Maria
All 15-year-old Maria knew was that she felt depressed and unmotivated. Hoping to bury her hurt, she retreated, withdrawing from activities with family and friends – or lashing out verbally in a struggle to communicate her seemingly inarticulate feelings. Her poor performance academically only added to her challenges. And then her mother found WYS through word […]
Josh and Mark
Sibling rivalry, it’s as old as the family unit itself. And whether competing for toys or attention, the continual bickering, jealousy and sometimes even aggression can become disruptive and even unhealthy. Although sibling rivalry is normal, it needs addressing at escalated levels. WYS is experienced in bringing families back together. When Josh and Mark, a 6- and […]
Matt
Kinship care – a term often used when grandparents step in to raise their grandchildren – is a complex relationship with a unique set of challenges for all family members. It’s a growing phenomenon across the country, with more than 2.5 million grandparents taking on responsibility for the youth in their family, according to AARP (American Association […]
Daniel
Daniel was referred to WYS after getting kicked out of preschool. His mother said she didn’t know how to parent him. Daniel was oppositional, defiant and aggressive. It was recommended that Daniel and his mother participate in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). Daniel’s mother was skeptical and expressed that Daniel was the one that needed help […]
Savannah
Savannah came to Western Youth Services a few years after she was placed in foster care due to domestic violence. Her history revealed that at the age of 6 years old, she didn’t have the words to describe what she was feeling inside and didn’t understand why she couldn’t be with her mother and siblings. […]
Karla
Karla felt like everyone was angry with her – her parents, teachers, even her soccer coach. She tried to pay attention. She tried to sit quietly in class. Karla began feeling worthless, like she couldn’t do anything right, she was always getting in trouble. After being assessed by the school psychologist and her pediatrician, she […]
Jeremy
“You don’t look like you have mental issues.” Jeremy didn’t know how to respond. His friend was right. Jeremy looked like a typical, happy adolescent. He earned good grades, played sports and followed the rules. No one ever thought anything was wrong. That is until Jeremy made a serious suicide attempt. He just wanted to die […]
Roberto
Roberto was 12 years old when his parents brought him to WYS with concerns about his escalating level of anxiety. He was easily distracted, had trouble focusing in school and at home, and when talking he was easily excited and nervous.The WYS clinician working with Roberto, began a treatment plan that included family and individual therapy with the focus […]
Amber
When 6 year-old Amber first came to WYS, she was struggling. Recurring nightmares led to difficulty sleeping, her eating habits had changed, and she was suddenly sensitive to loud noises. All of this led to a change in her personality that was expressed with aggressive behavior, irritability, and “tantrums” at school and at home. Amber received individual […]
Jessica
Jessica came to WYS experiencing intense distress and sadness as a result of a long history of traumatic childhood experiences. She avoided thinking or talking about the traumatic situations as well as people or places that might trigger a memory. She struggled with feeling guilt and shame which had a negative impact on her self-confidence […]