HOME’s RHY (Runaway and Homeless Youth) staff worked with a young girl, “Jolie,” for several months before she disclosed that she was experiencing symptoms of depression again. As a coping mechanism to deal with her depression, Jolie had returned to cutting herself.
Jolie and staff came up with a safety plan to use when she felt the urge to harm herself. They also looked into local resources for depression counseling specializing in treatment of adolescent females. After some initial hesitation, Jolie and the RHY worker contacted these agencies and researched together which one would be the best fit for her. As a result, Jolie made an informed decision on where to go for help. She is currently seeing a counselor for her depression and has significantly reduced her episodes of self-harm.
Jolie’s story is a reminder that building trusting relationships with at-risk and homeless youth can be time-consuming but is crucial to addressing their needs. Often the youth we come into contact with have experienced severe trauma and abuse. This trauma creates barriers to having an open dialogue with youth about their issues and how we can best assist them. It takes time and patience to build trust with a disconnected youth but the outcomes are well worth the effort and work.
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