When Every Hour CountsA Mother’s Journey to Find Help
Story by Sheena Adams-Avery, CDT, CDP, Communications Manager, with information provided by
Linda Brown, Statewide Information & Referral Coordinator, TN Disability Pathfinder
When Sarah realized her 15-year-old daughter was struggling with severe anxiety and depression, she knew a quick fix wasn’t enough. After an emergency 72-hour stabilization stay, Sarah was left searching for longer-term support, something that could provide her child with the care and structure she truly needed.
“I felt lost,” Sarah recalls. “Everywhere I turned, there seemed to be either no resources, private facilities were expensive, or waitlists were months long, and I didn’t know where to go next.”
That’s when she reached out to Tennessee Disability Pathfinder. Within days, although there weren’t many, Pathfinder connected Sarah to mental health organizations in Tennessee that offer residential services for teens. These programs provided the extended care and therapeutic environment her daughter needed to begin healing.
“Pathfinder gave me hope when I had none,” Sarah says. “They didn’t just give me a list, they guided me to the right resources at the right time.”
Stories like Sarah’s remind us why Pathfinder exists: to make finding help clearer, faster, and more personal. No matter where you are on your journey, we’re here to help you take the next step with confidence.
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No matter where you are on your journey, Pathfinder is here to help you take the next step with confidence.
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