Bri Morris Family
Many of you know us quite intimately and have had a front row seat to the challenges that our family has faced over the past six years. Others of you may have heard bits and pieces from our friends or family. Either way, we are grateful for all of the amazing humans we have come across that are walking this journey with us, upholding our marriage, our family, and our mental health with their prayers, and teaming up with us to see all four of us heal, grow, and be the best versions of ourselves!
Just this week (today is June 20th) we got to spend some time with several of these amazing humans who have played a pivotal role in our family’s healing for the past two years. Thanks to the generosity of Bri’s parents, we were able to visit the kids in Jamaica, tour their new school campus, and travel to the U.S. Embassy to renew one of our kiddo’s passports. We already know what an anomaly their school is when it comes to caring for kids with behavioral challenges after years of searching and being turned away or kicked out. But to be here, amongst the staff and students, alongside other parents who are walking the same path, boots on the ground, taking it all in for ourselves…just WOW. We are even more in awe of the time, the intentionality, the commitment, the love, the absolute divine intervention that is taking place on this campus. And we are more confident than ever that our kids are exactly where they need to be to heal!
As parents, we have been loved, encouraged, prayed for by name daily, and protected from the stress and trauma that we had long grown accustomed to when living with kids who have Developmental Trauma Disorder (AKA: Reactive Attachment Disorder). You see, this school is not only about holistic healing for the child(ren) but it is about holistic healing for the ENTIRE family unit. It seems almost impossible to share just how much we appreciate what the dedicated staff has given us. Our marriage has been restored. We have safety in our home. We are no longer bogged down by hopelessness and fear, but are once again hopeful for healing and transformation. But it is slow and steady progress. It has not happened overnight and it will not be a sprint, but rather a slow and steady pace moving forward.
For the kids, their school is a safe space that fully understands the root of their behaviors (Developmental Trauma). There is a very intentional plan for each and every child to heal. Both of our kids have a dedicated staff member, also known as their “buddy,” teachers who are always creating and adapting their teaching techniques to our kids’ individual learning styles, and daily therapy modalities that are almost too many to list! Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Art Therapy, Animal Therapy, and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy are the most prominent modalities. They also have access to a psychiatrist if needed, along with brain-mapping and neurofeedback to inform their individualized approaches for both learning and healing. There’s even a powerful mentorship element where the students who have advanced further have opportunities to encourage and inspire those who are struggling to get started. We are truly grateful to have seen all of these elements at play during our trip and what we have shared is only scratching the surface of this incredible program. We have an even deeper appreciation for the staff who constantly encourage our kids to take steps in the right direction and are standing right beside them to help them get back up and keep going.
We have done everything in our power the past six years to mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually, support our kids’ immense needs to heal. It has been exhausting in many ways, but over the past two years, it has nearly exhausted our finances. We have taken on multiple businesses and roles to create additional income including Bri working as a nanny/household manager and growing her interior decorating business to help both individuals and short-term rental owners. We have also expanded our real estate business and short-term rental management to include both Colorado and Florida. And while we will absolutely continue to work as hard as possible to support them and keep them moving forward at their school, we have decided that it might be time to ask for some help.
Would you be willing to financially partner with us in supporting our kids? If we have learned anything thus far, it is that it truly takes a village to navigate all that life throws our way. We are asking you, our village, to help us raise $73,200 which would cover a full year of the kids’ school tuition, and receive the appropriate help they need.
