Emily’s Story
Emily’s Story
AGE 10
The Family: Mum Hannah / Dad Paul
Emily age 10 / Lottie age 14
Background
Emily has a mum, a dad and an older sister. She goes to school and enjoys having fun and playing games with the other children. She began to find it hard being a ten-year-old as well as being the youngest member of the family. She also noticed some changes in the way she felt about herself and the people around her. This was made more difficult as the world around her was changing too. She struggled to express herself.
She began to have mood swings at home and in school. Her teacher noticed that Emily was falling out with her friends and would throw things around the class when she was upset. Emily’s mum, Hannah, found this hard to deal with when Emily was upset. The more Emily struggled to cope with how she felt, the more upset she became. She started to tell Hannah that she wanted to hurt herself.
Emily’s Journey With Us
The teachers in Emily’s school contacted The Parenting Project. Emily agreed to have a chat with Helen who is one of our practitioners. Helen explored together with Emily and her family why it was that Emily felt frustrated. They talked about what they could do to improve Emily’s feelings and support her in school and at home.
Helen sat down with Emily and as a pair they took part in some games and activities. They talked with each other and began to understand why Emily felt like she did. They worked on ways Emily could develop and enjoy her friendships.
Helen gave Emily advice on how she could feel less isolated and more involved in school. Emily also took part in several group activities to learn about her feelings. She discovered what these different feelings are, what they mean, and how she can change or accept them if she needs to.
Emily’s parents took part in The Parenting Project’s activities and sessions as well. They too had someone they could speak to. They also took part in online classes and weekly talks about being a parent, a bit like a school for parents.
Emily’s Positive Results
Emily now feels better about her school and home life after spending some time and speaking with Helen. She now attends school more regularly. She has learnt some tips and tools to help her with her friends. She can also manage how she feels about herself and those around her.
Both Emily and the rest of her family feel more supported and happier as a family. Emily now feels like she can manage with difficult emotions and has gained a lot of confidence towards her school and her friends.
“We have learnt a lot about emotions and how we can cheer ourselves and our friends up.”
Sarah’s Story
Sarah’s Story
MUM OF THREE
The Family: Mum Sarah / Dad Tom / Isla age 5 / Mia age 3 / Oliver age 14 months
Sarah had a difficult childhood, fraught with conflict and her father’s mental health difficulties. As she grew up and married Tom she became determined her children would have a happy childhood. ‘That was easier said than done’, she told her Parenting Project counsellor.
Following the birth of her daughter Isla, Sarah felt very low in her mood. She felt detached from reality at times. She went to see her GP who suggested it was post-natal depression and prescribed her anti-depressants.
