Inside Children’s Mental Health Care: Real Stories of Healing and Hope

In the toughest moments of a child’s life — moments of fear, vulnerability and crisis — compassion can make all the difference. At Camber Mental Health, these moments are lived out every day by our dedicated staff. They are the ones transforming crisis into connection. Proving that the most profound healing often happens in the simple, quiet presence of someone who truly cares. 

Our therapists, behavioral health technicians and other on-site staff are at the heart of everything we do. These are stories of people who show up with calm, creativity and unwavering support. Take a look at the real-time, lived experience of healing at Camber. 

Supporting Children in Unexpected Ways

Jeff has a reputation for bringing warmth, support and joy everywhere he goes at Camber Wichita. He is never shy about showing up for the children in care, even in unexpected and silly ways!

One of Jeff’s favorite little moments was when a young boy was struggling to self-regulate during a stay at Camber. The boy was yelling, starting to get aggressive toward the staff and clearly angry. That’s when Jeff stepped in as the calming presence the boy needed. 

Jeff sat down nearby and waited while the boy paced and yelled for a few more minutes. Eventually, the child came and sat next to him. What he did next made Jeff smile. 

 

“He put his hand on my bald, shaved head, which feels a little like Velcro when it starts to grow back,” shared Jeff. “In a couple of minutes, he was calm. I was glad my head could be used as a coping skill!”

Jeff recognized that what this boy needed was something grounding and tactile to help calm himself down. While unconventional, Jeff’s bald head — and his calming presence — was just what this boy needed to come down from an emotional moment. This unconventional coping skill helped the therapist and treatment team identify additional ways this boy could seek comfort when feeling triggered, by finding other tactile items to help manage dysregulation moving forward. 

Waiting for a Forever Home

As a therapist at Camber, Karen recognizes that she doesn’t often receive updates on how children are doing after they are discharged. But every once in a while, she receives an update that warms her heart.

When an eight-year-old girl was admitted to Camber, Karen recognized a long history of trauma in the young girl’s behavior. The girl’s foster family had disrupted while she was in treatment, leaving her even more uncertain of where she would go when she was discharged. It seemed every time an option presented itself for this child, it would fall through.

What amazed Karen was how resilient this little girl became, managing each disappointment and tumultuous change with maturity and bravery beyond her years. Karen had a lot of hope for this girl when she was discharged, and that hope has been affirmed with a wonderful update: this girl now has a forever family!

“No matter how challenging a child may be that comes into care, we must give them our best,” said Karen. “We never know if their story will end up just like the wonderful little eight-year-old who proved what the power of people caring enough to help can do.”

A Shoulder to Lean On

Many of the youth who come to Camber for support are dealing with different emotional and behavioral challenges, and sometimes they are admitted after a mental health crisis. These resilient children and teens often arrive needing to feel cared for and valued. Many form close friendships with the staff, leaving Camber feeling seen in a way they never have before.

Ashley has spent much of her career working with teen girls at Camber, including one repeat resident with whom she formed a close bond. One day, this normally easygoing youth seemed to be having a hard time, so Ashley checked in. The two went for a walk and found a quiet place to connect, but the teen was struggling to express her feelings aloud. Ashley found a pen and paper for her to write down her thoughts, then offered her a hug.

The young woman ended up crying on her shoulder for a while, and once she was ready to go back to the unit, she seemed to have cheered up. “This was one of those times that made me feel like I do make a difference in a child’s life, even if it’s just to let them cry on my shoulder,” shared Ashley.

Partnering with Parents Every Step of the Way

Having your child admitted to a psychiatric hospital can be frightening as a parent or caregiver, especially if your child is very young. The first contact most of these parents have with Camber is through the admissions staff, who work hard to reassure parents and ensure they know exactly what to expect throughout this process. After working with the admissions team, they may come into contact with leadership at the campus where their child receives care. 

As Associate Director of Program Operations, Akieri’s role involves managing milieu staff and oversight of programming, so she doesn’t often interface directly with patients or parents. But when she heard that the mom of a five-year-old soon-to-be patient was really worried and afraid to admit her son, Akieri immediately stepped in to help. 

Akieri gave the mom her direct phone number and promised to call every day with updates. She also reassured the mom that she would be able to talk to her son every day.

“Upon arrival, I hugged and sat with the mom during that difficult time,” shared Akieri. “I was able to give her the support she needed to ensure that her child was in good hands.” 

Throughout the young boy’s time at Camber, Akieri would call his mom multiple times a day to check in and give updates. That intentionality made a huge difference for this parent, who said it was comforting to know her son was in the right place. 

Helping Children Find What Drives Them

The youth who come to Camber aren’t always willing participants in their own healing. It can take some time to get them on board with their treatment plan. Traci’s administratively focused career with Camber doesn’t usually involve direct patient contact, but when one patient seemed to fixate on her as an adult who could help, she instantly became invested in helping the teen succeed.

This female patient was immediately drawn in when she saw Traci walking by and noticed her painted fingernails. She called Traci “grandma” and asked about her nails, which quickly bonded them. When she learned from staff that this patient wasn’t engaging in her treatment, Traci saw an opportunity. 

“I asked her what was going on,” said Traci. “She said she just wanted her nails done. I told her that I would paint her nails if she did what was expected of her.”

It took a few false starts, but eventually this young woman took an active role in her treatment — and was rewarded with Traci painting her fingernails. Later, when the girl was getting ready to be discharged, Traci came by again to paint her toes. This simple interaction over a few brief days really touched Traci’s heart. 

“Having that interaction with this client brought such a feeling of accomplishment to me,” Traci says. “While I am not with the clients like nurses and BHTs (Behavioral Health Technicians), I feel like I helped her realize that when we keep our word, it goes a long way . . . even if it’s just getting our nails painted.”

Healing Isn’t Linear: How Camber Helps Children on Their Journey

Our mission at Camber is to deliver compassionate, evidence-based inpatient and residential care for youth and families. Our staff embodies this mission on the floor every day. If you or a loved one needs compassionate care and support, learn more about Admissions and Referrals for each of our locations across Kansas City, Wichita, Olathe and Hays.