Bright Horizons Summer 2016
Bright Horizons Summer 2016
Bright Horizons Summer 2016
SUMMER 2016
pg.2
Michael J. Wynne
Vice President, Childrens Services, PCRC
The more honest you are with yourself, the better you will be,
and better is such an amazing feeling.
I grew up in a dysfunctional home. My father was an alcoholic and he beat my
mom. I never knew what would set my dad off, so for most of my childhood I lived
in fear for my moms life. My father committed suicide when I was 17, and for
years afterward I was in denial that he actually died.
Death seemed to be all around me at that time, and with each family members
passing my anxiety became stronger and more difficult to control. I was in and out of treatment,
and on and off of medication. I moved around a lot and in 2014 I moved into an apartment in
the Valley. I needed to find a new facility to treat my anxiety, and found BHcare. I worked with
a clinician who made me face my anxiety head on. She pushed me to do things I could not do
before. I attended group therapy and, although I still had anxiety, I had it under control.
My son Brandon began having behavioral issues when he was about seven years old. For months
it seemed he wouldnt express any emotion, and then suddenly he would be filled with rage and
anger. He would bang his head on the floor for hours at a time. He had complete meltdowns over
the smallest issues. He received therapy for a little while and learned some coping skills, but I did
not feel like he was receiving the consistent care he needed. His behavior slowly got worse and
school became a big issue. I received phone calls, sometimes five or six times a day from the school
and when he threatened to kill himself, he was expelled. I spoke with my clinician at BHcare about
it and she recommended I reach out to PCRC.
Now Brandon sees a clinician at PCRC. The clinician established a level of trust with him, the
clinician is patient, but also demands respect which is exactly what Brandon needs. Brandon has
gone from someone who was angry all the time to a kid that has some control in his life. He is
learning how to behave in large groups and is less reluctant in social interactions. Brandon still
needs a very structured environment, but has made so much progress and Im excited to see what
he can accomplish with the help of PCRC.
Brandon and I have both come a long way in the last two years, thanks to the help of BHcare and
PCRC. I was reluctant to seek help at first, but quickly realized that I needed to face my issues and
address Brandons. The more honest you are with yourself, the better you will be, and better is
such an amazing feeling.
For 25 years, VSAAC has engaged churches, schools, businesses, human service agencies,
neighborhood organizations, government offices, law enforcement, and concerned citizens
of all ages, races, and ethnic backgrounds in prevention activities. The program maintains
strong collaborative relationships with area police departments, the local prevention councils,
social service agencies, and youth service bureaus and has an extensive repertoire of culturally
competent substance abuse/high-risk behavior prevention and wellness programs.
Your support over the past 25 years helped more than 150,000 youth and adults in our
communities. Thank you for continuing to make a difference.
Doctors Corner
BHcare - Shoreline
14 Sycamore Way
Branford CT 06405
(203) 483-2630
www.BHcare.org
Facebook.com/CTBHcare
Twitter.com/CTBHcare
BHcare - Valley
435 East Main Street
Ansonia CT 06401
(203) 736-2601
BHcare - PCRC
30 Elizabeth Street
Derby, CT 06418
(203) 954-0543