A Family Journey

When I first meet Irene 8 years ago, she was suffering from depression and starting to see some behavioral issues in her daughter Cara, who was 5 years old at the time.  Her son Parker was just 2 years old.  Irene was concerned about things going on at school that were impacting her daughter’s ability to learn in the classroom.  Cara was having trouble staying focused.

Things at home had their challenges as well. They didn’t live in the safest of neighborhoods and it was difficult for Irene to let her daughter go outside and play.  She wanted Cara to be supervised but with her own mental health challenges, and a 2 year old who liked to run, it was just another instance where Irene felt like she was failing. She often felt alone and isolated.

We began our journey with a conversation about what Irene thought was the ideal life for herself and then brainstormed ways to try and make those things happen.  One of our first tasks was to get Irene back involved with any kind of therapy.  With the father of her two children working full time, and a 2 year old home all the time, it was near impossible for Irene to get to a therapist.  She found various ways to be proactive about her mental health  in a way that fit her lifestyle.

As time went on, Irene was able to get herself to a mental health professional and combine medical advice with the personal strategies she developed.

Fast forward to 8 years later.  Cara is in High School.  Parker is 11 and has the same curly blonde hair he had when I first met him.  Both have had their own challenges, but with the help of their Mom, school personnel and an educational advocate, they are receiving services that have benefited their way of learning. Irene,  continues to seek out support.  She is more organized, more focused, and has even made friends in a local support group.  She still has her days when the depression wants to keep her home and isolated but more often than not, she pushes through and keeps walking her path to wellness.

The Mental Health Association works with families like Irene’s all the time to keep them on the path to wellness and success.

Learn more at Family Support Services

Story written by Angie Coleville, Family Support Intake Coordinator at the Mental Health Association