THINK to AS K:

Will I save on out-of-pocket costs?

Can my surgery actually be less stressful?

Will I have the comfort of a private room?

Creativity has always been a part of his life, but he didn’t realize it was therapeutic until he started working at Life House. If he has strong feelings today, he makes music. “Start hitting on some drums. Boom boom cling cling, and it’s gone,” he said.

That’s a big reason why he aims to share the arts with youths.

On the wall in the Life House living room is a row of art pieces: A picture of Converse sneakers with the words “just live” on the toes. A colorful marker scene with a heart on fire and the words “so many questions.”

Common artistic themes at the center are broken hearts, difficulties with relationships and struggles with trust.

“We all have trust issues, but they really got it,” Mayfield said. When young adults share their work through poetry or art, they can release it.

“The audience takes that now, (and) they can heal a little bit,” he said.

Life House offers programs in parenting, cooking, planning for college, job training, and assistance in gaining housing and important documentation such as birth certificates. While the organization focuses on guidance so the youths are doing the work, Mayfield said the staff are always in the role of support.

In that, listening until a young adult is finished with whatever they have to say is important, Mayfield said. Also, offering positive feedback. If there are bad vibes during a difficult conversation or if a particular issue is outside his expertise, he will bring in a colleague, he said.

“Working at Life House, we have to have all sorts of difficult conversations about homelessness, sexual assault, family issues,” Ahna Pelto said.

Pelto was Mayfield’s supervisor and the former youth center program manager. Before they met, Mayfield left an impression on her. Pelto called to set up an interview and his voicemail message: “It’s him singing a song,” she said.

He has such a big personality, and a lot of the young men look up to him, Pelto added.

“He’d be able to connect with some of the youths that other people maybe couldn’t because of his own experience and the way he can make people feel comfortable.”

“When I left, I knew that the youth center was going to be in really great hands with him as manager,” said Pelto, who is now an Essentia Health therapist for young adults.

Working with Mayfield has taught Cheyenne Alisankus that it’s OK to be silly, she said.

It’s very important, said the youth advocate/ resource coordinator, because the work can be stressful. “He’ll be singing all the time, and I can vibe off of that, and I’ll joke around and start singing, too,” she said.

Engaging and building relationships with the young adults are key for Mayfield. His tips for connecting are: be honest, don’t take it personally when they get angry, and don’t give up on them.

One challenge is making sure he’s not trying to save everyone, he said.

“I have my own kids. … I know my kids are taken care of, they’re fine, but these kids aren’t.

“They are with us, and some other agencies, too,” he said. His go-to outlets are theater, online chess, painting, making music. And the ongoing rewards of his job are helping someone who’s hurting. “This is the greatest job in the world. For me, it is,” he said. v