In honor of National School Counseling Week, we would like to share how we helped a young teenage boy who grew up in a very tough neighborhood riddled with crime.  This area was infested with gangs, had extremely high murder and assault rates, and theft was a way of life.

This young man saw some of the most horrific things that no child should ever have to see.  Young kids in his neighborhood, including some of his friends, were shot or stabbed to death.  To escape the violence in his community, he watched sports on television.  This was the beginning of a spark that eventually led him down a better path.

When he first came to Dominion Care Day Services for help, he was a very troubled young man.  He had become numb to all the terrible things he was surrounded by since that was all he ever knew.  In order to survive, he had to blend in and became a gang member, sold drugs, robbed houses, and stole cars.  This lifestyle had, understandably, really beaten him down.

Our compassionate, experienced professional staff worked very hard to counsel him and help steer him in a more positive direction at this pivotal time in his life.  We recognize that the types of ongoing emotional, behavioral, and mental health challenges this young man experienced could significantly impact his future.  So, our counselors worked diligently to provide individualized services and training which helped him develop the skills he needed to succeed.

And succeed is precisely what this young man did.  After we finished working with him, he went on to graduate high school and ultimately ended up attending college on an athletic scholarship.  His passion for sports and positive spirit guided him to pursue a successful career as a professional athlete.

Dominion Care Day Services is delighted that the counseling services our staff provided this young man impacted his life in such a meaningful way and helped him turn his life around.