2006

Children and their parents come to us seeking help for a wide range of problems.  Often, these problems are complex and require a lot of time, patience and perseverance for progress to be made.  Some things, though, can be treated effectively in a relatively brief amount of time if the proper intervention is applied.  Below is an example of providing a little assistance to gain a big impact on the quality of life in one family.   

Maddie is a 3 1/2 year old little girl who could throw gigantic tantrums!  Bedtime was a nightmare for her young parents who both worked during the day and even were attending college classes.  Needless to say, nobody was getting very much sleep. And the struggle continued for much of the night as Maddie would climb into their bed long after they assumed she was finally asleep.

After just one session, her parents came back to report her tantrums had stopped and everybody was happier.

During the third session, Maddie’s behavior chart was proudly presented with several stars and stickers prominently displayed. The therapist happily opened the treat drawer to offer Maddie additional rewards.

The last session focused on reviewing Maddie’s progress and answering the final questions of the parents. 

After four sessions the parents reported uninterrupted sleep which resulted in being well rested and having a higher level of energy to apply toward the employment and parenting responsibility.

Submitted by Stephanie Rose, LMHC and CGC Outpatient Therapist

2005

When Tommy came to Child Guidance Center, his young life had been filled with chaos and loss. Being the oldest of four siblings, he was often responsible for their care due to his parents’ drug addiction and depression. His family life was filled with exposure to domestic violence. When his parents separated, Tommy volunteered to be the sole sibling to live with his father. He felt responsible for keeping his father from making any new suicidal attempts.

Soon after, Tommy experienced the unexpected deaths of his grandparents in a tragic house fire. This further diminished the stability of the family and they moved into a homeless shelter.

Eventually, Tommy and his sibling were placed in foster care. Later, they were adopted. Tommy and a brother were adopted by one family and his other two siblings were adopted by another family. Once more, everything familiar to Tommy had drastically changed.

Tommy was aggressive and oppositional when he came to Child Guidance Center for help. He had frequent outbursts of anger. His behavior reflected the extreme stressors he had experienced during the first twelve years of his young life. Counseling focused on helping him cope with his multiple losses so he could begin planning for his future.

Today, Tommy is more than surviving; he is thriving. He has strong academics and plays on a community sports team. He has learned to express his feelings rather than act them out. For the first time in his life, Tommy has begun developing plans for his future. He hopes to be accepted into a magnet school where he can pursue his interest in aeronautics and space exploration.

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Last modified: 08/19/08