Sarah & Sam
Sarah was overwhelmed when she contacted WYS. She is the parent of Sam, an angry 17-year-old. Although Sarah knew that Sam needed help, he refused therapy and Sarah wondered what to do for him. Sarah learned that WYS could help her learn how to cope with her situation and how to be the best parent […]
Maddison
Maddison came to WYS as an overwhelmed mom of three kids. Initially, she was seeking counseling for her 12-year-old son Brian who was diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and autism. He was being bullied at school and started to run away from school to avoid facing his bullies. As her story started to unfold, the therapist […]
Amal & Kalila
Mother-daughter relationships are challenging, especially during the teen years. Amal and her 16-year-old daughter Kalila came to WYS with communication problems and because they seemed constantly angry at one another. Amal was watching their relationship “grow apart,” and she desperately wanted to help her daughter through this difficult time. Amal shared that the communication issues […]
Mr. Patrick
One of our favorite ways to help children and teens is to work in schools and with teachers. We had the pleasure of working with a Middle School where we held all day workshops for the students. In these workshops, we focused on talking about coping skills, self-confidence, and did an activity with the kids. […]
Ms. Jones
5th grade Ms. Jones was the 5 th grade teacher that no kid wanted to get. She was described as cold, mean, “old-school”, and had a reputation among the staff at the school for being a naysayer of positive ideas. Her colleagues spent a great deal of time trying to increase her skills and compassion […]
Cassandra
Cassandra’s 13 year-old daughter was referred to Western Youth Services for behavioral concerns. After visiting with her family, our Outreach and Engagement Specialist felt that all the members of her family could benefit from our services. Cassandra was separated from her husband and raising 5 children alone. She was living in poverty, had signs of […]
Carmen
Carmen was seeking mental health services due to her crippling anxiety, depressive symptoms, suicidal thoughts, and recurring panic attacks. Having suffered from gang-related trauma, at the time of her intake Carmen’s symptoms were so severe that they resulted in her frequently visiting the Emergency Room due to physical complaints. She’d not attended her high school […]