Tag Archives: mental health

Madison’s Story

The author, Madison, poses in a cap and gown on high school graduation day with her therapist, Jennifer Trujillo-Armijo, LMSW, from her school's school-based mental health center.

Madison, author, and her therapist, Jennifer Trujillo-Armijo, LMSW

Hey there, 

If you’re reading this, perhaps you’re feeling weighed down by expectations, the scars of your past, or maybe even the uncertainty of the future. I’ve been there, and I want to share a piece of my story with you, in hopes that it reminds you, you are not alone.  

I grew up in a household where love became a battlefield. My parents’ divorce wasn’t just a chapter in my life; it felt more like a storm that uprooted my sense of security. I remember countless nights filled with the echoes of arguments, and how deeply I longed for stability. I found myself struggling with feelings of abandonment and an inability to express my emotions.  

It became evident that I needed support, particularly with managing my emotions, sharing my feelings, and respecting boundaries, especially after my parents’ divorce. I found myself struggling with anxiety about transitioning into high school and the complexities of family dynamics. My parents encouraged me to begin therapy, a journey I met with resistance. I had been down that road before and felt frustrated by therapists who, in my eyes, just didn’t get me. 

Then came the COVID-19 pandemic, and like so many others, I found myself confronted with new challenges. The isolation hit hard, amplifying the weight of my struggles and bringing on anxiety in ways I had never anticipated. At first, the isolation felt overwhelming, being cut off from friends and normal routines. But when I finally returned to school, things didn’t get easier. I started experiencing issues with relationships at school and tensions at home, all of which piled up and triggered panic attacks. It reached a point where I had to be sent home because I was simply too unstable to be in that environment. The weight of emotional pain felt suffocating. The pandemic had flipped our lives upside down, and though the outside world was filled with chaos, the storm inside me felt ten times louder. I struggled to filter through the swirling thoughts and feelings that consumed me. School became a minefield, each day accompanied by the terrifying panic attacks that left me gasping for air and reeling in confusion. The simple act of socializing felt difficult, as if I were constantly on the edge of a cliff, unsure if I would soar or fall.  

It was in that darkness that a new therapist, Jen, entered my life. My mom had discovered that I could go to therapy at my school through its school-based mental health wellness center. She wouldn’t have to drive me to therapy, and the therapist would be someone who was familiar with teens like me. I decided to give it a try.  

When I first stepped into that small, softly lit room at my school’s wellness center with Jen, my heart raced, pounding like a drum, echoing my unease.  

At our intake meeting, Jen had suggested that therapy should concentrate on emotional regulation and the challenges of high school, alongside family therapy to address the different parenting approaches and foster understanding, ultimately creating a more positive environment. I felt vulnerable, trapped behind a wall built from years of unexpressed fears and emotions, refusing to let anyone in. I was stubborn and held my guard up like armor, convinced that therapy was a waste of time. Little did I know, healing often requires us to lay down our defenses.  

Jen not only saw me, but also truly listened. With her warm smile and patient demeanor, Jen gently began to dismantle my barriers. Time, I came to learn, is a powerful healer, and as moments turned into hours, I found comfort in sharing my struggles, my questions, and my unfiltered self. 

Slowly, I began to peel back the layers I had so carefully constructed. We set goals together: learning to communicate my feelings, expressing my needs, and building coping skills that I could use when anxiety crept in. I began to open up, and through that openness, I found strength. I learned how to manage those panic attacks and improve my relationships with my mom and dad. I started to embrace that while I couldn’t control everything, I could control my own reactions.  

Therapy was not a magical cure; there were no overnight transformations. It was a process, filled with setbacks and hard truths. I learned to articulate the emotions that had once threatened to consume me, to express my needs without fear of judgment. For the first time, it wasn’t just about surviving the storm; I was learning to navigate through it. My therapist armed me with coping skills that felt like sturdy life jackets, tools I could use when anxiety crept in like an unwelcome guest.  

Gradually, I began to see the positive results and benefits of the hard work I had put in. Panic attacks became less frequent, the fear that once gripped my chest relaxing its hold. The conversations I once dreaded became moments of connection, both with my mother and father. I learned that it was OK to communicate my needs, to lean on loved ones while also recognizing the importance of letting go of what I could not control. The beauty of growth is often found in the quiet spaces of understanding, and I finally started to appreciate the strength in vulnerability. 

As I graduated high school and stepped into college life in Ohio, the world opened up in ways I hadn’t anticipated. I carried the tools I had gained in therapy with me. The change felt daunting, but I was determined to lean into the lessons I had learned. The bond I now share with both my parents is stronger. They both taught me that seeking help is courageous, not a sign of weakness. I built and embraced new friendships, while nurturing the relationships I had back home in New York became a source of encouragement. I found joy in community, and every connection reminded me that we all share struggles, even if they look different on the surface. Each moment became an opportunity to form connections, to challenge myself, and to celebrate the progress I had made.  

