Creating a Village
My Sunshine
Tuesdays have become the best days for Jackson and his mom, Katie. This is because on Tuesdays, 7-year-old Jackson looks forward all day to his visit with Chelsea Spoonamore, his counselor at Greenleaf Family Center. (And a busy, single-parenting mom looks forward to the moment of down time she gets during the session.)
“He runs up to the door,” Katie says. “He’s raring to go.”
Tuesdays also include a trip to Luigi’s, followed by some ice cream, but it’s Jackson’s weekly meetings with Chelsea, a behavioral health clinician, that started this tradition.
Chelsea has been seeing Jackson since he was in kindergarten (he just started second grade in August). She provides Jackson, who has been diagnosed with childhood anxiety, ADHD, and Level 1 Autism, with a safe space where he has learned that talking about feelings is normal.
“We use game play to help Jackson grow more comfortable with his feelings,” Chelsea said. “He’s learned how to identify, connect and talk about them.
Sometimes, he shows me big feelings that only his mom sees. I’m proud to be his safe person.”
Jackson has also fallen head over heels for Chelsea’s licensed therapy dog, Ducky, a deaf Boston Terrier who has taught Jackson numerous lessons on her own. (Read “The Ducky Advantage”)
In just a few years, with Chelsea’s help, Jackson and Katie have built their own community at Greenleaf. Getting to know and working closely with Katie through her work with Jackson, Chelsea also connected her with additional services at the agency to provide mom with a caring advocate, resulting in a strong and supportive village for the small family.
This means much to Katie, but it’s Jackson’s eagerness and his relationship with Chelsea that makes all the difference, especially for a little boy Katie refers to as “my sunshine.”
“He’s a bundle of energy and joy – a happy, fun-loving guy. That’s how it is when he’s at Greenleaf.”
Greenleaf is a place where Jackson can hold his head high, something that hasn’t always been the case.
It Started with One Trusted Adult
Chelsea and Jackson met when Jackson was at Richfield Elementary School, part of Revere Local Schools. At that time, Greenleaf provided school-based counseling to Revere. He took a liking to her almost immediately.
“We would walk around the building so he could get used to everything and meet people,” Chelsea said, laughing. “He’d introduce me to everyone as ‘This is Chelsea, my counselor!’”
When Greenleaf’s counseling program ended there, Katie and Jackson chose to continue seeing Chelsea at Greenleaf in Akron. They weren’t ready to say goodbye.
“Jackson gets attached to people, especially if he’s very comfortable with them. And I never want to disrupt that if I can help it,” Katie says.
Along the way, those visits became more than appointments. They became part of the rhythm of their lives and Greenleaf became a place where Jackson can feel comfortable, understood and supported.
“This type of partnership with clients is rare, but I love it and love how it has helped Jackson,” said Chelsea. “Katie and I work together. She emails me and I’m proud that she values my perspective. It’s special to see him get so excited.”
This is all especially significant, considering Jackson didn’t talk until he was three years old. And even after that, according to Katie, things were still difficult. He was very quiet and kept things inside or, out of frustration, threw things or yelled.
Once Chelsea entered Jackson’s life, that changed and Katie soon saw a difference.
“He advocates for himself now and will tell someone if he needs something. He would never do that before,” she said. “He raises his hand, asks questions, and is more comfortable putting his feelings into words. This allows him to express his anger instead of acting out.”
Behavioral Health and PEERS – Working Together to Support a Family
There are many ways Greenleaf has supported Jackson and Katie. Helping Jackson transition to a new school, while providing Katie with support, is one that stands out.
Navigating a New School
Jackson’s first grade year was especially difficult. There were mornings when he didn’t want to go to school – when his mom would watch that fun-loving, happy sunshine kid walk into the building with his head down.
“A first grader shouldn’t feel or behave that way,” she said.
In first grade, Jackson didn’t have the support he did in kindergarten. He had to deal with sensory issues and anxiety in an environment with more structure and rules compared to kindergarten. It was challenging to navigate, even with his mom and Chelsea trying to assist. Things like dismissal time, bathroom breaks, and being able to take a break when he became overwhelmed could be difficult.
