MoveFwd helps young people navigate relationships
Growing up is exciting and sometimes hard. Even for young people nurtured by supportive families and friends. So imagine what it’s like for young people facing abusive relationships. These stories from MoveFwd counselors help paint a picture of the work we do.
“Katie” is an artist at heart. She’s a good student and a talented musician. She wasn’t always good at protecting herself from destructive relationships, though. She hit a spot in her young life where maintaining a relationship with an abusive boyfriend — layered on top of anxiety and depression — started interfering with school and her other interests. MoveFwd counselors helped her learn to cope with her underlying anxiety and depression issues and taught her tools for setting boundaries to avoid abusive relationships. She started flourishing in school again and re-discovered music.
“Gabriel” and his mom were recent immigrants. The lives they left in Africa and their journey here were harrowing. Sometimes it’s hard to flip the switch from surviving a crisis to everyday life. Navigating the new culture layered upon the trauma they experienced left Gabriel and his mom struggling with their relationship. Before they sought out family counseling through MoveFwd, Gabriel was on the verge of leaving home at 15. Gabriel and his mom used the communication skills they learned from our counselors to cultivate a supportive and mutually respectful relationship with each other. He is now home with his family and they’re learning to love Minnesota.
For more than 25 years, we have helped young people like “Katie” and “Gabriel” land on their feet when things get too hard to face alone. MoveFwd supports young people 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 in our suburbs is 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.