Sunrise’s Woodlawn Center in Danville is our only Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) in our continuum of specialized care. Therapy and treatment are provided to up to 27 boys, ages six to 18, in three cottages on campus. Many unique and wonderful things occur here every day. Braeden* is just one example.
What brought Braeden to Woodlawn Center PRTF was an incident with his father’s parents. “I overreacted and did some property damage,” said Braeden. “Then I was sent to a psychiatric facility, and then I was sent here.”
When Braeden first walked through the doors of Woodlawn Center, he entered feeling awkward and lacking confidence. “When I first came in, I was an introvert, like, really an introvert. I really didn’t like people. I had no trust with anyone. And I didn’t have confidence in myself,” said Braeden. “But now, I’m able to trust people, and I build relationships with people. And I’m confident that I can do the right thing.”
Braeden remained at Woodlawn Center almost eight months before finishing the program in August, 2020. Just days before leaving Woodlawn, Braeden wanted to express his appreciation to one special person. “I want to thank Ms. Rebecca, my therapist, because she’s always been here for me,” Braeden said. “She cares about me. And she only wants the best for me. And she’s been pushing me to do the right thing since the beginning.”
On that same day, Braeden was eager to share his feelings about completing the Sunrise program at Woodlawn: “I’m ready now, because I know I can do the right thing. I’ve learned the skills to do the right thing. I want to do the right thing. I want to go to college and make money and have a good life.”
His specific plan is to attend Sullivan University in Louisville and study culinary arts. In fact, he shared his culinary skills with Sunrise team members before leaving. “I cooked today, actually,” stated Braeden. “I made enchiladas for all of the staff; so, it’s like a going-away present.”
But the story doesn’t end here. Along came Steven. Steven is a single parent, currently fostering, and just happens to have worked at Sunrise’s Woodlawn Center about five years ago. Sunrise Treatment Director Rebecca Goines (who is also Braeden’s therapist) shared: “When I found out from Braeden’s social worker that he was going into foster placement, I knew that Steven was a foster parent, and he was fostering teenage boys; and he just told me that he was opening another room in his house. And so, it all kind of just fit together. I felt like Steven knew this level of care, and knew these types of kids, and this would probably work! And of course, he said yes!”
Steven had an instant rapport with Braeden. “Braeden reminds me a lot of myself at a younger age, so, we had a pretty good connection,” said Steven. “I just pray that he takes one day at a time, becomes the man he wants to be, and focuses on the goals he has. He seems to be straight on with what he wants to do; so, I’m just hoping that he can keep that going.”
“Braeden reminds me a lot of myself at a younger age, so, we had a pretty good connection,”
Steven is also confident in the quality of care already provided to Braeden by Woodlawn Center. “They have excellent staff that have worked with the kids a long time and love working with the kids and interacting,” said Steven. “A lot of kids come in here, and they’re not happy with who they are. Braeden said he came in like that, and he’s doing much better, and it looks like he’s ready. And I think that’s what (Woodlawn) provides. It prepares them for the world.”
It looks like Woodlawn has indeed prepared Braeden for the world. And for both Steven and Braeden, it is quite evident that Sunrise’s Woodlawn Center has fully prepared them for each other.
*Name has been changed to protect the identity of the individual.
