Support for the Whole Family
Parent Story
How Blackbird helped three boys and their parents reach mental health goals together and as individuals.
This busy mom describes how her family navigated ADHD, anxiety, sensory issues, and parenting challenges with individualized therapy and support, leading to a more structured and harmonious home life.
Our journey with Blackbird started about 11 years ago, when Amy [Edgar, Founder of Blackbird] first began her practice. I've known Amy forever, in fact, she was my nursing school professor way back when. When she started her practice, my oldest son, Steven, was around four years old and having some behavior difficulties. My husband Rob and I started taking him to see Amy, and honestly, we've been with her ever since. Amy is truly an amazing person. Every member of our family, including my husband and myself, has received some sort of service through Blackbird.
Steven
Steven is now 15 and he has always been a ball of energy. Early on, we started noticing some behavior issues and, as first-time parents, we weren’t sure what was normal. He was definitely our “guinea pig” in navigating parenting and this mental health process. His behavior was becoming overwhelming, so he started to receive behavior therapy with Amy. He has an ADHD diagnosis and some anxiety, but he’s learned to manage it on his own. It was severe enough that he was on medication for a while, but around age 10 or 11, he decided he wasn’t going to take it anymore. Surprisingly, he has done very well without it.
Steven is now a freshman in high school. While I sometimes think he could benefit from medication to help him focus a little better, he’s managing well with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and resources to help him in school. Amy was also instrumental in helping us secure that IEP during and after COVID, as he struggled like so many kids did during that time. I truly believe all the help he received from Blackbird over the years has made a difference in his life.
“Every member of our family, including my husband and myself, has received some sort of service through Blackbird.”
Oliver
And then there’s Oliver, my sweet middle child. He’s truly the greatest kid ever. He started with in-person therapy and Occupational Therapy (OT) from Blackbird when he was 2-years old. He received occupational therapy because he was born with nystagmus, which means his eyes move back and forth constantly. This caused some coordination and balance issues—he would actually run into walls! It wasn't that he couldn’t see, but it definitely affected his eyes and balance. He received OT for about a year and a half, which helped him immensely. Thankfully, Oliver doesn't have any ADHD issues—he's incredibly focused.
Oliver also received services through the intermediate unit, where they would come to our house. This was done as a collaboration between Amy and his pediatrician. It was separate from his traditional Blackbird therapy, but it really helped him. Oliver is 13 now.
Marcus
Our youngest is Marcus, who is nine. Marcus and Steven are two peas in a pod—they are so alike, especially in their personalities. We started noticing energy bursts in Marcus that were similar to Steven when he was around five or six. He would be perfect at school, but as soon as he came home, he was a ball of fire. We sought help for him because he was having behavior issues after school. Marcus also has an ADHD diagnosis, but it presents differently than Steven's. Marcus is more task-oriented and can complete things, while Steven moves onto the next thing in seconds.
Marcus has been on medication, which he takes after school. It helps bring him down a notch and makes things calmer in the evenings. This helps the whole family. For years, our evenings were pure chaos with these three boys. It’s still chaos, but it’s much more manageable. We can get through dinner without it turning into a disaster. Things are more structured, and Marcus knows how to calm down a bit better.
“It’s still chaos, but it’s much more manageable. We can get through dinner without it turning into a disaster. Things are more structured, and Marcus knows how to calm down a bit better.”
The family
Ultimately, we all received support from Blackbird–each of us individually and as a family. Our house used to be a free-for-all at home, especially after school and on weekends. Each kid was doing whatever they wanted and there was no structure. Rob and I were each going through some issues ourselves, so it was overwhelming.
As a couple, our significant challenges included Rob’s PTSD and the stress and anxiety of financial strain due to Rob's three and a half years out of work. Each of us suffered from periods of severe depression and that, of course, impacted the children.
Over time, we have established goals to help manage the chaos, improve general family dynamics, and address each of our individual challenges. For example, we successfully addressed Marcus's habit of sleeping in our bed with the help of our therapist, Chris Parks. Chris worked with Marcus directly in just two sessions!
A sincere message for other parents
Rob and I are sharing our experiences here to encourage others to seek support, despite personal doubts or cultural biases against mental health care. To anyone who’s on the fence about mental health support for their children or as a couple, I want to emphasize the importance of seeking help as soon as possible. Our work with Blackbird has had such a positive impact on our family's well-being.
Our life is not perfect, but it’s so much better now, and we are incredibly grateful for Amy and the entire team. Blackbird has truly been a lifeline for our family.
How can Blackbird help?
If you recognize your child may need support and are interested in exploring mental health services, click here to get started. To speak to a Care Navigator, call (484) 202-0751 or email us at info@blackbirdhealth.com.
