Better is POSSIBLE through Thornwell’s A.R.C. Residential Program!

Twelve years ago, Katie was adopted. Her biological mother faced significant struggles with substance abuse and mental health when Katie was born, and she was placed in foster care. Katie’s adoptive parents, Tom and Melinda, were overjoyed to welcome her home when she was just 15 months old. They were always very open about her adoption and worked to present the circumstances surrounding it with special care.

As Katie grew, however, her biological mother’s choices weighed heavy. She asked herself, “why me?” She felt like a burden and often wondered what might have been. By age 12, Katie felt resentment towards her adoptive parents and unresolved anger towards her birth mother. She struggled with extreme anxiety, disrupted sleep patterns, ADHD, and behavioral problems. 

Katie’s parents recognized that their daughter needed more help than they knew how to give. They desperately searched for answers help her find healing. A friend in their adoption support group told them about Thornwell’s A.R.C. Residential Program and how it works to help families who are struggling to deal with the long-term impact of their child’s early experiences of trauma, neglect, and other adoption issues.

They decided to schedule a free consultation to learn more.

“We want what’s best for our child, we know that she has a lot of hurt, and our goal is to make sure she gets what she needs. We want her to know how loved and wanted she is,” Katie’s mother Melinda told Thornwell’s intake coordinator, Chelsea.

They determined that A.R.C. could be a great fit for Katie. For the next four months, Katie lived in a cottage at Thornwell with her teaching parents and a group of her peers. At first, she was angry and put up walls to keep her from connecting with them. She didn’t want to be hurt by anyone. Knowing this, her teaching parents gave Katie space while also encouraging her to open up and heal in the process.

Katie received weekly individual therapy and was joined by her parents in family therapy with Thornwell’s full-time therapist. She had monthly home visits and frequent day visits with her family. Soon, Katie was forming positive relationships and her behavior improved. Medication adjustments helped her with her sleep patterns. Katie began to feel a weight lifted off her shoulders. Her parents were overjoyed to see her smiling again.

Today, she’s now home with her parents and going to middle school where she’s excelling in art class. Her family has already prepared for the next step in Katie’s stability and success by enrolling in Thornwell’s Building Families program, our in-home counseling program for children and their families. This will help reinforce the steps they’ve taken together as they become stronger as a family and learn more effective ways of communication. 

—

Does this story sound a little bit familiar? We want you to know that you’re not alone. We know your journey has been really hard, and we also know better is possible. Thornwell created the A.R.C. Residential Program for families just like yours.

Click here to schedule a free consultation today! We can’t wait to talk to you!