Therapy Matters: Mental Health Matters

By Director of Mental Health Services Griselda Williams

As I read what Ms. Frenchie Pulluaim wrote about the many layers of pain, challenges and hurdles our families have endured and must try to move past to move into permanent housing, I thought about the mental health aspects that are connected to those “broken hearts”.  She wrote about “matters of the heart” being complicated and how they can lead to physical and medical issues. 

I see so often what Ms. Frenchie wrote about as it relates to mental health challenges. Those mental health challenges can work against the goals, hopes and dreams that our families have and the efforts those of us in the helping field extend to them. 

A current topic of discussion in mental health is depression, given the media focus on Robin Williams and other well-known people who struggle with this issue. While much of the media focus is on the famous we on the mental wellness team plan to focus on our families and the impact that depression has on them. 

We have planned upcoming program group topics on the subject as we often see that beginning this time of year through the end of the year depression increases greatly. 

As depression increases so does those who are so broken hearted often contemplate taking their own lives. Given all that our families have endured it is important to give them an opportunity to openly discuss the impact of depression as well as provide them resources for support and decrease the stigma related to seeking help for mental health challenges. 

Programs Matter: Matters of the heart

By Interim Case Manager Frenchie Pulluaim

It sounds like such a simple phrase, but it is so much deeper.  Many of our families come into our community with broken hearts.  Most people in families had their hearts broken early in life and never found the pathway to healing.  When these people grow up with their baggage from youth, they create relationships built on poor foundations and hopes of being loved and accepted.  They attach themselves to people that resemble those people that never cared for them, loved them or knew how to accept them, but they hold on for dear life. 

Matters of the heart can lead to physical and medical issues and leave families devastated.  It is so important that when we listen to people and their conversation sounds simple, or we think their problem should be easily fixed; we must  understand that matters of the heart are very complicated.  It is not the spoken word that is important, it is the unspoken word.

Therapy Matters: "So This is What normal Feels Like".

By Therapist David Simpson
 

Last year, I began working with a pleasant and polite young man who found himself very confused/conflicted and saddened by the circumstances of his young life.

The young man had very limited friendships of his own age due to the homelessness he and his family frequently experienced.  The client had no significant male role models and his family dynamics were very skewed, not allowing him to genuinely develop a sense of self or healthy self-esteem.

This young person was on the verge of developing a significant chronic depression. The client was initially (by his own admission) hesitant to engage individual counseling. Yet, he was active in attending his individual counseling sessions, exploring/expressing thoughts, concerns and “secrets” he had held onto throughout his childhood.

He would often say with a smile “so this is what normal feels like”.

Although the counseling sessions were limited as a result of the family’s length of residence at Community LINC, he was able to confide, trust and accept support, guidance.

 

Children Matter: "I am more than your image of me"

By Child Therapist Casondra Foster

 

****** is a teen who did not like to meet with her therapist or participate in the teen groups. 

 

During the month of November we did a teen group “myths of the media” where we discussed on some of the incorrect perceptions that are displayed or glorified by the music that we listen to and the videos that we watch.  This particular group generated a lot of conversation about how music portrays women and the importance of knowing your own self-worth. 

 

There was some disclosure among the group about similar life experiences.  *****  took this opportunity to open up to the group about some of her previous experiences before she moved to Community LINC and some of the current challenges that she faces in her home. 

 

She was empowered by encouragement from her teen group facilitators and peers to not settle for what society views her as, but to always be willing to speak up for herself. 

 

She began to meet regularly with her therapist and reach out for help with addressing her feelings of “being left behind” at her school. 

 

She is currently more outspoken and does not hesitate to reach out for the support of her therapist to assist with her issues at her current school and other issues that prevalent in her life.  She has also been able to mend some of the previously damaged relationships with others in her teen group.

 

Therapy Matters: Establishing trust

By Director of Mental Wellness Gail Byers

 

Establishing trust in a therapeutic relationship can be challenging, particularly in the population we serve.  Gaining trust meets some of the components of Maslow’s  Hierarchy, i.e. safety needs which involve, security of body, resources, employment, family, health, and property.  Other components include esteem which is involves respect of others and respect by others.

 

The point is that when certain criteria is fulfilled, as indicated in Maslow’s hierarchies, trust is subsequently established. 

 

This continues to be proved true.

 

In a recent session a young woman revealed that she was raped as a child and never told anyone until now. She is 34 years old. 

 

Keep in mind that we had three previous sessions.  While it was a tremendous relief, as indicated by her countenance, the significance of her feeling safe enough to reveal the victimization was tantamount.  Imagine internalizing this trauma and the subsequent implications….shame/guilt, low self-worth, a skewed understanding of love, etc. These are all emotions that negatively impact lifelong decisions. 

 

However, the positive in this encounter is the significance of trauma informed care.  With this knowledge, comes clarity, resulting in more focused and intentional therapy. 

 

Therapy Matters: Childhood abuse is a trauma for life

By Director of Mental Wellness, Gail Byers

 

Typically during sessions the client is asked to tell about their childhood experiences, like who raised them, any significant experiences (loss of parents) etc. 

 

This particular client had participated in a group the evening before on child sexual abuse.  In discussing her childhood experiences she stated “I started prostituting when I was nine years old.  Old Mr. Jones would pay me all the time to sit on his lap.  I would take the money and buy candy and stuff.” 

 

As a therapist I often am the recipient of statements that are meant to shock.  However, such statements are really asking for clarification and/or validation. 

 

We reviewed the subject content of the previous group and the client literally had an ‘ah-hah’ moment.  She asked, “then I was not a prostitute?’ 

 

I responded, “no, you were a child, you were victimized.”  Her whole countenance changed with a sense of relief. 

 

This client, a 45 year old woman, believed this notion of being a prostitute, beginning at age nine, for thirty six years.  You can only imagine the impact that this belief has had on her self-worth and the decisions she has made in her life thus far.

 

“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change”