Real Stories from Real People
Learn from survivors who’ve walked through hardship with us.
Stable Housing is Key to Sarah’s Long-term Success
Sarah is the first member of her family to attend college. She had completed two years on a volleyball scholarship when she learned she was pregnant. She considered dropping out, so she could work full-time, since there was no way she could afford rent and provide for a new baby. Thankfully, she didn’t have to.
Isolating the Effects of Childhood Trauma Gave David a Fighting Chance
David was seven when he was brought to our Children’s Center by the state’s Department of Social Services (DSS) in the middle of the night. He was removed from his home after his father hit him in the face with an iron.
Lucy and Children Show the Meaning of Safe Today, Strong Tomorrow
After 10 years of horrible abuse and threats to her life, Lucy escaped in the middle of the night with her three small children and her purse. They had no shoes and were wearing only pajamas. She drove her car—which was missing the driver’s side window since her abuser broke it out the day before—nearly 100 miles before she stopped in Kansas City and called Synergy Services.
Therapy Helps Families Like Audrey’s Succeed after Trauma
Audrey was 22 months old when she went to live with her grandparents. Up until that point, Audrey’s parents—unable to maintain employment, using drugs, in and out of legal trouble—had moved with Audrey between six different places and experienced periods of homelessness. Although her grandparents were loving guardians, they felt unprepared to manage the effects of her early childhood trauma. That’s why they came to Synergy Services for family therapy.
Kindness is Cool at University Academy
Every day, our community confronts the tragic consequences of bullying. This violent epidemic has been well documented as a mental health crisis in schools across the country. Thankfully many schools in our community, like University Academy Charter School, are taking a proactive approach to create cultures of kindness and equip students to establish healthy relationships.