Support from a counselor helps children regain emotional balance after a trauma – as it did for Katie* who’s feeling safe and empowered for the first time in years.
Eleven-year-old Katie* was born with a bubbly personality. She was fearless and always had a smile for everyone. This all changed when she witnessed a traumatic event.
After that, Katie lived with a high level of anxiety. Ordinary sounds like car horns or bicycle bells scared her. Little changes in the day’s schedule made her break down. In school, she didn’t engage with her peers and would suddenly burst into tears.
Katie was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It had been years since the incident, and Mum and Dad were desperate for someone to help Katie recover from this dark episode.
Thanks to Family Works Angels like you,
Katie has now regained her confidence and sense of safety.
Katie’s parents brought her to meet Family Worker Lisa.* Lisa recognised that Katie needed to talk about her experience at her own pace.
To help her feel secure, Lisa met Katie in school at the same time each week, liaising with school staff so they could have a quiet place to talk. She gave Katie art materials to help her communicate the feelings she had bottled inside for years. Then Lisa encouraged Katie to draw a life map that showed all the high points and low points of her life.
These regular sessions encouraged Katie to talk about her terrifying memories and helped her understand that they were in the past.
Months later, Mum and Dad are noticing the positive changes in Katie.
Although she still feels nervous when she hears car alarms, she no longer freezes. Katie’s confidence has grown so much that she now goes out with friends and is more open to new experiences.
*Names changed and representative photos used to protect identities.
