Morgan's Journey

When Katherine, Child & Family Therapist with the Social Impact Center, first started working with Morgan, he was not in a healthy state. He sat in the dark with the heat cranked up in his room at all hours of the day. He refused to go to school, shower, maintain personal hygiene, or to go outside in any capacity. Morgan wouldn’t eat any food aside from soup or chips, and only drank soda. It had been a long time since he had spoken with any substance to his family, and his degree of inaction was a concern for both his mental and physical health. Since there was no major threat to himself or others despite his behavior, he was essentially stuck. He was bright, funny, savvy, anxious, and completely stuck.  

Katherine connected Morgan with opportunities for in-home tutoring, and stayed in close communication with his school counselor and case manager. This worked as a recipe for gradual growth, and they began to see changes in Morgan’s behavior. He began to focus more on personal hygiene, was consuming a more typical diet, and even went to the park with Katherine a few times. Things were looking up for Morgan. 

His plan was to start attending school again in the fall of 2016, but on the morning of the first day he reverted back to his old ways. Morgan's parents sought help. Morgan received a few days of inpatient treatment from a nearby agency and returned with a renewed sense of motivation, and a deeper understanding of his strengths. A week after the first day of school, Morgan started attending high school full-time for the first time since fall of 2014.

Morgan started seeing Adam, a colleague of Katherine's at the Social Impact Center, at home on a weekly basis to check in about life and school. Adam helps Morgan stay on track with his goals, giving him the support he needs to reach his fullest potential. Morgan's journey has had plenty of ups and downs, but his most recent report card speaks volumes about his progress - he received A grades in nearly all areas of study!

The Social Impact Center provides behavioral health services to 3,700 young people and their families every year. The Social Impact Center uses a holistic, individualized approach to learn what challenges teens and young adults face to come up with solutions that get to the root of the issues. We explore dynamics within the family, school, friends, and beyond to gain a full picture of the environment and bring stability when issues arise.