A kid to a parent, back to the kid.

Being a helper can be one of the most rewarding jobs that life can offer. It can also be one of the most emotional, exasperating, and stressful positions that life can offer. The trick is to find the balance! Sometimes you run into clients that just do not work the way you want them to work! Yes, some of this population may be classified as teenagers. I too was one of those kids who did not want to work with anyone! The story continues on as 18 months have passed. I began working with this troubled teenager, and for the life of me could not get the walls to come down. This particular kid, has been in and out of therapy, life skills, and medication management. The first five months were taxing to say the least, on him, me and his family. Then I did something that I have done in the past, on few occasions. I began to work exclusively with the parents. First the Dad rejected the idea. I began to work with the Mom first. We did some amazing work for two months, then the Dad came around, and we had a positive month with him. Nine months of working with the family for family sessions something changed. The kid began to sit in on the family sessions. Not once, not twice, but every Saturday, the kid would rearrange his work schedule, and fun schedule to take part. On the 11th month, I began seeing the kid again. This unique helping relationship has transpired over the last 6 months now. When I began working with this family, the kid was a D student, told many untruths, and got in trouble with the courts. The parents and kid did not have a healthy relationship at the time. If I remember correctly, the kid would not eat with his parents, or go anywhere with his parents. Yesterday, I got word from the family he was accepted to college. This kid is going on a family visit to his college with his Mom and Dad! His grade point average is 3.0! He has been clean for five months now. The tear jerk er in this whole story, the kid and family at their church are leading a christian group for families who need support. When we started this program, the parents and the kid did not believe in a higher power. Today they have found their higher power, and are helping other families find their higher power! Stay in your health, stay in the moment.