Therapist's quotes

This section was written using the words of the actual therapists who work with the people of our communities every day.

“Even with the agency's financial setbacks, the staff maintains their devotion to the wellbeing of their clients. They continue to stitch together the fabric of families despite their worries about the agency and their personal job security.  We have an incredible and resilient group of dedicated employees.”

Carol Fitzsimmons , Clinical Director

“Many of my triumphs don't look very spectacular.  Helping people get the assistance they need to stay in their homes is one example. Another is getting a woman who has been disabled by stroke and cannot walk or communicate well out to the grocery store once a week -- more as an outing than to buy groceries—her family will do that for her.”

Janet Fryer, Social Service Coordinator

“I have a teenager  who has been drug free for over six  months, is passing his classes at school, attends a drug counseling group weekly, maintains a community job, and helps his working mother by being there for the younger children. Being a part of the staff at Family Service and helping these kids makes me feel respected and empowered. In turn, I share those feelings of empowerment and respect with my clients.”                          

Doris Libman, Therapist

“I worked with a young man this year who was a very black and white kind of thinker. His polarized thought pattern was the source of many inner conflicts and was affecting his relationships in a negative way. Through our work together, we focused on trying to recognize the gray by deliberately challenging this kind of thinking. Seeing the changes in this young man was amazing. Over time he became much more open-minded and tolerant, trying new things and making new friends. His parents noticed the positive changes as well, and that helped their relationship. When our therapy time came to an end, I gave him a gray crayon as a transitional object. Such a simple item became a symbol of so much more.”

Jean Odwazny, Youth Advocate

“I worked with an older woman who had a chronic illness for many years. Her husband developed Parkinson's Disease; so she was his caregiver although still ill herself.  When her husband died, she joined the widows' support group I facilitate.  She became a vital member and formed close friendships with the other women. Often they went to restaurants and movies together. When she died, the entire group went to her funeral. This meaningful and important support group made this woman's last years happy ones.”

Lois Silverstein, Supervisor of the Senior Counseling Program

“We have consistently been building up our volunteer base and have recruited some great volunteers, from high school age to retired senior citizens.  At our "volunteer appreciation dinner" the parents of some of the kids who receive tutoring made the meal and we all sat down to eat together. I am proud of the relationship that Nuestro Center has with the surrounding community, including the school districts, principals, social workers, and community members. Some of our services have expanded to serve more people (we have a higher number of children registered in our after school tutoring program than in the past years), and our art classes involve a teacher from the Suburban Fine Arts Center who comes to teach the children as well as bring supplies.  We have also started up a girls club called "Chiquitas Bonitas" where Anglo and Latino high school girls meet one night a week for a few hours to discuss issues and work on cultural type projects. As you can see, there are numerous things that happen at N.C. all the time. To pick just one to highlight...well....it's too hard.”

Kimberly Laatz , Nuestro Supervisor

“Entre los casos que he trabajado en el 2004, existe uno que llamó mi atención desde que comencé a trabajar con el cliente.  Este es un cliente quien tiene un impedimento fisico y quien sin embargo ganó tal confianza en si misma y en su habilidad y capacidad para salir adelante que solicitó y obtuvo ayuda de diferentes agencias del gobierno para establecer un negocio pequeño. De esta manera ella ha sido capaz de mantenerse económicamente independiente a la misma vez que le presta servicios a otras familias Latinas/Hispanas de la comunidad donde reside.  Estoy muy orgullosa de ella.” 

“I have a client with disabilities who has really become empowered this year. She has obtained American citizenship and sought assistance from government agencies and she has stayed self-sufficient. She owns her own small business. She has followed her dream. She says, ‘I am not a victim. I came to this country to work, and to follow a dream. Even though I may need some help to do some things, I am capable of thinking, formulating plans and projects and making those a reality.' I am proud of her.”

Digna Rivera, Therapist

“A 16 year old was sent to me by the Juvenile Court. When he first came in, he was smoking marijuana, had abandoned school and did not show any motivation at all. He came for 10 appointments – this is what the Court allows for this plan - and when we finished, he had already found a job, was thinking about going back to school and had quit smoking.  His mother was very grateful.”

Lysette Kohn-Gale, Therapist