August 2017


Restoring Peaceful Sleep: Kenny's Story                         
   
There was a single, piercing bang.

Startled from his sleep, 6-year-old Kenny got out of bed and looked outside. What he saw changed his life forever.

His stepfather was dead. A gun was next to his body. His mother stood in shock nearby.

The weeks after his stepfather's suicide were a blur. There was a funeral, and he spent lots of time with family. Eventually life continued, and Kenny did the best he could to cope with the memory. Four years later, however, his aunt was admitted to the hospital with a grave prognosis. Suddenly, all the painful memories of that night came flooding back. Kenny didn't want to go through the heartache of losing someone else he loved.

He started having nightmares and displayed aggressive behaviors at home and at school. Kenny was agitated, angry. He thought he was a bad person and blamed himself for his stepfather's suicide.

His mom, Courtney, realized Kenny needed help. She was connected to Corbett Trauma Center and Kenny immediately started to receive trauma counseling.

His therapist worked with him regarding his distorted thoughts and self-blame. She helped him learn techniques, such as deep breathing, to use when he felt anxious. She also included Courtney in the process, so she could be involved in Kenny's therapy and learn effective parenting skills specific to his trauma.

Kenny is now 10 and doing much better. He no longer has nightmares. He doesn't lash out in anger. He realizes he isn't to blame for what happened.  

Thanks to your support of the Crisis Center, hundreds of local children like Kenny are able to connect to the help they need to heal from emotional trauma.