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Jana with her mom and dad

Learning to Set Realistic Expectations

Troy and Cheryl were at their wits end. They came to Nexus-PATH Family Healing for therapy services after recognizing their 14-year-old daughter Jana’s behavior was getting out of hand at home. Jana would have outbursts of anger that came out of nowhere that would lead to screaming, slamming doors, and breaking things in the house.
Sam tinkering with a toy car

Someone Who Believed in Him

Sam had been living at Nexus-Mille Lacs Family Healing for over a year, spending all of his holidays and special events with the staff there because family visits weren’t safe for him at the time. Sam worked hard with his therapist though, at times, she wondered how effective she was because Sam would often play with cars during therapy; he didn’t talk much and often didn’t appear to be listening.
Marcus with his mom

Learning Life Skills

Marcus was a determined young man. He was not going to let his past trauma define him. He worked diligently on addressing his challenges, attending school, and gaining skills toward independence.
Casey with his dog on a walk

Resiliency and Reconnection

Casey, a resilient 14-year-old boy, had bounced in and out of 19 homes in his short lifetime. When he arrived at Nexus-Indian Oaks, he began the incredibly tough task of yet again, opening up, trusting people, and reliving his trauma. Through the ups and downs in treatment his smile and his big heart really stood out to our staff. He had so much love to give, but he didn’t have any family in his life and it was breaking his heart.  
Photo of MacKenna and her mom

Developing Safe Thoughts and Behaviors

With a heavy heart, MacKenna’s mother made the hard decision to give custody of her bright, creative, independent 12-year-old to the Department of Children and Family Services. She did so to make sure MacKenna received the help she needed. You see, MacKenna suffered from trauma at a young age and her body remembered, but her mind did not.
Photo of a smaller than average middle-schooler, with flaming red hair and plenty of freckles

Power in the Little Things

Travis, a smaller than average middle-schooler, with flaming red hair and plenty of freckles, was staying with us while his father was receiving treatment for paranoid schizophrenia.
Photo of a young boy at football practice holding a football

Providing that Extra Support

Tommy, a second grader who is always on the move, was struggling to pay attention and complete his work in the classroom. He often wandered the halls and got into fights with other students.
Photo of a young boy showing off his artwork to classmates

Overcoming Trauma

Jordan's grief and anger were contributing to aggressive outbursts at school. Thanks to a team effort of teachers, his mom and Nexus-PATH therapy team, Jordan is able to process his emotions and behaviors.
young man hiking in the woods

Going the Extra Mile

On most Thursday mornings, Nexus-Mille Lacs staff member would take youth on a long hike. This provided an opportunity for the young men to clear their heads by enjoying the nature around them while getting some exercise.
Teenage girl talking through her emotions with therapist

Healing Her Past

Healing from trauma is dark and painful. Heather, a 15-year-old girl a Nexus-Gerard, was experiencing that pain one night when she returned to her dorm from a long difficult therapy session.