Why I’m Returning to Tawonga: From the Therapy Room Back to Camp

By: Anna Akullian, Assistant Director of Bay Area Programs & Partnerships

Over 25 years ago, I showed up at Camp Tawonga, a bit nervous, excited, and clutching a sleeping bag – wondering what the week would bring. I never could have imagined that decades later – after building a career at the intersection of mental health and community – I’d find myself right back where it all began.

And yet, the return makes perfect sense.

After earning a Master’s in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard, I spent four years running an online community of over 400,000 people – an experience that revealed both the power and the limits of digital connection. During that time, I also completed my training as a Marriage and Family Therapist, deepening my commitment to supporting emotional well-being through both personal and communal pathways.

Most recently, I spent a year and a half working as a therapist. I supported kids, teens, adults, and families facing anxiety, depression, identity exploration, and life transitions. While I witnessed the power of therapy every day, I kept returning to one simple truth:

Some of the most powerful tools for emotional well-being are found in nature, in community, and in connection.

They’re found at Camp Tawonga.

I know this firsthand — not just as a mental health professional, but as someone who grew up in this community. I was a Tawonga camper for eight years, spent ten summers on staff in roles ranging from counselor to part of the summer director team, and even worked full-time helping launch our Bar & Bat Mitzvah program over seven years ago. Camp has shaped me in every season of life – and now, its impact feels more vital than ever.

We’re facing a youth mental health crisis. According to the CDC, rates of anxiety and depression among teens have risen sharply over the past decade. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has described youth mental health as “the defining public health issue of our time,” and recently declared loneliness a public health epidemic, citing its impact as comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. At the same time, screen time has reached record highs, leaving young people more digitally connected — but more emotionally isolated — than ever before.

In the therapy world, we talk a lot about risk factors. But we also talk about protective factors — the things that build resilience and help prevent emotional distress in the first place. Things like:

• Opportunities to build self-esteem and confidence
• Unplugged time connecting with nature
• Deep, in-person friendships and a strong sense of belonging
• A connection to something greater than oneself

These protective factors – some of the most powerful antidotes to today’s mental health challenges – are the timeless values at the heart of Camp Tawonga’s mission. They make up Camp Tawonga’s DNA, and are woven into every Camp experience — from summer camp to down the mountain programs.

And now, I’m honored to return as Assistant Director of Bay Area Programs & Partnerships, helping bring the magic of Tawonga to families, kids, and teens all year long. Through year-round Bay Area offerings, we’re creating sacred, joyful, connected spaces for families, kids, and teens to grow, learn, reflect, and play. Whether it’s a weekend retreat, a rite-of-passage experience, or a program celebrating a Jewish holiday, these moments offer something profound: a break from the noise, and a return to what matters most.

It turns out, the things we most need for our mental health aren’t complicated. We need community. We need nature. We need to be seen, supported, and celebrated for who we truly are.

As a therapist, I saw how healing that kind of connection can be. And as someone who grew up at Tawonga, I know how powerfully Camp cultivates it. That’s why I’m back — and why I believe so deeply in the work we’re doing.

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You can get to know Anna more here and learn more about our Bay Area Programs Anna is overseeing here!