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My heart is full today

hawkbirch

HR Legend
Nov 24, 2015
11,813
36,655
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We graduated two young ladies from a program I work on yesterday. A couple months ago, one of our young ladies told us that her whole family was telling her that she would never graduate high school and couldn't do it so she should just give up. I was stunned because she's one of the smartest girls we've worked with but struggles due to her PTSD diagnosis. She graduated from high school a few weeks ago and beamed with pride showing us her diploma. During her graduation speech yesterday, she thanked us for believing in her when no one else did and for caring about her when she didn't care about herself. It's one of the most heartfelt thank you's I've ever received.

Just a little reminder that it feels really damn good to build people up instead of tear them down.
 
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We graduated two young ladies from a program I work on yesterday. A couple months ago, one of our young ladies told us that her whole family was telling her that she would never graduate high school and couldn't do it so she should just give up. I was stunned because she's one of the smartest girls we've worked with but struggles due to her PTSD diagnosis. She graduated from high school a few weeks ago and beamed with pride showing us her diploma. During her graduation speech yesterday, she thanked us for believing in her when no one else did and for caring about her when she didn't care about herself. It's one of the most heartfelt thank you's I've ever received.

Just a little reminder that it feels really damn good to build people up instead of tear them down.

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And yet we have several posters that think teaching and teachers is easy work.

Many educators are more of a role model than the parents.

Wholeheartedly agree so I can't claim credit as one of her teachers. I'm an attorney and our program is a female responsive juvenile drug court. It's a different role than teacher but we still aim to be strong female role models for our young ladies and hit the bullseye with this one.
 
How did she get PTSD? High school seems young for such a diagnosis.

Congrats.
In my experience when an adolescent has a diagnosis of PTSD the precipitating event(s) generally are neglect, abuse, sexual trauma, witness to violence, extreme emotional distress due to familial situation (e.g., natural disaster necessitating emergency evacuation, loss of personal possessions, etc.).
 
How did she get PTSD? High school seems young for such a diagnosis.

Congrats.

The trauma history of these young women will make your head hurt. One was shot. Several have been raped. One's mom blamed her for her brother's suicide and told her should she have died instead. Three have had their parents' rights terminated and been adopted. Almost all have physical abuse and domestic violence in their homes. Many have parents that are also addicts.

I read through their histories and it makes me want to drink just thinking about it. We are never surprised that substance abuse is a coping skill they turn to in order to escape their trauma. I "meet" them all on paper first and every single one has surprised me because in person, they are strong and resilient and amazing young women. I love my job!
 
The trauma history of these young women will make your head hurt. One was shot. Several have been raped. One's mom blamed her for her brother's suicide and told her should she have died instead. Three have had their parents' rights terminated and been adopted. Almost all have physical abuse and domestic violence in their homes. Many have parents that are also addicts.

I read through their histories and it makes me want to drink just thinking about it. We are never surprised that substance abuse is a coping skill they turn to in order to escape their trauma. I "meet" them all on paper first and every single one has surprised me because in person, they are strong and resilient and amazing young women. I love my job!
I was typing just as you were, it appears.:)

Just tragic. Wonderful, though, they have advocates like yourself (and your associates) to help them transition to adulthood. Without people like you they often perpetuate the vicissitudes that adversely affected them.
 
We graduated two young ladies from a program I work on yesterday. A couple months ago, one of our young ladies told us that her whole family was telling her that she would never graduate high school and couldn't do it so she should just give up. I was stunned because she's one of the smartest girls we've worked with but struggles due to her PTSD diagnosis. She graduated from high school a few weeks ago and beamed with pride showing us her diploma. During her graduation speech yesterday, she thanked us for believing in her when no one else did and for caring about her when she didn't care about herself. It's one of the most heartfelt thank you's I've ever received.

Just a little reminder that it feels really damn good to build people up instead of tear them down.
Great success story and kudos to you and everyone involved. Many of us take for granted our upbringing and we can't comprehend the struggles some people endure. Kudos to this young girl ... When you have FAMILY telling you to quit and you can't do it ... well, I can't think of a much bigger obstacle to overcome ...

This story is good stuff. Cheers ... :)
 
The trauma history of these young women will make your head hurt. One was shot. Several have been raped. One's mom blamed her for her brother's suicide and told her should she have died instead. Three have had their parents' rights terminated and been adopted. Almost all have physical abuse and domestic violence in their homes. Many have parents that are also addicts.

I read through their histories and it makes me want to drink just thinking about it. We are never surprised that substance abuse is a coping skill they turn to in order to escape their trauma. I "meet" them all on paper first and every single one has surprised me because in person, they are strong and resilient and amazing young women. I love my job!
I, for one, am happy there are people like you.
 
We graduated two young ladies from a program I work on yesterday. A couple months ago, one of our young ladies told us that her whole family was telling her that she would never graduate high school and couldn't do it so she should just give up. I was stunned because she's one of the smartest girls we've worked with but struggles due to her PTSD diagnosis. She graduated from high school a few weeks ago and beamed with pride showing us her diploma. During her graduation speech yesterday, she thanked us for believing in her when no one else did and for caring about her when she didn't care about herself. It's one of the most heartfelt thank you's I've ever received.

Just a little reminder that it feels really damn good to build people up instead of tear them down.
Sometimes you have to destroy someone in order for them to be reborn. People dragging her down was just as important as you telling her she could get up.
 
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