Ten-year-old Melissa was struggling in school. She had high levels of anxiety that led to regular meltdowns, she was unable to focus on her school work, and did not want to go to school.
Melissa began to see a Western Youth Services (WYS) therapist in school who learned through their discussions that Melissa’s mom, a single parent, would often turn to Melissa to ask for help in making adult decisions related to household finances. Unknown to her mother, this was very stressful for Melissa.
The therapist at school recommended that Melissa’s mom meet with another WYS therapist for a series of therapy sessions to help her better manage the complex decisions that she juggles alone as a single parent.
The primary therapist continued to work with Melissa on building her confidence through creativity, one of her strengths. Her mom started to apply some of the new parenting techniques that she was learning to their relationship. Through the collaborative partnership of all involved, Melissa grew and learned more about her feelings. Her crying episodes, negative self-talk, and unhappiness she had been experiencing subsided. She is now more imaginative in her solutions, has started to make new friends, her grades have improved, and her self-esteem has grown. She recently won an award for perfect school attendance.
Melissa has successfully completed therapy, she is happier, more independent in school, and her relationship with her mother improved. Her mom is seeing an individual therapist to continue to support and maintain the progress that she and her daughter have made and prepare them with the necessary tools to make sound future decisions.
