Rick (name changed for confidentiality) was brought to Casa Youth Shelter after an argument with his mother resulted in him punching his arm through his bedroom door. He punched it so hard that not only did he significantly hurt his arm, but the door also went through the other side of the frame. Both Rick and his mother agree that it is difficult for him to manage his anger and they had become fearful as they noticed a significant escalation in the violent outbursts at home. They realized that it was time to seek outside support.
During his stay at Casa Youth Shelter, Rick demonstrated a desire to learn various coping skills, specifically Anger Management skills. In individual and group sessions, Rick was able to explore and better understand his anger. He never met his father and often witnessed his mother suffer abuse in her relationships. At age five, he was taken from his mother while she recovered from substance abuse and, during that time, he lived in a number of different homes while his mother took steps to regain custody.
As therapy progressed, Rick was able to identify factors contributing to how he expressed his anger. He became aware of his family’s history of aggression and poor anger management skills; he developed alternative ways to manage conflict and strengthen the skills he already possessed. Rick successfully exited the Residential Shelter Care program after completing his short-term treatment goals.
Rick has been home for about a month now and continues individual therapy and family therapy through Casa Youth Shelter’s aftercare services. Rick and his mother are working towards understanding their feelings when anger presents itself and the best way to communicate their needs effectively.
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