6-year-old Olivia was so afraid of her class’s teacher’s aide that she refused to go to school. By the time we met her, she had already missed months of school.

Her mother, Rosa, learned to homeschool Olivia but didn’t know what else to do. “It was so hard not knowing how to help her,” said Rosa.

Thanks to you, when Rosa reached out for help, she was able to get Olivia the early mental health care she needed. With new skills and the support of her mental health care team, Olivia returned to school and completed the year successfully!

It turns out that Olivia was experiencing a fear of the unknown, which mostly showed up at school. “While Olivia wanted to attend school, she felt she wasn’t capable of doing so, due to her fear,” says her case manager, Carly.

With Carly’s guidance, Olivia learned skills to better regulate her emotions. She enjoyed making bracelets as a calming skill and creating a positivity jar to increase her self-confidence. She also learned how to advocate for herself.

Olivia thought she was ready to go back to school in early January after the holidays, but she quickly felt overwhelmed. With Carly and Rosa advocating for her, Olivia was allowed to return to school for half days. Feeling less rushed and able to take “baby steps”, she eased back in and successfully returned full time.

While Olivia reports occasionally feeling nervous at school, she now has the skills to self-regulate and control her emotions. Thank you for helping Olivia overcome her fear and gain these lifelong skills!

Thank you for giving Olivia — and so many other struggling kids and teens —  the lifelong gift of mental wellness!

“We are very grateful, we felt lost before.” Olivia’s mother, Rosa