Hillary

If it is to be, it is up to me. These ten simple words can help us change our life. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. We put roadblocks of negative thinking in our path in life. We are paralyzed by our doubts and fears.

Hillary’s life was in shambles. She endured eleven years of multiple foster placements, two psychiatric hospitalizations and a stay in juvenile detention before coming to Jackson-Feild. She was angry, bitter, sad and forlorn. Hillary had no family, no direction, and she was without hope. Her mother was deceased. Her father’s parental rights were terminated due to a long history of sexual abuse and neglect. Her brother was incarcerated.

The loss of her mother began a downward spiral. Caring people tried to help her along the way but their efforts were to no avail. Hillary began running away, putting her at-risk and leading to truancy, stealing, promiscuity and substance use. She was in need of residential psychiatric treatment service to address her impulse control, anger management, and grief over the loss of her mother. Hillary had a variety of disorders with the primary being Anxiety Disorder.

She was placed at Jackson-Feild (JFBHS) in July 2019. A comprehensive plan of care was developed to meet her needs. It consisted of psychiatric assessment and consultation, medication management, substance abuse education, Neurotherapy, GED preparation, psychoeducational group focusing on specific curriculums, individual therapy, medical consultation and monitoring, spiritual services and residential services. An emphasis was placed on developing independent living skills, as she would be discharged to an independent living program.

She thrived at JFBHS. Our pastoral setting was conducive to her healing. She participated in psychoeducational groups—Positive Communication, Independent Living Skills and Anger Management, just to name a few. She received a minimum of 26 hours of mental health therapy sessions each week.

Our staff noted a distinct change in Hillary’s demeanor and attitude. She became invested in her treatment and began to develop goals and aspirations for her future. She embraced her studies with the goal of receiving her GED and subsequently received it. She was able to hold a job at our on-campus Gwaltney School helping teachers and younger students.

Hillary completed her treatment and was successfully discharged in March 2020 to an independent living program in her home locality. She will receive community-based mental health and substance use treatment services.

She has come to understand and embrace the mantra of, “If it is to be, it is up to me”, and we look forward to her bright and successful future.