When a parent heals, so does a family

For Andrea, every day felt like a house on fire. There was always another meltdown, another crisis, another moment that needed her full attention.

As the emotional anchor for her husband and four children, she was constantly absorbing stress and trying to keep one person’s difficult moment from becoming everyone else’s. 

“I felt like a failure as a mom,” Andrea explains. “Why couldn’t I bring peace and calm to my household? Why were my kids struggling so much with their environment?”

When her children and spouse were diagnosed with autism – all within a one-year period – Andrea at first felt a sense of relief. Finally, an explanation. But that feeling was quickly replaced by guilt: how could she not have realized sooner?

The cost of carrying it all

The growing weight of holding everything together – including more than 10 years without a full night’s sleep – took its toll. Andrea was diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder (c-PTSD) beyond the other nervous system,  neurodevelopmental, and connective tissue disorders she was already managing.

“I didn’t understand the lasting impact of ignoring what my mind and body needed,” she says. “My body broke.”

Something to hold onto

Andrea considers herself lucky to have found an insightful medical team that encouraged her to see what other community resources were available. 

When she called Hull Services, she found compassion and understanding. She was directed to the Lasting Impressions program that aims to help families better understand their own wellness and mental health needs.

“I remember getting the phone call that we had made it through the waitlist,” Andrea says. “I was cautiously optimistic. It gave me something to hold on to that there was support coming.”

More than a moment. More than help.

During Andrea’s time with Lasting Impressions, several crises arose within her extended family. And the support she received enabled her to navigate each one of them.

“I appreciated how encouraging my Hull Service’s counsellor was, reminding me that I wasn’t failing,” Andrea says. “She gave me courage to continue facing what lay ahead.”

Healing took time. Consistency. Someone supporting her wellness not just for an hour, a week, or even a month.

Andrea learned about practical tools she could apply in her daily life right away. She gained the skills to quiet her inner critic and build new habits around mindfulness, staying calm under pressure, and communicating better — so hard moments felt less impossible.

A new way of seeing her family – and herself

Andrea’s healing journey has had a positive ripple effect on the whole family. 

“When parents are supported to be better parents, their children have a better opportunity to grow up in environments that shape their futures as healthy adults who contribute to society.” 

You can be part of what comes next

Andrea’s story is one of many. At Hull Services, we stay through the setbacks, through the growth, and through every step it takes to help families find possibility.

When you become a monthly donor, you become a Champion of More – providing ongoing support to  sustain that work.

More healing is possible. More families like Andrea’s are waiting.