Resources by Gary Zustiak:
Gary Zustiak
“Dr. Zus” is Director of Counseling and Pastoral Care at Ozark Christian College in Joplin, MO. He has an MA and MDiv from Lincoln Christian University and a Doctor of Ministry from Abilene Christian University. A longtime expert on youth ministry and mental health, he has written a number of related works, including the books Intensive Care: A Manual for the Nonprofessional Who Work with Hurting and Broken Youth and Student Ministry That Leaves a Mark: Changing Youth to Change the World.
Adolescent Drug Use: Why Do They Do It?
Adolescent drug use: Why do so many teens experiment with drugs? What do we need to know about the motivations behind it? Case Studies of Adolescent Drug Use Karl[1] was a good looking, outgoing junior in high school when I met him. He was mature for his age and popular with the girls. His parents...
Gary Zustiak
Youth Suicide Prevention: Risk and Response
Once you confirm that a young person is at risk, you must act immediately. Dr. Paul Quinnett has designed a very simple, but very effective, procedure to follow if you believe someone may be suicidal. The procedure is referred to as “QPR: Ask a Question—Save a Life.”[1] The initials QPR stand for: Question, Persuade, and...
Gary Zustiak
Youth Suicide Prevention: Dos and Don’ts
Most of the crisis intervention experts will maintain that in approximately 80% of all suicide attempts, the person who took their life gave definite, identifiable clues as to their intention. With this insight, youth workers can take a significant step towards suicide prevention by learning the warning signs. The concerned youth worker needs to be...
Gary Zustiak
Reasons Why Adolescents Attempt Suicide
There are a number of reasons why a teen might make a suicide attempt. The following are a summary of some of the most common.[1] To escape from an intolerable situation. It is important to note that “intolerable” might be anything in the mind of a developing adolescent. Any time a teen feels hopeless and...
Gary Zustiak
Exposing Some Common Myths about Suicide
It is important to dispel some common myths about suicide. These myths have accumulated through the years and actually hinder people from becoming involved in the life of a person who is at risk. Myth #1: People who talk about suicide don’t commit suicide. Research in the St. Louis area found that 69% of those...
Gary Zustiak
