To know Dr. Kit (Christopher) Barthel is to experience the generosity of aloha that is so much a part of island life. Now retired at his long-time home in Ahualoa, over the years Barthel has quietly performed miracles in his work with troubled adolescents and their families. His own adolescence, spent in diverse, colorful Rangoon, planted a seed that eventually developed into an openness of spirit, bringing him to the islands in the early sixties. “We were integrated into the community. There was a place called Washington Place and it was a place where all the Americans stayed, but my folks were adamant that we were out in the community with the Burmese,” says Barthel.
He returned to the U.S. for college, unsure what he was going to study, but when he took a psychology class while enrolled in Northwestern University’s business college, he found his path. Barthel went on to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Ohio State. “For the first time in my life, I was scared that I wasn't going to make it. It was an exceptional challenge,” says Barthel.
He returned to the U.S. for college, unsure what he was going to study, but when he took a psychology class while enrolled in Northwestern University’s business college, he found his path. Barthel went on to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Ohio State. “For the first time in my life, I was scared that I wasn't going to make it. It was an exceptional challenge,” says Barthel.
After an internship in Honolulu at the State Mental Hospital, Barthel returned to Ohio State. He completed his degree and set off on the first of many journeys, traveling through the South Pacific and Asia. As if wanting to drink in all the diversity on earth, travel became a regular part of Barthel’s life. Wherever he went he drew people to him. “I was with Kit and Kenneth in Nepal and it was just amazing. He was always surrounded by a group of young boys, all chattering away with him,” says colleague Cathy Lowder.
Returning to Honolulu after his first travel adventure, Barthel began his life-long work for the Department of Health Services’ (DHS) family courts division. As a consulting psychologist, unconstrained by the demands of the courts, Barthel was able to serve the best interests of his clients. “I wasn’t an employee of the courts. I was always with the Department of Health, which was good because nobody could tell me what to do. I’m sure at times they wished they could have gotten rid of me,” says Barthel.
While at the DHS, he met colleagues that would become his family of friends. “I've known him for 40 years. I was a social worker at the time I met him, working for the YWCA. He is the finest counselor with youth that I've ever met. Not only in his keen perception but he went beyond the office hours. He gave them a home when they had no place to go,” says social worker colleague Eileen Lum. “He was always willing to go along with me on any screwball capers. Once we were looking for a couple of girls that ran away and we tracked them down to the Waikiki jungle. He and I were dressed in our shabbiest. In those days we were the mod squad,” she adds.
Returning to Honolulu after his first travel adventure, Barthel began his life-long work for the Department of Health Services’ (DHS) family courts division. As a consulting psychologist, unconstrained by the demands of the courts, Barthel was able to serve the best interests of his clients. “I wasn’t an employee of the courts. I was always with the Department of Health, which was good because nobody could tell me what to do. I’m sure at times they wished they could have gotten rid of me,” says Barthel.
While at the DHS, he met colleagues that would become his family of friends. “I've known him for 40 years. I was a social worker at the time I met him, working for the YWCA. He is the finest counselor with youth that I've ever met. Not only in his keen perception but he went beyond the office hours. He gave them a home when they had no place to go,” says social worker colleague Eileen Lum. “He was always willing to go along with me on any screwball capers. Once we were looking for a couple of girls that ran away and we tracked them down to the Waikiki jungle. He and I were dressed in our shabbiest. In those days we were the mod squad,” she adds.
After adopting his Korean son, Kenneth, Barthel was given an almost unheard of sabbatical from the DHS. He found his way to `Āhualoa on Hawai'i Island, where he made his home and eventually began work for the DHS family court division in Hilo.
A big part of Barthel’s magic is his non-judgmental nature. “He is a very open and authentic person with everybody. He accepts everybody as they are without putting people into any kind of category. He sees the very best in every person and worked to bring out the best in every person. Whether you were his friend or whether you were seeing him as a therapist,” says Hilo colleague Cathy Lowder. These qualities endeared him to everyone he encountered. “He was very well liked by all of the judges and all the probation officers,” says Lowder.
