Ethan was living in a group home when he was placed with a resource (foster) family. It was his fifth such placement. Adjusting was never easy. It seemed he was always trying to get used to things, suddenly they would change again.

A sense of isolation and loneliness weighed on him. He didn’t want much to do with his resource parents or his teachers. He started skipping school and drinking. But this only created more problems—at school and at home.

That’s when Ethan and his resource parents were referred to Stanford Sierra Youth & Families. Ethan began meeting regularly with a social worker. By listening closely and asking questions, the social worker discovered how deeply Ethan longed for connection with peers and how much he struggled without it.

At the same time, Ethan’s resource parents started working with a family support counselor at Stanford Sierra Youth & Families who helped them better understand the trauma Ethan had endured. They learned how trauma can shape a young person’s behavior and how to foster healing by responding constructively when those behaviors arise.

With encouragement from his social worker and resource parents, Ethan started participating in a 12-step program for young people. There, he made new friends who are also sober. Together, they support one another, keep each other accountable, and—just as importantly—have fun.

Ethan still struggles at times with the trauma from his past. But he’s talking with a counselor about it. He feels increasingly empowered, and he’s gained a stronger sense of self-worth. He’s motivated to keep progressing, do well in school, and plan for his future, a future his resource parents look forward to being a part of for many years to come. The three of them have started the adoption process.

Stanford Sierra Youth & Families places the experiences of each youth and family we work with at the center of our care. We take the time to understand where they’ve been and where they want to be. We help them discover and build upon their strengths so they can get there together.

*Names have been changed to protect confidentiality.​