Outpatient Mental Health Clinic: Sarah's Story
As a preteen, Sarah had many negative feelings about life and she would pore these feelings into poetry. When her mother discovered her book of poems, she became alarmed and had Sarah begin attending therapy sessions at the Board of Child Care’s Outpatient Mental Health Clinic.
Sarah is now 17 and has been a patient at the OMHC for four years. She has made immense progress during that time. Initially, her primary goals in therapy were learning new and appropriate ways to express her emotions, decreasing occurrence of mood swings by learning new coping skills, and increasing social interaction, assertiveness and self-confidence. As of 2008, Sarah’s depressive symptoms have been in full remission.
“Sarah has done an excellent job of utilizing therapy while a client at the Board of Child Care,” says OMHC Therapist Jennifer Hamersky. “Sarah continues to challenge herself in sessions, and look at ways to cope in stressful or anxious situations. Although she has maintained progress for the past two years, she still enjoys coming to sessions on a biweekly basis because it allows her an opportunity to process any current life stressors.”
Sarah is considering a career in the field of psychology or even art therapy so that she can help others who may be suffering with various emotional issues.
“I learned through therapy that if I didn't use coping skills, the issues or emotions I had would always eat at me,” Sarah says.
Sarah continues to write poetry but her words now hint at her emotional growth and the hope she has in moving forward with her life. The following is one of her most recent compositions:
She'll make it, lonely young girl, but older, wiser, different
She's been hurt, she knows pain
Far from naive in her young age
Every person she's ever loved abandoned her in the end
Nothing to her name, just secrets kept in the book bag on her back
Sealed up tight like a treasure chest bound by rusted locks and chains
Nothing can ever get out, no one will ever see in
Strong and proud but, graceful and elegant
She'll hide her eyes knowing well what you'll see
Her eyes are an ocean, mysterious, deep and scary
But bright and determined
Wherever it is she's going
I am certain she'll make it there
Just because of where she's been
