10/07/2024
Story of Transformation
A 12-year-old boy, Mark, arrived for his mental health session feeling especially anxious and overwhelmed. He had spent hours frantically searching for a school form he needed to request his classes for the next year. His mother mentioned he was worried that if he didn’t turn it in on time, he’d lose the chance to choose the classes he wanted. His anxiety was so high that his mother couldn’t understand why the form mattered so much to him.
Continuing from previous sessions, Mark was invited to choose a horse to work with. He chose Ozzie, who was in a barn stall. Mark grabbed a halter, intending to lead Ozzie to the pasture. But as soon as he opened the stall door, Ozzie was nervous and pacing back and forth. Mark kept trying to put the halter on Ozzie so he could take her out, but after a moment, he said, "I just don’t know what to do—she seems really stressed."
The mental health specialist asked Mark what he thought Ozzie needed at that moment and why she was feeling so stressed. Out of the blue, he asked, “Has Ozzie ever been bullied?”
It was then that Mark opened up, revealing that he knew what it felt like to be bullied. His anxiety over choosing classes stemmed from a desire to avoid classmates who had been bullying him. As he shared his story, Ozzie’s energy also began to calm. Mark put down the halter and simply focused on being with Ozzie, reassuring her that she was okay. Together, they started to take deeper breaths.
As both Mark and Ozzie found calm and safety, he was finally able to put the halter on Ozzie and lead her to the pasture.
In the end, the issue wasn’t about the missing form—it was about uncovering the deeper worries he hadn’t been able to express. He began to understand that it was okay to feel anxious, and that, like Ozzie, he didn’t have to face his fears alone.
Stories like Mark’s highlight the transformative power of innovative mental health treatments. For many children and adults, the journey to understanding their mental health needs starts with these safe, supportive spaces.