Today, I have grown from reluctant participant to passionate advocate for mental health. To every person out there who feels lost in the chaos of life, remember it’s OK to not have it all figured out. You are a work in progress, and that’s perfectly fine. Embrace the journey, lean into therapy, and know that healing is not linear. With each step you take, you move closer to a brighter, more fulfilled life. There’s a relief in recognizing that seeking support is a sign of strength. Therapy isn’t a stigma; it’s a pathway to healing, self-discovery, and empowerment.  

Looking back, I am filled with gratitude that my parents pushed me to seek help. I appreciate my therapist beyond words; her support has transformed my life. Without Jen’s compassion and guidance, I know I wouldn’t be the person I am today: resilient, hopeful, and ready to embrace everything life has to offer. My heart swells with appreciation for the wisdom she shared, for the tools she equipped me with, and for the safe harbor she provided on the stormy seas of adolescence.  

I believe that everyone, at any stage, can benefit from therapy. There’s no shame in seeking help. It’s a sign of strength and a commitment to your own well-being. I understand that life may still throw turbulence my way, but now I know I have the inner resources to navigate it. And for that, I will always cherish the lessons learned and the support received. With newfound confidence, I move forward, ready to face whatever comes with open arms and an open heart. You are worthy of love, connection, and healing. Keep going.  

With all my heart,
Madison 

Photo of the Month: Lights On Afterschool and Mental Health at Roosevelt Island Beacon

During Lights On Afterschool, Roosevelt Island Beacon staff wore their Kinder, Braver Together hats

On October 26, two of The Child Center of NY’s founding principles came together in a beautiful way at our Roosevelt Island Beacon at P.S./I.S. 217 in Manhattan. Staff and students celebrated Lights On Afterschool to shine a spotlight on afterschool programs while participating in the “Kinder, Braver Together” campaign, a partnership between The Child Center and Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation to raise mental health awareness. This month’s Photo of the Month collage tells the story!

The Child Center began in 1953 as a single children’s counseling center, and a commitment to mental health remains at the heart of everything we do—from offering therapy at our wellness centers and at schools to embedding mental health in our early childhood education and afterschool programs.

That’s why we are so excited to announce that The Child Center is partnering with Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation and jack.org to make a profound impact on youth mental health. A key priority is to have as many people as possible obtain the Be There Certificate, which teaches the public to recognize when someone might be struggling with their mental health and how to safely support them while maintaining their own mental health. The Be There Certificate is a free, self-paced, interactive online course designed for young people but accessible to all.

The Child Center is committed to having all of our staff and community obtain the Be There Certificate. The Roosevelt Island Beacon team was among the first to earn their certificates, and we think they are rocking the “Kinder, Braver Together” hats they earned as a result!

The team proudly wore their hats during the program’s Lights On Afterschool event last Thursday (center photo in the collage above). Launched in 2000 by the Afterschool Alliance, Lights On Afterschool celebrates afterschool programs and their important role in the lives of children, families, and communities. The Child Center operates more than 20 such programs, and each year they join the national Lights On Afterschool effort to draw attention to the many ways they support students by offering them opportunities to learn new things—such as dance, robotics, and community service—and discover new skills. The events send a powerful message that millions more kids need quality afterschool programs.

This year’s Lights On event at Roosevelt Island Beacon was a collaboration between The Child Center and Youth Center, another afterschool program on the island.

“We came together to show the community the importance of afterschool programs and how integral they are to a young child. All the projects we showcased were created by the participants in both programs and featured the theme of lights,” Program Director Ricardo Turenne explains. “The students also spoke about how afterschool has helped them. They spoke eloquently and from the heart about how they have pursued their interests, formed friendships, got academic support to succeed in school, and discovered strengths they didn’t even know they had. It was inspiring. This is why we do what we do.”

Mental Health Awareness Month: The Crisis Among Our Children, Three Years After the COVID-19 Pandemic Began

Governor Hochul at mental health plan announcement

By Linda Rodriguez, SVP, Behavioral Health, Early Childhood, and Community Partnerships

Governor Hochul at mental health plan announcement

A photo of Governor Kathy Hochul announcing her mental health plan, taken by the blog author

As a multiservice organization that provides mental health treatment and support to young New Yorkers, before March 2020 we were busy, serving more than 40,000 New Yorkers annually through our behavioral health, early childhood education, youth development, and other programs across the city. Since then, the intensity of our work has profoundly escalated. Continue reading

Supporter Spotlight: Xun An Chia

Plushie penguins donated to The Child Center of NY

Plush penguins from Singapore find a home in NYC

Thank you, Xun and WT Partnerships, for this special delivery all the way from Singapore!

