According to Dan Roam's book, Blah, Blah, Blah that is not
surprising, and is actually GOOD when trying to communicate a
complex idea. Roam makes the argument that we simultaneously
process details (which words are great for) and the BIG PICTURE
(which, well, pictures are good for). Most people understand
things better if they are getting info from both channels. Now
that I know this, I figure that it is important that I try to
practice it a bit here in our blog. So here goes (please bear
with the crude figures...I am going for basic ideas, not high
quality artwork!)... Here at Five Town CTC we often try to
explain the idea of risk factors and protective factors for
adolescent behaviors. When lots of risks are present in a kid's
life, there is a greater likelihood of a negative outcome. When
protective factors are present, kids can navigate tough
situations and still come out OK. So, perhaps we could compare
the teen years to navigating a river system: Some kids end up on
the branches of the river that have h