Walden’s Cove Moves to Lexington Park

Walden’s Cove/DFZ Program has moved to 46940 S. Shangri-La Drive, Suite 15, Lexington Park, MD 20653.

The change of address for Walden’s adolescent clubhouse includes even more opportunities to serve area youth and families. The Cove offers mentoring, life skills, coaching, and support to teens impacted by substance use. Their staff have been offering these services since 2012. Now in its new location in Lexington Park, The Cove program is even better poised to serve area youth and families impacted by behavioral health concerns.

The Cove works to genuinely get to know and invest in local youth, keeping close to Walden’s pledge of “help for today hope for tomorrow” and working to make that pledge a reality in the lives of the youth and families served.

“The Cove is a place that opens up opportunities for youth to gain new experiences and exposure to life outside of St. Mary’s County,” says Youth Mentor Breana Pearsall, the team’s newest member. She is referring to trips The Cove program takes to expand horizons. There are trips to museums, and cultural, sport, and entertainment events in Southern Maryland and in the Baltimore/Washington, DC, area.

“The Cove is not just a way for young people to get away from the stress and burdens of family and school. It is a place to grow and better overcome what life throws their way,” says Kadesha Mitchell, a Peer Recovery Specialist at The Cove. “We offer tutoring, a safe place to express themselves, and have fun all at the same time.”

Ms. Mitchell thinks of The Cove as a home away from home for youth where offerings are a blend of life skills, support groups, academics, mentoring, and fun.

The Cove works with youth via a process of meeting the youth where he or she is and establishing relationships toward empowerment. While The Cove site and its activities require the youth to be drug- and alcohol-free for participation, The Cove team also works with youth who are struggling with drug or alcohol misuse.

Roy Maddox, Youth Specialist for The Cove, explains,  “Although we as a team promote a drug-free clubhouse, we also know and acknowledge the importance of meeting a youth where they are and being able to use our harm reduction model to encourage our youth that if they are engaging in drug use or other unsafe behaviors they are well informed of the dangers of the behaviors and the risk they are taking.”

The Cove publishes a monthly calendar of its activities available electronically or via email. For more information, call 240-538-1679.