Last fall six-year-old “Lenny” moved to Montana with his mom. He had suffered horrible sexual abuse at the hands of his step-father. Like many kids who’ve suffered greatly, Lenny pretends like everything is okay and wears a steady smile. But in play therapy at Intermountain, Lenny would make up stories that always included “bad guys.” The bad guys were relentless, Lenny’s therapist says, and the good guys would play dead to trick the bad guys, but the bad guys would always come back.
Lenny was getting in fights at school, in particular with another boy who resembled the step-dad who had abused him. Play therapy is working, though, and Lenny is making progress. His grades are decent and he’s discovered he loves basketball. At each therapy session, he chooses the toys he wants to use. Lenny’s therapist lets him direct the play. “His feelings come out through play,” the therapist says, “and I help him put words around what he’s expressing.”
There are still bad guys in Lenny’s play, but they’re just “there” now. They’re still scary, but they’re often placed at the other side of the room. Lenny says he sometimes feels like a bad guy inside, but that he’s choosing to be a good guy. He knows that there is evil in the world, but that it doesn’t have to destroy him.
Thank you for supporting Intermountain and helping children like Lenny move past his hurts and embrace hope for a brighter future.
For more information on how you can support the work of Intermountain, call 406-457-4804
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