MoveFwd counsels young people to cope with emotions
Sometimes the bravest thing a young person can do is ask for help. While we all want happiness for the young people in our communities, life can be tough stuff for some and others have trouble coping with stressful situations. These two stories show how MoveFwd counselors help young people manage their emotions.
“Adam” kept to himself at school. He did well in school academically, but did not like to talk about his feelings. Adam had a few close friends, and he was surprised when one of them started experimenting with drugs, but assumed his friend “could handle it.” He was worried when he realized that his best friend had succumbed to addiction and died from an accidental overdose.
MoveFwd counselors helped Adam work through his grief and cope with the loss, helping him to stay focused in school.
“Sam” also wants to do well in school. But, unlike Adam, Sam wore his heart on his sleeve. Everyone knew when he was feeling angry or frustrated, because he would express it in through outburst, at times. His teachers were frustrated with Sam for disrupting classes and frequent trips to the principal’s office interfered with his success in school. Sam realized that his outbursts were getting in the way of the goals he wanted to reach, but he wasn't sure how to talk about and resolve the anger he was feeling in calmer ways.
Therapists at MoveFwd helped Sam learn to express his hurt and anger, in ways that helped him feel better, which resulted in him functioning better in school. He stopped having episodes at school and got back on track to graduate.
For over 25 years, we have helped young people like “Adam” and “Sam” land on their feet when things get hard to face alone. MoveFwd supports homeless and at-risk kids and their families with quick-response, barrier-free, no-cost counseling and case management. We serve young people at the older end of the spectrum with our housing program and Drop-in Center. Homelessness and mental health concerns in our community are a growing problem. Donors like you make our work possible. Thanks from the bottom of our hearts for helping us help families and schools take care of our community’s young people.