Letting Go to Move Forward

Harry*, a man in his sixties, has been incredibly affected by his past and experienced times of deep depression and feelings of suicide.

He had been living in a condemned house that was cold and leaking, with his beloved dog, Teddy. He judged himself for the way things turned out in his life and shut himself away from people. It felt too hard for Harry to build relationships with others and trust people due to his long history of family harm and trauma. 

Harry had been collecting all sorts of treasures for many years, and been hoarding stacks of papers, tools, clothing, sports gear, and household items. These things were meaningful to Harry, although they were beginning to deteriorate, especially with the leaks and with so much around.

Harry was getting some assistance to find another place to live but it was proving difficult as he really didn’t want to move. It would mean that he would need to go through his possessions and get rid of some to be able to move into the new place.

As the deadline for leaving approached, Harry’s depression and anxiety intensified. He couldn’t bear to let anything go, everything had its place and meaning to him.

It was during this challenging time that one of our dedicated social workers, Rick*, extended a compassionate hand to Harry.

“Sometimes, all it takes is someone willing to listen and offer a helping hand. Harry’s story teaches us that, with support, anyone can find the strength to let go of the past and embrace a brighter future." Rick shared.

“I walked alongside Harry helping him see the possibilities when starting a new chapter”. Harry, with Rick’s support, has started building new coping strategies to help manage his trauma. Harry had a major change in his life and received support to help him let go and move forward.

*Names and photos have been changed to protect privacy.