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Jen came into our lives at just the right time. My 8 year old son was struggling in school – having 13 write-ups in the first month of school. He was angry, defiant, anxious and would become terribly embarrassed when an adult called out his behavior – which would lead to hitting, kicking and breaking things. We got to the point that we gave in a lot, simply because it was easier to get through each day.

We were seeing a therapist and she recommended Jen Angier. At first, I was not crazy about having a stranger in my house, but the impact Jen was going to have on my son was evident very quickly. She showed him respect and helped show both of us that she was there to help. He was quite accepting of Jen – and secretly, I know he was relieved.

He gave her a run for her money, and Jen warned me that was going to happen. She stayed firm (unlike me) and that was going to make him ANGRY. As days went by, the temper tantrums started getting shorter and shorter. Jen taught him how to get himself “in control” on his own, which did take a lot of practice. Now, he is able to acknowledge when he is getting “out of control” and has tools to cope and handle it without a scene. I have learned to rethink how I react to negative behaviors and that has been the key.

I had a lot of guilt that I let him get this way. It just seemed to get worse and worse, so I just got caught up in it. Before I knew it, we were drowning. I have full custody of my son and he has minimal contact with his Mom – I know this has a lot to do with his behaviors, but we no longer use that as an excuse. Jen’s involvement with my family has changed our lives significantly. She has taught me how to better parent and hold my ground. To see the smile on my son’s face proves it all – I have a happier, more confident kid and that makes me a happy and more confident Dad.