During my time working with youth, I have learned that sometimes the most meaningful progress does not come from grand gestures, but from simply being present. I had the opportunity to work with a 20-year-old young man who, despite having a genuinely kind heart, carried a tremendous amount of inner turmoil related to his family and his siblings. Opening up about those feelings did not come easily for him, and for a long time, he kept much of that pain locked away.
From the beginning, my role with him was not to fix or force anything, but to listen—without judgment—and to consistently show up with an open ear and an open heart. I wanted him to know that support did not come with conditions, expectations, or timelines. It simply came with care. One of the first turning points I noticed was during his birthday. Seeing his handsome smile after being treated and celebrated was a small moment on the surface, but it spoke volumes. It was a reminder that he deserved to feel seen and valued. Another major breakthrough came when I made a point to reach out using his preferred method of communication—texting. Through that space, he began to open up about his past trauma and his complicated feelings surrounding his family, particularly his mother. It was clear that meeting him where he felt most comfortable made all the difference.
Since then, this young man has made meaningful strides. He now knows that I will show up for him no matter the issue, and that consistency has allowed him to trust the process. He has begun opening up more freely and has taken important steps toward identifying his cognitive distortions and other barriers that impact his healing journey.
This moment mattered deeply to me because there is something incredibly powerful about watching someone with such a good heart feel safe enough to share the things that weigh heaviest on it. Being trusted with those feelings—especially when they are so personal and central to someone’s healing—is a privilege I do not take lightly. It reminded me that sometimes, making a difference simply means being a steady presence when someone needs it most.
