Situation Snapshot
When Liam* started with us, he had been removed from school out of concern from his parents. He had been experiencing extreme levels of bullying every single day, so severe it was physical.
He and his family had lost their home due to a recent natural disaster, with everything in it.
It was all gone.
Liam wasn’t able to laugh at much, and was edging into catastrophic thinking.
To remove him from the harm of bullies, his parents chose to try home-schooling, which he managed for most of 2024.
Goals & Challenges
During his home-schooling, Liam experienced extreme anxiety. Leaving the house was a struggle.
He developed a tic, which he hated.
The bullying he had experienced left him with high levels of distrust in others, and if he did visit the shops with his mum, he often had panic attacks and had to go home.
His anxiety was affecting all aspects of his life – school, friends, exercise, going out, and sleep.
He was already involved in the Kokoda Youth Program, but found it too hard to talk to others because of his extreme mistrust.
What Accoras did
The Accoras Case Practitioner supported Liam at weekly sessions for 9 months with a client-centred, strength-based practice approach.
Together, they focused on thought challenging, reframing, gradual exposure, and coping skills.
While there were set-backs from time to time, there was also progress, to the point where we started to talk about getting him back to mainstream school with the help of his family.
The outcome
Liam has started back at school this year, and while the first few days were challenging, he has made friends, and is laughing again.
He has completed the Kokoda Youth Program, finishing a 48 km walk over 12 hours, made a new best friend within the program, and has a new part time job at the local butcher.
While he is cautious with new people, he is learning to trust again, and even recommended counselling to one of his friends who was struggling with his own issues.
He no longer has tics, and can see a future, which includes engagement in other programs for longer-term support.
‘I’m so grateful to have been able to help support Liam and his family through these challenges, and to see him through to the other side,’ said our practitioner.
*Name changed
