From Battleground to Breakthrough

COUNSELING HAS BROUGHT HOPE AND HEALING to many families through STCH Ministries, and for Seth and his family, it opened the door to lasting change. Katherine and her husband, Travis, loved their children, but parenting their youngest son, Seth, was becoming overwhelming and exhausting, causing tension they were not sure how to overcome. At nine years old, Seth was full of energy and strong-willed. His siblings, Alexis and Noah, often joked that he was the “problem kid.” Katherine did not like hearing it, but she understood why they felt that way at times. 

Seth had been a happy baby, but his behavior began to shift around age four, becoming more challenging as he grew older. Simple boundaries, like hearing the word “no,” often led to full-blown tantrums. “He had a hard time accepting life on life’s terms,” Katherine shared. “If he didn’t get his way, he’d get really angry – and that happened a lot.”

Small tasks frequently turned into battles. Homework, chores or even transitioning from video games to dinner often triggered Seth’s frustration. “It felt like every request turned into a fight,” Katherine recalled. The tension in the home was not just affecting Seth – it was wearing down the entire family.

“We wanted to be good parents, but we just didn’t know how,” Katherine admitted. In their frustration, they often responded to Seth’s anger with their own. “He would yell, so we would yell louder, trying to get him to listen. But it never worked.” Seth’s siblings were also caught in the cycle of frustration. They began to view him as “the baby” who always got his way. This sibling dynamic only added to the tension.

The peaceful home Katherine and Travis had envisioned felt more like a battleground. Katherine often found herself bracing for the next meltdown. “I didn’t enjoy being around him,” she confessed. It was not the family dynamic they had hoped for, and Katherine knew that if nothing changed, the frustration and anger would keep hurting their relationships.

Their introduction to STCH Ministries came when Alexis began counseling. Katherine had not expected to need help for the family, but when Alexis’ sessions ended, it became clear that Seth could also benefit. “As soon as she was done, I knew our son would probably need some help as well,” Katherine recalled.

Faith played a vital role in their decision to choose STCH Ministries. “Faith is very important to us,” Katherine explained. 

“I wanted Christian counseling because I didn’t want someone telling my daughter or Seth that their behavior was fine when it wasn’t,” 

For Katherine and Travis, finding counseling that aligned with the values they taught their children was essential. They wanted to ensure that the lessons learned in counseling reinforced the biblical principles they instilled at home.

After Alexis completed her counseling sessions, Katherine placed Seth on the waiting list. That simple step marked the beginning of a journey toward healing – not just for Seth, but for the entire family.

When Seth began counseling at STCH Ministries with his counselor Megan, Katherine was unsure about the play therapy she recommended. “I didn’t understand how just observing a child play would tell her anything,” she admitted. Megan explained that play therapy allows children to express their emotions and experiences in the way they know best – through play. Unlike adults, who process feelings through conversation, children often “play out” their thoughts and challenges.

The Association for Play Therapy (APT) explains that play therapy is a structured way for trained therapists to use play to help their clients. Through play, children can work through their difficulties and develop in healthy ways. In simpler terms, the therapist uses play to connect with the child, gently guiding them toward healing and growth.

For Seth, this approach created a safe and comfortable environment to process his emotions. Though Katherine initially had doubts, she chose to trust the process. Megan used play to help Seth express what he could not verbalize and over time, the playroom became a place where he felt safe and understood. As the sessions continued, Megan shared insights that helped Katherine and Travis better understand their son’s behavior and emotional needs.

The sessions did not just help Seth – they helped the whole family. Megan provided Katherine and Travis tools to support Seth at home. One of the biggest lessons was understanding how Seth felt within the family dynamic. “Seth felt like he didn’t have any say, any control or any place in the family. He was just the baby, being told what to do all day long,” Katherine shared.

This realization was eye-opening for Katherine and Travis. It shifted their approach to discipline and daily routines. Instead of defaulting to punishment and taking away privileges like video games, they began using positive reinforcement. By rewarding good behavior, they found that Seth responded more positively.

The family also applied the practical tools that Megan suggested. A visual schedule became one of their most valuable resources, helping Seth understand and anticipate his daily activities. This predictability helped reduce his frustration around transitions. Within this structure, Seth was given choices about the order of certain activities, like whether to do homework before or after his afternoon snack or which chores to complete first. These small but meaningful choices gave him an appropriate sense of control while maintaining necessary boundaries.

Most importantly, Katherine and Travis learned the importance of modeling emotional awareness for their children. By openly sharing their feelings and showing healthy ways to express and cope with frustration, they gave Seth and his siblings the tools to mirror this behavior. This approach matched their goals as parents: teaching their children valuable life skills while keeping healthy limits in place.

The changes extended beyond just rules and routines. Megan emphasized the importance of building trust and connection through spending quality time together to strengthen the parent-child relationship. These special times of positive interaction helped rebuild trust and connection, making the other strategies work even better.

Over time, the transformation became clear. Katherine and Travis responded to Seth’s outbursts with more patience and understanding. 

“We learned that when he yelled, we didn’t have to yell back,” Katherine said. “We started to understand how Seth was feeling instead of just reacting.”

Seth’s relationships with his siblings improved as well. As the home environment shifted to one of mutual respect, Alexis and Noah began to see Seth’s feelings as real and important. “Now they all play games together without fighting,” Katherine shared. “My daughter and Seth like to do Pokémon, and they talk about it. They see him as a person now, not just an annoying sibling.”

Looking back on their journey, Katherine feels grateful for how far their family has come. “We wanted to be good parents, but we didn’t know how. STCH Ministries showed us the way,” she shared. The changes they experienced went far beyond Seth’s behavior. They brought the family closer, filling their home with patience, love and respect.

“Counseling didn’t just help Seth. It helped all of us learn how to listen, respond with love and understand each other better.”

Faith remained at the center of their journey, working together with the practical tools they learned in counseling. “We try to teach our kids to rely on God for all of our problems,” she said. The combination of professional counseling and spiritual guidance provided a holistic approach to healing. Through STCH Ministries, they found that their faith could work together with therapeutic techniques, creating lasting change that aligned with their values. The experience reminded them that healing is possible when trust is placed in Him.

Katherine encourages families considering counseling: “Take the step. It’s worth it. Just knowing someone is willing to listen and walk alongside you can make all the difference.” For more information on STCH Ministries Counseling Ministries, visit www.STCHM.org/counseling-ministries.