens & Tweens
Failure teaches grit, but only if kids experience it firsthand. When they learn they can survive disappointment, it builds strength and a sense of control. Each time they rise again, they become more resilient.
Quote 15: Teach your kids that: Success is not final; failure is not fatal; it’s the courage to continue that counts. – Winston A. Churchill
Grit isn’t about one big win—it’s about staying the course. Kids need to know that setbacks don’t define them and success isn’t a finish line. What really matters is showing up again tomorrow.
Quote 16: Got a 2.4 GPA my first semester in college. Thought maybe I wasn’t cut out for engineering. Today, I’ve landed two spacecrafts on Mars and am designing one for the moon. STEM is hard for everyone. Grades ultimately aren’t what matters. Curiosity and persistence matter. – Ben Cichy
Early struggles don’t mean kids aren’t cut out for something. Grit means sticking with a goal despite early failure. What predicts long-term success isn’t talent—it’s determination and a willingness to keep learning.
Quote 17: It is not what you do for your children but what you have taught them to do for themselves that will make them successful human beings. – Ann Landers
Doing things for your child might help today—but teaching them to do it themselves builds long-term grit. Kids feel more capable when they can take ownership of their world, one step at a time.
Quote 18: Most of us will perform best at any job or role when we are entrusted with it rather than over-managed, doubted, or nit-picked. Children are no different. – Janet Lansbury
Micromanagement signals, “I don’t trust you.” Autonomy says, “You’ve got this.” Grit flourishes when kids are trusted to try, fail, and try again—without fear of being constantly corrected or doubted.
Quote 19: Raise your kids with the strength to know what they stand for, yet the humility to listen, learn, and grow. – Unknown
Grit doesn’t mean being stubborn. It means knowing when to stand firm and when to learn something new. Kids need both courage and curiosity to grow into strong, adaptable adults.
Quote 20: Strong-willed kids become adults who change the world as long as we can hang on for the ride and resist the temptation to “tame” the spirit out of them. – Unknown
That intensity you see in your child? It’s not a flaw—it’s fuel. Gritty kids often start as spirited ones. The key is helping them channel that energy, not squash it.
Quote 21: If I get one thing right in this parenting gig, I want my children to understand how their actions impact others. I want them to always think about what they can offer the world instead of what they can get from it. And I hope they always remember they are a part of something bigger than themselves. – Whitney Fleming
Purpose gives grit its direction. When kids believe they matter—that their actions affect others—they’re more likely to keep going, even when life gets hard. It’s not just about achieving. It’s about contributing.
Today, six months later, we’re not just marking a milestone—we’re seeing real momentum and measurable impact.
That goal isn’t just taking root. It’s reshaping how care reaches kids across Montana.
Before joining forces, YDI and YBGR each served around 2,000 kids a year. Today, together, we’re reaching that many every day.
Integrated Care in Action
Here’s what we’ve accomplished since Youth Dynamics joined the YBGR team:
Expanded Access and Increased Capacity
The majority of our therapeutic group homes are now at full capacity, with efforts underway to reopen additional locations across Montana. This growth allows more youth to receive care closer to home in an environment that bridges higher levels of treatment and community-based support.
Integrated care is reducing delays and strengthening transitions between different levels of service. In our second month as a unified organization, nearly 800 youth entered care under YBGR—a milestone made possible by shared systems, strong collaboration, and the combined strengths of both teams.
Youth now move more seamlessly through the continuum—from case management to group homes to residential treatment—receiving timely, connected support with fewer disruptions.
Increased Responsiveness
Our ability to respond to shifting needs has increased significantly with aligned teams and shared systems. Integrated care allows us to move quickly and deliver the right care at the right time.
When 13-year-old Jason’s needs escalated last fall, that responsiveness made all the difference. After transitioning from residential care at the Ranch to a previous Youth Dynamics group home, it became clear he needed more support.
In the past, moving him to a higher level of care could have taken weeks—time he didn’t have. But one call from Program Manager Jennifer Hawks was all it took to get him the help he needed—without hospitalization or disruption.
“Unifying as one provider allowed us to act fast and provide the care Jason needed when he needed it most.”— Jennifer Hawks, Group Home Program Manager
Across Montana—from Billings to Boulder, Glendive to Great Falls, Malta, Colstrip, and beyond—youth are getting help faster, more consistently, and in environment built for healing.
“With the addition of YDI into our ranks, I’m so grateful that YBGR is able to expand more in the Great Falls area!” — Stacey Sullivan, Therapist, Great Falls
Our progress reflects the strength of a unified mission and the dedication of the people carrying it forward. It shows what happens when two teams come together around a shared vision—and lean in to do hard things for the right reasons.
And we’re just getting started.
This progress is only possible because of the people behind it.
To our teammates across the state—thank you for showing up, embracing the vision behind this new path, and helping carry our mission forward: “Caring people, preparing youth for life.”
