At just nine years old, “David”, a Latino boy from our community, came to El Centro de Amistad (ECDA) struggling with severe anxiety. His school referred him to treatment after noticing ongoing symptoms that made it difficult for him to thrive.His mother shared that David had always been anxious—often worrying excessively, avoiding new situations, and fearing ridicule,especially when eating in public. His anxiety was so intense that it sometimes caused physical symptoms like stomachaches, nausea, and even vomiting.
David had previously received school-based mental health support and made great progress, but six months before intake, his symptoms returned. This time, the anxiety coincided with parental conflict and a potential separation at home, making it harder for him to cope.
His struggles began to affect him across all areas of life—school, home, and social interactions.
David’s therapist took time to build safety, comfort, and trust, using client-led and play-based activities. Through these sessions, the therapist uncovered David’s patterns of negative thinking and catastrophizing. His biggest challenge—eating in public—quickly became the central focus of treatment.
To address this, the therapist used a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness practices, and exposure therapy—all delivered through a playful, relational approach.
Together, David and his therapist worked on labeling emotions, reframing negative beliefs, and practicing stress-reduction strategies. Once he felt ready, David began gradual exposure exercises.
What started as being unable to take a single bite eventually grew into successfully eating a full snack during sessions, and finally eating comfortably in public spaces without fear.
By the end of treatment, David’s progress was remarkable. He reported little to no worry when eating in public, used coping skills when needed, and showed improvement in overall anxiety, self-esteem, and negative thinking patterns.
His mother also learned strategies to better support him at home, strengthening the family’s resilience.
David graduated from treatment with newfound confidence, courage, and tools he can carry into the future. His success story is a powerful example of how compassionate, tailored mental health care can help children face their fears, heal, and thrive.
We are incredibly proud of David and deeply grateful to our dedicated therapists who make stories like his possible every day.
