For most of her childhood, Holly’s* life was in disarray. Her father traveled a lot for work and was
not around much. Her mom struggled to take care of Holly on her own and often was emotionally unstable. When her parents were together, there were arguments and abuse. One day, a particularly violent episode between the parents caught the attention of neighbors and Holly and her sister were removed from the home for safety concerns.
When Holly arrived at Epworth her behavior and self-worth mirrored the only environment she had ever known. She frequently took even smallest offenses and blew them out of proportion. If someone sat in the wrong place or borrowed a pencil and did not immediately bring it back, her emotions would erupt in a dramatic fit and she would re-live the moment over and over in her head for days.
The staff at Epworth created a comprehensive care plan to give her the support she needed, as Holly struggled to process and mange her anger. She began therapy with a counselor to work on her anger management. Her case manager spent one-on-one time with her to talk through her impulses. She was matched with a volunteer mentor to provide a positive and independent adult relationship to improve her social skills and self-esteem.
Today, after months of progress, Holly’s struggles with anger have improved dramatically. Her progress has improved so much that her mother is now coming to family therapy at Epworth to help rebuild their relationship and hopefully work toward reunification. Epworth is not only providing Holly with the care she needs, but her family has been provided the opportunity to break a destructive cycle in their lives and create a promising future.
These services to children and their families are available because of faithful people, like you. Make a generous gift today, knowing you are a partner with Epworth in transforming the futures of children, like Holly.
*Child’s name and photo changed for confidentiality.
