Participant Success Stories 2008
Lisa and Justin, Family Reception Center
Lisa originally requested services from Good Shepherd's Family Reception Center for her son Justin at the suggestion of the school guidance counselor because of concerns that he often seemed distracted and withdrawn. During sessions with her social worker, Lisa shared her own feelings of depression. She spoke about the severe abuse she had suffered as a child and described the desperation to leave her parents' home that had driven her to Justin's father and even more abuse. She had ended this relationship several years before and had little contact with her family but was still struggling with her feelings about these issues.
Lisa and Justin worked hard at making things better. Lisa often stated that she was trying to be a different parent than her mother had been and her counselor was able to affirm that she had already succeeded. Justin made progress at school and at home and the family decided to leave the Family Reception Center. However, one year later, Lisa resumed contact with her counselor because Justin, now nine, was again having problems. She was ready to marry again and, though Justin liked Paul, this created a lot of conflict for him, particularly as his biological father kept initiating contact and then disappointing him. Paul was ready to participate in sessions too and so the family began to address these issues.
One session, the counselor asked Paul and Justin to don blindfolds and guide one another through an obstacle course. Another time, his counselor taught Justin the word "biological" to help him distinguish between his two fathers. The family showed an admirable ability to follow through on interventions and once again Justin began to improve.
The family's progress was captured in one significant session. The counselor asked Justin if he thought that Paul loved him. When he replied in the affirmative, the counselor asked him how he knew. He replied, "It's just a feeling that I have that starts down at my feet, then it comes up into my belly and my chest and then into my fingers and then my brain. I feel that I am safe and that he won't ever leave me. Even when he yells at me, I know that he loves me and won't hit me the way that my father hit us." Then Justin broke down, buried his face in his hands and cried. Paul reached out his hand and said, "Come here kid." Then he took him on his lap and they hugged for the first time.
