Goodbye Book: A Gift To The Girl Who Taught Me A Thing Or Two About Life

When I found out one of the girls at the psychiatric residential facility where I work was getting discharged, I felt a tug at my heart. This girl experienced a life that no child should have and made a remarkable turnaround. It made me proud to watch her go to loving family, but sad to have such a significant person in my work life suddenly become a memory instead of a presence.

I wanted to give to her in a way that showed how much I felt that she had given to me, so I decided to write her a book. I firmly believe that people from all walks of life can teach us something and so I also decided to chronicle the book I wrote for her on my blog. I cannot deny that there is a stigma for kids with mental health diagnoses and I want to prove that despite the difficulty of my job -- the nights I cry myself to sleep, the bruises, the headaches, getting sick, the multitude of frustrations, and the many times I came dangerously close to cursing out everyone within the system -- these kids are still human just like us. Even when they run away or hurt staff with seemingly no remorse, at the end of the day they are so overwhelmed with hate, anger and sadness from the life they have experienced, it's easier to let it out on the people who may be their last hope. Because those people come back to work the very next day and it's a reminder to them that there is someone in this world that cares enough to not give up like everyone else in their life has.


The next few posts will be organized in the way the child's book is written. I have a dedication page, an introduction, and then everything else broken into chapters. I hope every reader can learn as much as I did from this child, but I understand that not everyone will be able to relate. Regardless, enjoy!