Coach Mentors

Mark’s story

Stepping into our client’s life: Mark entered adolescence diagnosed with ADHD, a learning disability, and slow processing. His father had been diagnosed with a degenerative disease a few years ago, and this was difficult for Mark to cope with. He witnessed his father’s gradual decline. His school attendance and daily functioning declined. Working with an […]

Stepping into our client’s life:

Mark entered adolescence diagnosed with ADHD, a learning disability, and slow processing. His father had been diagnosed with a degenerative disease a few years ago, and this was difficult for Mark to cope with. He witnessed his father’s gradual decline. His school attendance and daily functioning declined. Working with an experienced educational consultant, Mark entered treatment and eventually did very well in a program that specializes in anxiety disorders.

Unfortunately, shortly after he returned home, his father passed away. Mark had just turned 14. The whole family struggled to cope with this loss. Over time, Mark began to regress into isolation and depression. He was not able to maintain the gains he made to manage his social anxiety. He stopped going to school and was only episodically able to meet with his therapist (even virtually). His hygiene was deteriorating, and his mother expressed concerns that she was “losing him”. The decision was made to keep him at home and build in the support he needed there, versus sending him back to residential.

How Coach-Mentors helped:

Coach-Mentors was asked to help support Mark with establishing a daily structure and positive routine, including improved hygiene. We were also tasked with helping to support his confidence in leaving the home and getting involved in some activity in the community. The ultimate goal was to help support his reentry into school, starting first with virtual learning at home and culminating with in-person schooling.

We were pleased to work with a collaborative team, including Mark’s therapist and the mother’s parent coach. The coach-mentor began slowly, meeting Mark at home and building a rapport and relationship with him. Over time and in close collaboration with his therapist, Mark and the coach-mentor were able to help Mark leave his home and go places in town. We helped build structure and routine for him at home, something he benefited from in his residential program but was not maintained back at home. There were some environmental issues at home, as well as an unhealthy sibling dynamic that the coach-mentor was able to observe and help support change with.

Over time, Mark got involved in a community-based social activity with his coach-mentor. He also began attending therapy in person more consistently and eventually did so independently of his mother’s assistance. As time progressed, he was able to integrate into a small private school setting which was the ultimate goal!

The opportunity of meeting Mark where he was at and gradually supporting his confidence while reinforcing the skills he was learning in therapy was instrumental to the positive outcome. Meeting him at home became quite important as several environmental issues at home were contributing to his mood and functioning. These issues were not known by his therapist or others working with him – as the coach-mentor was the only one meeting him and spending time with him at home.

Takeaway:

The value of meeting Mark at home and being able to schedule frequent shorter, in-person touch points with him through the course of the week, based on his readiness and tolerance, as well as being able to work closely with his therapist, was instrumental to the success of this case. The team met regularly via Zoom to share observations, exchange ideas and ensure we were working in close collaboration with one another. 

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