Within Lakeside’s schools and programs, our staff focus on how we can motivate, regulate and help our students find success personally and in their progress towards their life goals. Most of our students at Lakeside come to us with a number of deficits and struggles. As we get to know them, process their perspectives, problem-solve and help them find a positive trajectory for growth, we help them overcome some significant obstacles and attain new growth.
This whole process is typically not linear in its progression – it has many twists and turns. But the perseverence of our staff and students over time results in many successes that are both small and large. This is such a dynamic and encouraging process, particularly when we look back at all that happened during their year in our care.
What often is not recognized is how many difficulties and stressors that the parents of our students have realized and have had to endure in order to get to this level of growth and healing. While our students have had a significant journey of their own, which can include all kinds of adversity, negative behavior, mental health deficits, serious brain regulation, poor choices for emotional regulation and many negative consequences, their parents have experienced both the pain of their kids and their own crisis as feeling both helpless and responsible for what they are witnessing in the life of their child.
As they have attempted to understand their child’s behavior and advocated for their needs through a difficult journey, there are usually many emotions. They often experience fear, anger, a sense of isolation, shame, criticisms, grief, impotence, trauma and a host of other emotions. Many parents have attempted to navigate through our educational and mental health systems while managing their child through a frustrating process. They have been tenacious to ensure that their child receives the care that they need.
At Lakeside, we have the privilege of coming alongside parents, and even this can have moments that are unpredictable. But what is true is that Lakeside’s system of care embraces the entire family of our students. As we do the work of navigating relationships, problem-resolution, brain-based interventions, academic growth and related issues, we know that parents are an essential part of the process. What is different is that our staff is intentional to work as a team with parents in order to achieve the outcomes that will lead to a stable, successful and positive life journey. I have heard our parents express relief and gratitude that we have given them their child back in a way that their dreams for a stable family can be realized.
Once we see the positive outcomes of our joint efforts, we earn the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our students and their parents. I can honestly say to parents that your perseverence is a key component to the success of your child. With the support of a staff and the right environment for your child, we all can have hope that change and positive outcomes are possible. That hope resides in the many efforts that it took to find an environment like Lakeside where students and families can find the healing they so desperately need. I want to thank all those parents who are tenaciously advocating for their kids. You are essential to their hope for the future.
Gerry Vassar
President/CEO
