Conner Discovers a Passion to Help Others
Without healthy coping skills, Conner began to self-harm
At only 14 years old Conner* was already experiencing an enormous amount of anxiety and depression due to family stress. Without any healthy coping skills, he began to cut himself and self-harm in order to deal with his intense emotions. It wasn’t long before his mother noticed his injuries getting worse.
Conner’s mom worried the family wouldn’t be able to afford counseling services, so she reached out to his school administrators and asked their advice on where to get help for Conner’s challenges. The school recommended that Conner meet with his in-school YES Behavioral Health Support Specialist.
Finding support during a virtual world
Before Conner was able to meet with his counselor, schools shut down due to the pandemic. Thanks to the support of the East King County community, YES was able to quickly pivot to virtual Telehealth services and Conner was able to connect with his counselor virtually.
“Talking over the phone with my counselor has been easy. My mom has been able to talk to her too. It has helped us understand each other better.”
Over the past year, while continuing to meet virtually with his counselor, Conner has been able to learn healthy coping skills rooted in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) which helps him manage intense emotions and continue his recovery, despite the challenges of the pandemic. Conner is proud that he hasn’t cut himself in the last five months.
A passion to help others
By working through his mental health challenges and receiving lifesaving support, Conner has discovered a passion for helping others like him by promoting mental health services and encouraging others to seek help.
“Simply having someone to talk to has been very helpful for me. I think that others could also feel better just by seeing a counselor.”
Youth like Connor have hope for their future thank to our generous donors and supporters. Be a lifeline in a young person’s life make your gift today and provide youth with hope for a brighter tomorrow! Whether you donate $5 or $500, every gift will make a difference in the life of a child or youth seeking hope and recovery.
*At YES, we respect everyone who comes to us for support, and many youth are working on improving their lives. So while their stories are true, client names and images may have been changed to protect their privacy. Thank you for understanding.