When my son Jacob was 9, I started seeing a sadness in him that I couldn’t ignore. Our divorce had been hard on him, but when his mom’s visits became inconsistent, it was as though a light went out. Jacob was so withdrawn. When he stopped enjoying spending time with his best friends, my heart broke and I knew we needed help.Â
That’s when I turned to Jewish Family Service. Jacob was welcomed into a safe space where he could explore his feelings and fears with a therapist. She guided him with patience, using play therapy to help him open up in ways he’d never been able to with me.
Slowly, he began to share his hurt, his anger, and his confusion. JFS didn’t just provide him a therapist—they gave him a lifeline.Â
Jacob’s therapist taught him how to understand and express what he was feeling, which was like giving him back a piece of himself. She also worked with me, teaching me how to support him during those moments when his emotions felt too big for him to handle. Together, we built a bridge that had been missing between us, and I watched my son blossom over time.
He started connecting with his friends again, his grades picked up, and the darkness that had shadowed our lives began to lift.Â
Jacob is now 11 years old and enjoying 6th grade. He hasn’t shown any signs of depression in over a year. I am endlessly thankful to JFS and to the people who make their work possible. Without this community’s support, I don’t know where we’d be. Â
Jewish Family Service was there to meet us in our moment of need. I’m sharing our story and making a donation because there are so many families, like mine, who need this lifeline. I hope others will join me in supporting JFS, too.