Barthel’s philosophy is the more love you give away, the more love you have and he seems to have an abundance. Ipo Kahele is one foster child who became a member of the family. “I met Kit when I was nine years old. He was our therapist. When I was 15 I started to live with him full time. He's been my rock my whole life. He may not be my dad by blood, but he's my dad in every essence of the word,” says Kahele, who now does mission work in Brazil.
Along with his big aloha heart, his vast array of skills, has served him well in his work with troubled adolescents, who face extraordinary difficulties such as abuse and neglect along with the normal trials of being a teenager. “Kit was a key resource person for both the probation officers and for the foster parents, insuring that the foster homes were therapeutic in how they were working with their foster child,” says Lowder. “One of his strengths was behavior management. So he worked very close with foster parents, developing detailed behavior management plans,” she adds.
A big part of Barthel’s magic is his non-judgmental nature. “He is a very open and authentic person with everybody. He accepts everybody as they are without putting people into any kind of category. He sees the very best in every person and worked to bring out the best in every person. Whether you were his friend or whether you were seeing him as a therapist,” says Hilo colleague Cathy Lowder. These qualities endeared him to everyone he encountered. “He was very well liked by all of the judges and all the probation officers,” says Lowder.
Barthel’s philosophy is the more love you give away, the more love you have and he seems to have an abundance. Ipo Kahele is one foster child who became a member of the family. “I met Kit when I was nine years old. He was our therapist. When I was 15 I started to live with him full time. He's been my rock my whole life. He may not be my dad by blood, but he's my dad in every essence of the word,” says Kahele, who now does mission work in Brazil.
Along with his big aloha heart, his vast array of skills, has served him well in his work with troubled adolescents, who face extraordinary difficulties such as abuse and neglect along with the normal trials of being a teenager. “Kit was a key resource person for both the probation officers and for the foster parents, insuring that the foster homes were therapeutic in how they were working with their foster child,” says Lowder. “One of his strengths was behavior management. So he worked very close with foster parents, developing detailed behavior management plans,” she adds.
Fortunately for many troubled teens, Barthel’s capacity for giving has been boundless. “His calendar would get so full, I’d have to call him and whine. He would relent and add one more of the kids to his calendar,” says Edie Kawai, a colleague who worked with him on Child Protective Services cases. “There are kids who are adults now that will never forget him. He literally was part of saving their lives. He is the best therapist with kids that I have ever met,” she adds.
Through his work with the Children’s Advocacy Center in Hilo, Barthel has also left a legacy with practitioners who in turn have touched the lives of many. “There was a whole other aspect that had to do with teaching. It was a big, big thing in my life. It’s still really good. Every time I go to the Children’s Advocacy Center in Hilo, it’s like going home,” says Barthel.
Barthel retired five years ago, but his bountiful legacies live on. This was made clear to him when he attended First Friday in Honoka’a. “It was the first one that they ever had. People would stop me and say, ‘Oh you're Dr. Kit’. All these relationships. That was surprising and really pleasing,” says Barthel.
Our island’s spirit works through people like Kit Barthel, who in turn help the aloha spirit continue to flourish on Hawai'i Island.
Through his work with the Children’s Advocacy Center in Hilo, Barthel has also left a legacy with practitioners who in turn have touched the lives of many. “There was a whole other aspect that had to do with teaching. It was a big, big thing in my life. It’s still really good. Every time I go to the Children’s Advocacy Center in Hilo, it’s like going home,” says Barthel.
Barthel retired five years ago, but his bountiful legacies live on. This was made clear to him when he attended First Friday in Honoka’a. “It was the first one that they ever had. People would stop me and say, ‘Oh you're Dr. Kit’. All these relationships. That was surprising and really pleasing,” says Barthel.
Our island’s spirit works through people like Kit Barthel, who in turn help the aloha spirit continue to flourish on Hawai'i Island.
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