Paul struggled most of his life with mental health issues. 

 

A middle-aged man with a bipolar disorder diagnosis, he had experienced a childhood trauma - sexual assault by an older man. As an adult, he harbored self-blame and anger toward himself and his perpetrator. 

 

Before coming to the Corbett Trauma Center for counseling, Paul attended Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings for alcohol dependence. Even though he had been sober for five years, he struggled to attend meetings consistently. He found socializing with others wore him down, and he often thought people at the meetings were making fun of him. 

 

After meeting with his Corbett counselor for several weeks, Paul was able to adjust his attitude toward others, especially if they were trying to help him. He attended AA meetings more consistently. He even opened up to others in meetings about his childhood sexual assault. Paul also made progress in combating his negative thoughts about himself.  

 

Once Paul was more comfortable opening up to others, he agreed to meet with a Crisis Center care coordinator to talk about his financial struggles. He received assistance with an electric bill and was willing to share his ongoing financial issues with the care coordinator. 

 

Through continued support from his care coordinator, counselor, the Gateway Contact Center, and a psychiatrist outside the Crisis Center, Paul has better been able to cope with his mental illness, create a safety plan for himself, and begin to trust in relationships with others. He knows his mental health issues will always be a part of his being, but is making strides to build a better life for himself around those challenges.