Youth Behavioral Services: Zack's Story

Meet the Millers

The Miller family connected with Savio in hopes of their 13-year-old son, Zack, being able to move back home. Like most young teens, Zack’s head was filled with questions about his place in the world. The emotional confusion of growing up became too much to process and he didn’t feel able to open up to his family. Zack started displaying unhealthy coping behaviors and became aggressive towards his sisters, which ultimately led to him being placed in a group home. It soon became apparent that Zack felt unimportant and acted out because he felt his parents’ attention was scattered. In addition to caring for their son, their oldest daughter had a disability and much of the Millers’ time was dedicated to supporting her. The family never wanted Zack to stay at the group home, but they were also concerned for the girls’ safety. Devastated, Zack’s parents knew they couldn’t handle these circumstances alone. That’s when they looked to us.

Getting started on the road to healing was difficult. Zack’s parents felt embarrassed about sharing their struggles with outsiders. After building trust with their Savio clinician, Mom and Dad were ready to face their fears. The Millers developed skills that helped them identify the drives behind their son’s behavior while also caring for their daughters. As a family, they worked to create a stronger connection by challenging unhelpful previous beliefs and opening communication opportunities. The Millers also came to realize that they could rely on the support of their friends and community. They had nothing to be ashamed of. Mom and Dad took a huge step forward and let their guards down to advocate for their son’s individualized needs with school staff members. An act that once felt impossible helped prevent Zack from falling behind in education.

Nearing the completion of treatment, Zack came back home. The Miller siblings started exploring new ways of interacting. In bonding over board games, bike rides, and favorite television shows, Zack and his sisters slowly, yet steadily, started rebuilding their relationships. And for the first time in a long time, Mom and Dad have been able to see strength again in their family. The family had one last session before their program came to an end. Mom told their therapist, “We appreciate everything you have done, but we don’t need you anymore. We’ve got this.”