Emma’s story: Choosing recovery and a brighter future

Emma didn't know why she was crying all the time and couldn't sleep. The fear truly sunk in when she realized she was seeing things that weren’t actually there.

"It was really scary and I knew I needed help, which included getting clean," she says.

At age 16, Emma made a difficult and brave choice. She knew something was wrong, so she asked for help.

She found the help she needed through the Children’s Health Teen Recovery Program, a program designed to help teens stop using substances and improve their mental health.

“When we met Emma, she’d been recently diagnosed with bipolar II, and her daily THC use was greatly impacting her mental health and causing episodes of psychosis,” says Christina Elandary, LPC, LCDC, Clinical Therapist in the Children's Health℠ Teen Recovery Program. “From our first meeting, I immediately loved working with Emma and was drawn to how kind and self-aware she is.”

Accepting that she needed help

When her doctors first started saying the word bipolar, Emma felt ashamed.

“I didn't want to accept it,” she says. “My biological dad has struggled with schizophrenia and addiction, and I just never wanted to go down that road.”

But she knew she hadn’t been feeling like herself and that she’d had a lot on her plate. Her grandpa had passed away, she’d had some challenges with friends, her mom and stepdad were going through a divorce and she was using THC to cope.

It also wasn’t easy to accept the fact that her THC use had escalated to the point of being an addiction.

What started as curiosity at age 14 turned into a habit. That habit was not just affecting her mental health, it was sucking up way too much time and brain space.

“By the time I was 15, I was smoking at home, on the way to school and several times during the school day,” Emma says. “It was a huge part of my life.”

Starting the Teen Recovery Program

At the start of the Teen Recovery Program, Emma met with Elandary and also with David Atkinson, M.D., Pediatric Psychiatrist, Medical Director of the Teen Recovery program at Children’s Health and Associate Professor at UT Southwestern.

“Teens don’t always buy into our program from the beginning. But Emma was motivated from day one. She’d experienced some negative side effects from her THC use – on her friendships, her academics, her emotional state and her bipolar disorder,” says Elandary.

Elandary says using substances to cope with symptoms of mood disorders is not uncommon among teens she sees and typically increases symptoms over time.

“When teens use substances to escape or numb feelings, those emotions don’t really go away. Using prevents them from being able to build the skills they need to overcome the challenges they’re facing,” says Elandary.

Over the next few months, Emma attended weekly sessions with Dr. Atkinson (who she called “Doctor A”) and Elandary to build up her toolbox of coping skills.

Learning from other teens

In addition to individual counseling sessions, Emma also jumped into five weeks of group therapy, bringing her naturally kind, creative, fun spirit to each session.

“Group helps teens feel that they are not alone. And so much of the learning happens through peer connection,” says Elandary. “It’s always magical to hear a teen say, ‘Wow, I’ve never been able to talk like this before.”

Emma remembers a specific “A-ha moment” from group therapy.

“A lot of teens perceive weed as a very innocent drug because it comes from a natural plant. But one member of our group said: ‘Well, God made poisonous frogs. But are you going to eat those?’” We laughed, but it also made us stop and think,” says Emma.

Elandary teaches teens that current THC products are much stronger than they used to be and may contain other harmful substances. She also shares research that shows THC can delay development, cause an 8-point drop in IQ – or even permanent psychosis.

Increasing her confidence

When Emma entered the program, Elandary was struck by her wise, resilient spirit.

“I started play therapy when I was 5 and I’ve had a psychiatrist ever since. I’ve definitely been through a lot,” says Emma.

But the teen recovery program gave her even more confidence and skills to cope with ongoing challenges – without substances.

“Through the program, Emma’s ability to manage cravings and refuse offers of THC has grown stronger,” says Elandary. “And so has her mindfulness about the people she chooses to spend time with.”

During the first few months of recovery, Emma remembers finding things to distract herself so she wouldn’t smoke. “I got really big on swimming and did a ton of crafts. I also needed to find new friends,” says Emma.

Together, Elandary and Emma also worked on setting goals. Emma's school performance had slipped. But with the program’s support, she was able to re-commit to her studies and complete her graduation requirements early.

Learning from relapse

After seven months of living clean, Emma relapsed. But with support from Elandary she used her relapse as an opportunity to continue to hone her resiliency skills.

“Lapses are very common in recovery and can help a person learn about themselves and provide motivation to keep moving forward,” says Elandary.

Emma is remarkably open about her relapse, like she is about everything she’s overcome.

“It happened with a friend I love and used to smoke with every day,” Emma says. “But when I relapsed, that friend – and everyone in the program – was very supportive and helped me get back on the horse.”

Even though she has technically graduated from the Teen Recovery Program, Emma knows that Christina and her team are still there for her.

A dream of helping other kids

Emma’s mom, Brittany, has also been very committed to Emma’s recovery and the program. And Emma is grateful for the way Christina has helped her and her mom communicate better.

“My mom and I don’t always see eye-to-eye. But Christina helped bring us together and make us see that we actually want the same things,” says Emma.

Now that she’s finished high school, Emma is working as a swimming instructor for kids. She’s always been “a little Moana” who feels free and at home in the water.

“I love my job teaching swimming to kids because kids just look at the world as unicorns and rainbows – and being around their energy always brightens my day,” she says.

Her long-term goal is to attend college and become a pediatric psychiatrist like Dr. A.

“I think I have a deep understanding of kids that feel alone. And I know how to help advocate for those kids because I’ve been through so much and I’ve had advocates like Christina along the way,” she says.

Learn more

The Children’s Health Teen Recovery Program, the only one of its kind in North Texas, offers hope for teens and families navigating the complexities of substance use and mental health issues for teens ages 13 to 18. Learn more about our personalized treatment and long-term support.