Success Stories

Meet Dawn: A Bridge to Empowerment

While growing up in various locations all throughout her life, Dawn struggled with outbursts of aggression and behavior problems. When Dawn was just three or four years old, she was taken away from her mother by child and youth services due to misunderstandings with her home life, which impacted her tremendously. By the time Dawn was nine, she started to get in trouble at school for wounding her classmates with pencils and pens.

As years went by, Dawn would regularly be in and out of the hospital, and she continued to let her anger get the best of her. She tried various mental and behavioral health providers seeking some type of reform, but was ultimately unable to stick with any coping mechanisms that would allow her to live a stable and healthy lifestyle. She consistently experienced long depressive episodes and severe thoughts of sadness and hopelessness.

Everything changed for Dawn when she was referred to Healing Bridges in 2012 by the psychiatric care system that was treating her at the time. Healing Bridges therapist Natalie was determined to find positive coping strategies for Dawn to help control her mood, while also working with her to identify and process possible triggers to her inconsistent behavior.

With Natalie’s regular guidance paired with medications and mood stabilizers, Dawn has been able to stay out of the hospital and have less frequent manic episodes. She has refrained from self-harming and has been an active member in AMI, Inc. of Washington County’s peer support rehabilitation programing and events. Dawn also receives support from Healing Bridges’ blended case management program to get connected with other local community services.

“Dawn has been able to pull herself out of some really dark and strenuous life experiences,” Natalie said. “Watching her grow stronger from some major mental and physical setbacks has been one of my biggest accomplishments.”

Dawn is now currently working toward her GED and is inspired by her own story and personal experiences to advocate for kids who cannot advocate for themselves. She is passionate about reforming the child and youth protective services system and dreams of playing a part in keeping loving and supportive families together. Dawn has even referred her boyfriend to Healing Bridges for therapy so they can both make strides toward their goals together.

With a newfound sense of hope and optimism, Dawn continues to work through her mental health issues and inches closer to fulfilling her long-time passion thanks to Healing Bridges.