Brently Winstead, Development Associate at The Child Center of NY, and Xun An Chia of WT Partnership at our Forest Hills office

Plushie penguins donated to The Child Center of NY

At The Child Center of NY, we are fortunate to have generous donors who support our clients with various types of donations. Just last month, Xun An Chia of WT Partnership in Singapore reached out to The Child Center with a unique offer.

WT Partnership had a surplus of penguin plush toys from a charity event, and Xun wanted to find a home for them during a visit to New York. As a mental health advocate, Xun wanted to ensure the donation went to an organization that offers robust and comprehensive mental health services, particularly to children. When he learned about The Child Center and the families we serve, he got in touch with our Development Associate, Brently Winstead, who happily agreed to find homes for nearly 100 penguin plushies with children in our programs. And Xun, penguins in tow, traveled nearly 10,000 miles to place them in our hands.

Xun met with Brently at The Child Center’s headquarters in Forest Hills and, according to Xun, “One of the more thoughtful conversation topics that we had pertained to that of access to resources and help (support services, behavioral health services, etc.) and that sometimes the right to and even knowledge of the existence of such services may not trickle down to those who need it the most, sometimes simply due to the asymmetry of knowledge due to socioeconomic disparities. 

Another topic of conversation, Xun says, was that surprisingly, the plushies were actually quite difficult to give away. Brently was one of the few individuals who responded positively but it all worked out in the end. He continued, “Ultimately, seeing the box and its contents make it way to its intended destination made it all worth it — as was the journey tossing said boxes through various train station gantries from the airport, to carrying them close to a mile from the nearest train station to my place, which was truly an experience by itself.”

Thank you, Xun, for this extraordinarily special delivery all the way from Singapore! Continue reading

The Child Center of NY Recognized for Its Contributions to Mental Health

The Child Center serves as one of the few providers of early childhood mental health services. Strengthening the parent-child bond, as pictured here, is a part of all our ECMH programs.

We are honored to share the news that the New York State’s Office of Mental Health recently awarded The Child Center of NY with the 2020 OMH Community Cares Award for the New York City region.

OMH’s Community Care Awards were created in 2019 to highlight OMH’s partners and stakeholders in local communities across the state that are helping to identify and eliminate gaps in services and are working to build strong community-based behavioral healthcare systems. The award recognizes the extraordinary achievements of organizations who have furthered the OMH mission and made a positive contribution to the mental health system in their communities. Continue reading

Staff Spotlight: Bianca Ernest

Bianca Ernest, Certified Medical Biller

Bianca is a key Administration staff member in our behind-the-scenes but incredibly important Billing Department, helping to keep up with claims so that the whole agency can function like a well-oiled machine.

Continue reading

Staff Spotlight: Diane Valente

Diane Valente, LCSW, Assistant Director of The Child Center of NY’s Woodside Clinic

At The Child Center of NY, we want the children we serve to have the support they need to lead fulfilling lives. That means offering them an array of programs that nurture them wholly, despite any setbacks due to poverty, language barriers, or behavioral health. It means being there for kids whose families or cultures have a hard time accepting them for who they naturally are.

Providing safe and nurturing environments in which children can speak openly with peers about the challenges they face is an important part of who we are, so at our clinics, we try to create opportunities for group therapy as well as individualized counseling. Safe Space groups are often the only method by which young LGBTQ clients can learn to cope with the difficulties they face and develop much-needed resiliency to ensure a brighter future. The Child Center employs experienced, culturally competent behavioral health staff to run these groups and often to work closely with parents of participants to ease their transition from therapy to home life.

We recently spoke with Diane Valente, LCSW, Assistant Director at our Woodside Clinic, who created and manages several support groups there.

Continue reading

Staff Spotlight: Anderson Sungmin Yoon

Dr. Anderson Sungmin Yoon, DSW, LCSW-R, came to The Child Center of NY in 2003 as a program manager and behavioral health specialist, serving in a variety of capacities — culminating in Dr. Yoon being named the Vice President of Integrated and Value-Based Care last summer. 

Dr. Yoon’s latest project — creating a Family Assessment tool to measure outcomes and connect clients with the full range of services available to them — has been a labor of love, and the accolades for such revolutionary work continue to build. Mayor Bill de Blasio recently appointed Dr. Yoon as a member of The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Substance Abuse Subcommittee and the Municipal Drug Strategy Advisory Council, and in June 2018 Dr. Yoon will join Harvard Medical School’s Global Clinical Scholars Research Training Program. Continue reading

When It Comes to Criminal Justice Reform, Why Aren’t We Mentioning Mothers?

With all the recent press surrounding criminal justice issues—including President Obama’s record number of sentence commutations and his substantial piece in Harvard Law Review about the need to replace a policy of ongoing punishment with a policy of second chances—where is the mention of incarcerated mothers? Barriers that prevent women from raising their children from prison and upon their release are having a profound impact on many communities and the nation as a whole; removing them should be at the top of any criminal justice agenda. Yet the issue receives nary a mention. Continue reading


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