Mark, age 10, and his mother, Andrea, were locked in an ongoing battle. Mark reacted aggressively when his classmates made fun of him. The school called Andrea so frequently when he got in trouble that she had to work night shifts. Andrea tried to implement consequences, but his behavior only escalated. He shut down and stopped listening, increasing Andrea’s frustration.
If these interactions worsened, Mark could be put in foster care. Mother and son would suffer the trauma of separation, and their family could fall apart.
The family had seen other counselors without much impact. Then, Caroline, a Wayfinder mental health therapist, received the family’s referral from their county’s mental health department, which works with their school district. Caroline quickly realized the source of the family’s problems. Mark wanted more attention from his mother, and bad behavior got him that. “Mark is a great kid and Andrea is a great mom. But they had a disconnect. They needed to understand each other’s needs and communicate,” Caroline recalls.
Caroline thought that a short-term intervention called Functional Family Therapy (FFT) would be a good approach for the family. “FFT does not examine the past,” Caroline explains. “FFT focuses on identifying what needs to change and going forward.”
Mark and Andrea really wanted to change their patterns. They never missed a session with Caroline. In therapy, Mark discovered what triggered his aggressive behaviors and how to cope using breath work. He learned to advocate for himself by asking for breaks when he got overwhelmed in school.
Caroline helped Andrea implement appropriate consequences for Mark and to find a balance between being a good mom and taking care of herself.
Caroline knew FFT had been effective for the family when Andrea used what she had learned to handle an incident in which Mark had physically confronted a boy who was bullying him. Andrea listened calmly while Mark explained what happened. She helped Mark with problem solving and talked to his teacher.
Mark is doing so much better at school. As his incidents decreased, his academics improved. Mark’s teachers are so impressed by his progress that he received an award for Outstanding Achievement in Social Studies and English.
Andrea is planning to switch to the day shift so she can spend more time with Mark after school and in the evenings. “I think I’ve got this,” Andrea told Caroline in gratitude.
Instead of another child entering the child welfare system, Wayfinder helped build a strong family that communicates well and demonstrates understanding. The ongoing battle is over for Mark and Andrea, and they are enjoying brighter days.
Please consider a gift to Wayfinder today: www.wayfinderfamily.org/donate.
December 23, 2025