| Lucky7 is a fundraising guild for ATSC. Offering
the highest quality mental health counseling to at-risk youth,
ATSC has helped thousands of children heal and find
their place in society. Below are just some of ATSC's
most rewarding success stories.
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Jenny
Since Jenny was about 6 years old she had been noticeably
disruptive in school. Jenny had a poor attention span,
poor frustration tolerance, and had many temper outbursts
in class. Referrals to ATSC had been made from her school
since she had been in the first grade. Her mother had
not followed through because of her own sense of failure,
denial, and ultimately, embarrassment. After realizing
that it was not about feeling "like a failure"
and that Jenny would not grow out of it, the family
decided to engage in family therapy.
Jenny was 8 years old when her family, consisting of
her mother, father, and 13 year old brother, came to
ATSC. Her mother expressed feeling overwhelmed as she
experienced Jenny's demands at home. She also felt a
loss of authority.
Jenny's therapist believed that ADHD might be the cause
of Jenny's behavioral problems. The therapist educated
the family about the steps to confirm the diagnosis.
Jenny's parents began using consistent and structured
daily routines as suggested by the therapist. They also
attended ADHD parenting classes where behavior management
was explained to help them implement new parenting skills.
The therapist was able to intervene with the problems
at school. With individual attention, Jenny was able
to develop a positive attitude not only in the school
setting but at home as well.
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Jerry
Jerry's parents divorced when he was 5 years old. For
years he had been witness to substance abuse and domestic
violence. His father was addicted to alcohol and heroin
and would often beat his mother.
At 10 years old, Jerry began exhibiting some changes
in behavior at school. He began to withdraw and complain
of headaches and stomachaches. A referral was sent to
ATSC.
Jerry lived with his mother and 8 year old sister at
the time they began family therapy. Jerry's mother expressed
having a hard time with Jerry at home. He had begun
to hit, kick, and in one instance, choke his sister.
Jerry also had tantrums where he called his mother obscene
names.
The therapist began by introducing Jerry to art and
play therapy. This helped Jerry deal with anxiety and
his feeling of helplessness. He saw himself as a "bad
child" and felt he was to blame for the violence
that had happened at home.
The therapist was able to help Jerry and his family
as a whole, to express the sense of loss of a father.
Jerry was also nurtured to feel safe in expressing his
aggressiveness through play. The therapist helped Jerry's
mother set limits to decrease conflict in the family.
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