Many children at Chaddock have experienced mental health challenges due to trauma in their early lives.
Abby, for example, was adopted by a loving family at an early age, but the trauma she suffered before that was debilitating. At just 11 years old, Abby already had six mental health hospitalizations and one-long term residential placement. Her adoptive mother continually sought help for her family, but the services were unsuccessful. She was eventually referred to Chaddock’s Developmental Trauma and Attachment Program (DTAP).
One and a half years later, Abby is a bubbly, funny, articulate young lady, and she is going home!
We asked Abby how Chaddock has helped her heal: “Before I got to Chaddock, I was angry and had physical aggression towards my mom. It caused a lot of problems in my home,” she shared, “and I argued with my older brother a lot. He told me that it wasn’t his choice to have me in the family. Now, I understand that he was just mad at me because of how I was treating our mom.”
At Chaddock, Abby learned to open up and accept herself as a person worthy of being loved unconditionally. She shared that, “Therapy here is not like other therapy. We deal with the hard stuff but we also have fun.”
The biggest change in Abby’s life is her ability to manage her emotions and have a healthy relationship with her family. “My relationship with my mom is much better than it used to be! There still may be bumps, but I am ready to go home.”
Chaddock’s ministry comes from our core belief that “every child deserves a chance”. Abby got her chance at Chaddock, and thanks to Chaddock staff and supporters of our mission, another family has been healed.
