A mother hopes her positive experience can help other families
When Joe’s mom started working with an Multisystemic Therapy (MST) therapist, she saw it only as requirement to keep her son’s probation officer happy. Joe was in trouble, and she felt that she was, too. He’d been in detention for more than a month after stealing phones at school. Before that, he was out of control—running the streets, coming home high and destroying things in the house. His mom was stretched to the limit. She didn’t know what else to do and had never felt so helpless as a parent. On top of it all, Joe’s mom was working two jobs to support her three children. She could not imagine how it would be possible to make time for another 'program.' Nothing had worked for them before.
Here is an email that Joe’s mother sent to the MST team a few weeks before her son completed treatment. She wrote it with the hope that other families might benefit from her story and from MST Services.
The email
"It was such a pleasant surprise to find that our therapist was always so supportive and accommodating of my time and difficult schedule. She was willing to work with me so that MST fit into my busy life; a huge accomplishment!
"She was available to provide me with support and guidance 24/7. I called her at crazy hours a couple of times. Our therapist never judged me or my family, even when I worried that an outsider might not know what to think. She patiently gathered all the facts, both obvious and obscure. We focused on developing a personalized plan to help me achieve my goals and regain control of my son; she even provided worksheets to help us remember how to implement the plans we talked about. She coached me each step of the way and tracked my progress. My son even enjoyed working on the activities Ms. Escobar assigned for us.
"I had assumed that MST was only for my son, but after doing some the activities in session, I was able to identify some areas of improvement for all the members of my family, including myself. I haven’t completed MST, yet, but our therapist has provided so many tools I have been able to use in my daily life. MST has really improved my relationship with my son. This program has even helped me communicate more effectively at work and with my older children, as well.
"I would never have wished for the experiences that connected us with MST in the first place, but the tools my family has gained from this program are priceless; and I am thankful to have had the opportunity to learn from our therapist. She had always been encouraging and supportive. I truly believe she wants the best for my family. I have never had an experience like this before and I’m going to truly miss working with her. I am sure, however, that the skills I learned and the improvements we have made in our relationships will be long-lasting. I hope that more families in our area can benefit from programs like MST."
Sona Escobar is an MST therapist in Texas
To learn more about how MST can impact an entire family, download this white paper.
