Connecting the Dots
The Carlson family, a mother and her three children under ten, were connected to Savio services amidst facing a mountain of instability. While each child was diagnosed with different mental health conditions, the family was also grappling with the weight of housing insecurity, couch surfing between friends’ and families’ places after the mother lost her job, and ultimately landing in a small studio apartment where the pressures of emotions were intensely felt. The strain was visible: their oldest child had been expelled from school due to behavioral concerns, and the youngest had recently narrowly escaped a dangerous accident involving unsecured furniture.
We understand that families rarely have just one isolated need. Savio’s role is also to connect the dots between emotional health, physical safety, and long-term stability. Because the Carlsons faced multiple challenges at once, we coordinated a multi-program approach. By weaving together trauma-informed therapy with our SafeCare program—which helps equip parents with practical skills to keep kids safe—we provided a comprehensive way of addressing the family’s needs from every angle
This integrated care began with the tangible: teaching Mom how to secure their environment with furniture straps and safety locks. "I didn't realize how much the chaos of our surroundings was feeding into the kids' anxiety," Mom noted as they began establishing a predictable daily routine. While the therapy sessions focused on the "why" behind the children’s behaviors, the coaching sessions provided the "how" for maintaining a calm home.
A major breakthrough occurred when the team used a feelings chart featuring kids’ movie characters to bridge the communication gap. This simple tool gave the children a visual language for their internal world. Instead of a physical outburst, a child could point to a character and say, "I feel like Dino the dinosaur right now!” allowing the family to replace tension with conversation.
While the youngest children were learning their new skills quickly, the oldest was feeling restless in period before starting at his new school. Together, mom and her Savio therapist worked intensely to keep him engaged at home during this gap. We helped him practice the self-regulation tools he had learned during each session, framing the new school as a fresh start and space to use his new skills without being held back by the past.
As the children stabilized, Savio’s integrated support shifted toward empowering Mom as the leader of her household. Even as a grownup, Mom was lacking confidence in herself to move forward. “Each team member has noted how active and responsive you are to your kids’ needs,” her family coach said to her one day, “We can build upon those strengths as you find your footing in community at large.” Savio worked alongside her to navigate the complex housing voucher process, eventually securing a spacious three-bedroom apartment. This move was a turning point; for the first time, each child had their own designated space, and Mom had an area of her own to regroup and put into practice the emphasis of parents needing self-care time as well. Simultaneously, our team supported her employment search, talking through how she can speak on her skills and values as a worker at each place she interviewed. As their program came to a close, she excitedly shared that she was offered an even higher-paying position that offered more financial stability than the job she had lost during the height of the family’s crisis. Her team smiled at one another knowing that his family would no longer be surviving… but thriving.
Today, the Carlson home is grounded and secure. By addressing their multiple needs through a unified team, we helped this family find the stability they needed to move forward together.
