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The Samaritan Counseling Center
A Client Named Mary
Mary, in her late twenties, is the mother of a young daughter. The father of the child abandoned them before the child was born, and they have been divorced for several years. The father pays no support and Mary has been frustrated by her attempts to work through the family court system with little help. Her job as a child care provider paid minimum wage and she rarely was given full time hours. As she became more and more depressed, her hours were cut more and more until there was no way she could afford to stay in her apartment. Her grandfather, the only adult in her life that she had ever felt close to, died unexpectedly. Her mother repeatedly sent her text messages, numerous times a day, to tell her how worthless and ungrateful Mary was. The thought of moving back home to her mother’s house was so disturbing that it drove Mary to attempt suicide.
Fortunately, Mary is a woman with a strong belief in God, who sought help from a pastor who referred her to the Samaritan Center. She began to find small ways that God was working in her life that gave her hope. With encouragement and understanding, she began to realize that she was not the incompetent and useless person her mother had led her to believe she was. She was able to see examples of her goodness, intelligence and value in the eyes of God. Mary’s mother had previously demanded that Mary’s daughter stay with her because of her belief that Mary was incapable of providing a proper home for the child. Mary gradually began to assert herself with her mother to change this arrangement. Mary now has a place to live that accommodates herself and her daughter and has assumed her rightful role as mother and primary caregiver of her child. The relationship between Mary and her daughter has grown and improved tremendously. Mary was able to find a new full time job and began to save money to buy a car. Although Mary still has a long way to go, she has begun to build a life separate from her mother in which she can measure and take pride in her small successes.
The changes in Mary have brought about changes in the entire family dynamic, to the point that Mary’s mother has also begun her own counseling. Mary continues to draw strength from her faith as she continues to work on her own insecurities and feelings of abandonment and lack of self-worth. Knowing that she does not have to get through each week alone, Mary is renewing her courage to move forward, for both herself and her child. Having the opportunity to examine her life in the light of faith has been and continues to be a blessing in Mary’s life.
The above is a true story of a client who came to the Samaritan Counseling Center for help. We have changed the client’s name to maintain confidentiality.
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