Perseverance: A Therapist’s Observations of a Young Client’s Achievements

Sydney Zeuch
School Based Day Treatment therapist, Sydney Zeuch, stresses the importance of perserverance when it comes to her client’s accomplishing their goals. Since working with Brielle, she has observed improvement in her ability to self-regulate and regain a sense of control over her impulses.

By: Sydney Zeuch, MSW, TGL School Based Day Treatment

Perseverance is a character strength that comes as a challenge and can be difficult to harness when you feel like things can’t get any better.

BC, a student at Mt. Healthy North Elementary, is a great example of how achieving perseverance is possible. BC began School Based Day Treatment (SBDT) in 2021 to work on skills she can carry with her into her classroom and community.

When she began SBDT she was working on staying on task, respecting personal boundaries and expressing feelings. BC’s biggest struggle in the beginning of group was being able to appropriately express her feelings without becoming aggressive.

Over the past year, BC has successfully achieved staying on task in the group room and in her classroom. She comes to group glowing while utilizing her character strength of being ready to learn. She has learned how to express her feelings with a calm mouth and body. She no longer must sit in an assigned seat and sits with her friends during group. BC has shown tremendous progress in following directions and ignoring distractions when sitting next to friends.

“I feel happy and so much better,” BC says, “I know I can do this!”

BC is currently working on achieving new skills that involve respecting personal boundaries, using self-control, and expressing feelings. BC’s strengths include making others laugh, caring for others and supporting her peers. Over the last month BC has been moved to level two in group and has been awarded the Mt. Healthy North Elementary Student of the Month for 1st Grade.

“BC has made a lot of progress following teacher’s directions,” her teacher said.

BC has not only shown she can achieve perseverance, but she demonstrates how confident, motivated, and strong a 7-year-old can be. We are all so proud of BC!