Chelsea became an essential part of the team at this point. The more difficult school became, the more important it was for Jackson to have someone who could help him work through what he was experiencing. She even attended parts of IEP meetings when asked and was a resource for the school.
When Katie chose to move Jackson to a new school, Chelsea prepared him for the transition. She helped him talk through the change, anticipate the emotions that came with it, and understand it was okay to be nervous, frustrated or unsure.
“That made all the difference to me,” Katie said. “Miss Chelsea is a person you can talk to about anything,”
It wasn’t perfect, but he had someone helping him. And he had learned much along the way – he could communicate what was happening, request help, and let someone when something wasn’t working.
Jackson still has challenges, but Katie has watched him develop not only the confidence to advocate for himself at school but realize he has the tools – and the people – to help handle them.
Moms Need Support, Too
While Chelsea was helping Jackson navigate his emotions and the changes happening at his new school, Katie was navigating quite a bit on her own.
She was going through a difficult divorce, working (full-time?), single-parenting Jackson, and trying to make sure he was getting the support he needed at school.
Chelsea started to recognize that Katie needed someone in her corner, too.
She connected her with Greenleaf’s PEERS program. PEERS (Parent Education, Empowerment, Resources and Support) is a supportive advocate program for the parents of children with complex behavioral health needs, and thanks to generous funders, the program is free to Summit County residents, which was a blessing for Katie.
Greenleaf's trained Peer Advocates (who also have children with complex behavioral health needs and their own lived experiences) help parents manage the many varied systems necessary for their children's health, education and well-being. These can include schools, juvenile justice, mental health, developmental disabilities, and child welfare.
Now, with PEERS, Katie has someone on her side, just like Jackson does, named Shannon Bolinger.
And the support couldn’t come too soon. One IEP meeting stands out. Katie remembers sitting across the table from 10 or 12 school staff and administrators, as she advocated for her son.
“I did my best to understand the system, while trying to make sure Jackson’s needs weren’t overlooked,” she said. “But I’m just one person.”
Luckily, Shannon was there.
“The IEP meeting occurred during one of my first opportunities to support Katie. In fact, the number was even greater than 10-12 school-based staff and administrators,” Shannon recalled. “That situation is overwhelming for parents and, intentionally or unintentionally, can create an intimidating dynamic. Without support and empowerment, that dynamic can make it difficult for parents to feel confident participating as equal members of the team.”
According to Katie, Shannon helped her understand what was happening, gave her the confidence to speak up when needed, and provided a second voice for Jackson when Katie couldn’t.
“Shannon has been wonderful,” Katie says. “She asks questions and brings up great points. She knows when to push back; she’s not afraid to challenge.”
Katie said she also appreciates that Shannon is a parent herself and understands what it’s like to raise and fight for a child with complex needs. She gets everything Katie is feeling and experiencing, enhancing her ability as a source of strength for her.
“Because it can be really hard,” Katie says. “And most people don’t get that.”
Shannon feels privileged that Katie trusts her enough to share her journey.
“Katie is a truly passionate and determined advocate for Jackson. I am inspired by her resilience and commitment, as well as the depth of knowledge and expertise she has developed. She knows Jackson, she knows his needs, and she continues to fight for him with courage, persistence, and purpose.”
The Village
For Katie and Jackson, the support they receive at Greenleaf, with Chelsea, Shannon and Ducky on their team, has become something bigger than counseling and advocate services.
“They are part of our village, our family,” Katie says.
And with Katie’s input and feedback on what’s best for Jackson, that village can change direction or look very different at any given time.
Sometimes Jackson needs Chelsea to help him work through a big emotion. Sometimes he needs Ducky beside him while he learns to slow down and calm himself. Sometimes Katie needs Shannon beside her at a school meeting.
….A trusted counselor for Jackson.
….A peer advocate for Katie.
….A network of people who understand supporting a child means supporting the people who love and care for that child, too.
And all of it housed under one roof – Greenleaf Family Center.
“We have a full range of support here,” Katie says confidently.
For Katie, that’s what she wants most for her son – not a life without challenges, but a life where he knows he doesn’t have to face those challenges alone. And neither does she.
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