Claire's Story

Claire's Story: How personalised support and patience lead to confidence

Life before Response

Claire was admitted to an inpatient unit in December 2024 after several suicide attempts. She was struggling with emotional dysregulation, low self-worth, lack of enjoyment in life, and suicidal thoughts. She felt hopeless and disconnected from her future.

At first, Claire was withdrawn and hesitant to speak to staff. She avoided conversations, didn’t express any interests, and had no clear sense of direction. She described feeling stuck and unsure how to move forward.

Her goals were simple but powerful: to feel safe outside hospital, to enjoy life again, and to build self-esteem.

Finding Support with Response

Claire began working with a Youth Worker at Response. They started small, using an Interest Checklist to help Claire explore what she might enjoy. Slowly, she began taking part in group sessions and one-to-one work. As trust grew, so did Claire’s confidence.

She took on leadership roles in self-care groups and joined Community Skills sessions regularly. She built a strong bond with Walt, the therapy dog, which lifted her mood and gave her something to look forward to. A visit to the Dogs for Good training centre helped Claire discover a real interest in animal care and dog handling.

Over time, she began to open up more and talk about her future. She also started Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) to support her emotional wellbeing.

Claire said:

"Everything we do is so much fun... It has helped build my self-confidence and interactions with other people."

Moving Forward

Now, Claire talks about her future with hope. She’s found activities she enjoys, feels more in control of her emotions, and is reconnecting with education and goals. She’s exploring university options and is interested in animal sciences as a future path.

Claire has built strong relationships with staff and peers and is taking better care of herself, balancing schoolwork with wellbeing. An occupational therapist summed it up “Claire’s Response Youth Worker has done amazing work you can really see the positive impact having a youth worker has had in Claire’s case.”

Claire’s story shows how personalised support and patience can help someone move from crisis to confidence, and begin to imagine a life beyond hospital.