Impact Story: Sarah
A girl who was once a stressed, anxious, and sometimes difficult child was now more at peace, carefree, and happier than ever. Sarah’s adoption was finalized in early 2022.
Sarah* was five years old when she started individual therapy with Alternative Family Services (AFS). Sarah had one failed adoption attempt already and was struggling in her new prospective adoptive placement. Sarah was experiencing difficulties with another child in the home, safety issues, and residual effects from the pandemic.
The one Golden Thread through Sarah‘s many ups and downs was her AFS mental health clinician, Beth*, a consistent, reliable support person who created a therapeutic approach to truly meet Sarah where she was at with the goal of finding Sarah a forever home. When the second adoption fell through, Beth continued to support Sarah through her ups and downs.
Beth consulted and collaborated with outside experts to better understand the impact of early childhood trauma on Sarah’s development and behaviors. Beth worked side-by-side with Sarah‘s social worker to continue her support with finding a loving, permanent home for Sarah.
In 2021, Sarah was matched with a family who understood the complexities of Sarah’s trauma and were committed to helping Sarah through future support and services. Sarah was proud to introduce her long-term clinician, Beth, to her new family, community, and pets.
Beth adjusted her services to support Sarah‘s new parents in learning skills and different perspectives with the goal of ensuring this would be Sarah’s forever home. With Sarah‘s new family, Beth observed significant changes in Sarah’s presentation, mood, and behaviors.
A girl who was once a stressed, anxious, and sometimes difficult child was now more at peace, carefree, and happier than ever. Sarah’s adoption was finalized in early 2022, and, of course, Beth was an honored guest of the proceedings.
At AFS, our staff acknowledges that families are diverse and human. We support clients through every step of their foster, adoption and behavioral health journey. If you’re interested in fostering or adopting, click here.
*Names changed to protect identities
