2011 ANNUAL REPORT - St. Aemilian-Lakeside, Inc.

Big, lovaBle
dog helps Bring
Compassionate
healing to
trouBled Boys in
residential unit
8
Bentley, a 2-year-old
Bernese Mountain Dog,
yielded remarkable
results in his work with
emotionally disturbed
boys in our Residential
Treatment Program. With
compassionate canine
attention, Bentley helped
them open up and move
toward healing.
The animal-assisted therapy program
started last year with Bogey, a 9-yearold
golden retriever, working with boys
ages 7-11. Then Bentley completed
a multi-week session working with
children ages 11-14. His owner/handler,
Cheryl Pabich, is a volunteer with
Health Heelers, an animal-assisted
therapy program run by Laura Hey.
In an initial session, Laura shared
Bentley’s “resume” with the kids,
including his “scariest experience.”
The dog was born in Canada, so the
experience entailed: “Leaving mom,
dad, brothers and sisters, meeting new
step-parents and flying on a plane in a
small pet carrier. (I was only 7 weeks
old!) When I got to my new home, I
had three step-brothers that I needed
to meet and get along with. I needed to
respect that I came into their home.”
The boys, many of whom can relate to
being uprooted and having to adjust to
unfamiliar surroundings in a new home,
then took turns being invited into
Bentley’s “personal space” to share their
own scariest experience or memory.
“You could have heard a pin drop,”
therapist Kathleen Tompkins said. “The
boys were incredibly respectful and really
listened to each story.” Some of the stories
had never been shared before, “even after
months of work. … The boys seemed to
realize how important the sharing was.”
“He’s very sensitive,” Cheryl said. “He will
lick the boys’ heads and move to comfort
them when they tell their stories.”
Later, two of the boys talked about
being mean to another boy in the group
and said they wanted to tell him they
were sorry. Two other boys brought up
the Bentley experience in their familytherapy
sessions, Kathleen said, telling
their parents they don’t feel so alone or
like they were the only one after hearing
the other boys’ traumatic stories.
“It is just so safe to tell their families about
Bentley, show off his pictures, and talk
about him,” Kathleen said.
“I’m sold on this therapy dog.”
trauma informed Care turns
life around for suiCidal girl
Jenni is a 16-year-old whose
life for 10 years was a nightmare.
Her father got custody of her at age 4 and
abused her sexually until she was 14. He
would give her ultimatums: perform sexual
favors or not be allowed to do almost
anything she wanted.
When she disclosed the abuse, her father
was arrested and sentenced to 19 years in
prison. Jenni bounced among various family
members, but her past trauma took its toll.
She experienced four inpatient stays at
a psychiatric hospital, where a doctor
characterized her as the most suicidal child
he had ever met. She had horrible nightmares
and talked several times a day of doing
specific things such as stepping in front of a
semi to kill herself and end her pain.
Later she was placed in a residential
treatment facility. In June of 2010, Integrated
Family Services (IFS) got involved, and
through the introduction of trauma informed
care, Jenni’s life began to turn around.
Two assessments in the neurosequential
model of therapeutics (NMT) (see page
6) were done to determine when Jenni’s
trauma occurred, what it consisted of, and
what interventions were likely to help. It
was eye-opening, said Tracy Clark, Ongoing
Case Management supervisor at IFS.
The NMT assessments involved Jenni’s
maternal aunt, Susan, with whom she now
lives. Her biological mother and other
family members also were interviewed.
Other participants included her IFS
case manager, Kimberly Moran, and her
residential facility therapist.
Some first steps to address her trauma
included giving her a nightlight, controlling
smells that triggered fears, leaving her door
open at night, and adding a lock to allow
her to control who would enter.
“It was a big thing just figuring out how to
engage her,” Tracy said. “She had deeply
held memories of what her father made her
do, and she had no ability to self-regulate.”
Other interventions at the residential
facility included swinging, journaling,
playing the guitar, and Zumba.
“She’s a very sensitive girl, and she just
wants to be like a normal teenager,”
Kimberly said.
Her path to normalcy was enhanced by her
very supportive aunt, who Jenni went to
live with when she was released from the
residential facility, along with her aunt’s
significant other, Bob. They both have kids,
but they also took in Jenni’s half-brother,
creating a lively blended family.
Susan and Bob attended trainings in
trauma informed care, and “it gave us
some good insight,” Susan said.
The emphasis on patterned, rhythmic
movements and using music to soothe a
child “put a framework, a name to it, and it
helps with all of the kids,” Bob said. They
said the trainings gave them more patience
and a realization that Jenni’s acting out was
not something they provoked.
“We can look at what she’s been through
and know that’s obviously why she has
problems,” Bob said.
Susan and Bob are dedicated to helping
Jenni achieve the life they say she
deserves, and Jenni has made tremendous
progress. She is doing well in school. She
rides her bike to calm herself; she loves
sports and takes ballet classes. She dreams
of studying dance at the Juilliard School.
“We said we will just pull up in our RV and
see her!” Susan said. “She is now talking
about goals, and she has every opportunity
to do whatever she wants to do.”
“Trauma informed care absolutely has
made a huge impact on how comfortable
I feel and how I feel prepared to care for
her,” Bob said. “Trauma informed care
opens the door to understanding. It’s
nothing short of a miracle.”
9