The Impact of Wrap-Around Support
Our team has worked in a wide range of mental health settings and has seen firsthand the power of a united support system in helping clients reach their goals. We’ve also seen the challenges that arise when clients work on themselves in isolation, only to return to a broader system that hasn’t changed alongside them. When clients leave a session and step back into the same environment that contributed to their struggles, the risk of slipping into old patterns is much higher.
So what does wrap-around support mean? It means care doesn’t happen in isolation. Wrap-around support is about bringing together all the different people and resources in someone’s life, their family, community, healthcare providers, schools, and more – to ensure everyone is working together toward the same goals. It’s a collaborative, whole-person approach that helps ensure no part of someone’s wellbeing is overlooked.
First and foremost, clients have the right to choose wrap-around support or to decline it. At INDIGROW, our clients’ confidentiality is a top priority, and we work diligently to protect it. If clients are not comfortable collaborating with their support network, they can always decline this approach. However, if a client does choose to engage in wrap-around support, it is up to them to choose who is invited in and how much information is shared. This is an ongoing consent and collaboration process, and the client is the most important player on the team.
To help further the understanding of the impact of wrap around support and what it looks like, follow the case study below:
Imagine you’re 14 years old and living with ADHD and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Every day at school, you experience panic attacks. To hide them, you escape to the bathroom, which makes you late for class. Teachers start assuming you don’t care about schoolwork, and at home, your parents increase pressure on academics. Soon, the anxiety spreads and now you panic at home too, isolate in your room, and even start avoiding friends.
When you begin therapy, you finally share the extent of your panic. Your therapist explains that you don’t have to face this alone; you have a whole team of people who care about you. Together, you draw out your support system: parents, sister, dog, a trusted teacher, your gymnastics coach, your uncle, and your family doctor. Each plays a different role in helping you manage your anxiety.
You give your therapist consent, and they connect with your parents to explain panic attacks and teach them strategies to help you calm down. As a family, you start practicing mindfulness together at dinner. At school, you and your teacher agree on a quiet signal you can use when anxiety spikes, with a safe room you can retreat to instead of hiding in the bathroom. A similar plan is made with your gymnastics coach so you feel supported there too.
Meanwhile, in one-on-one therapy, you begin working on the deeper causes of your anxiety, knowing you have the tools, plans, and people in place to support you. With everyone on the same page, you feel less alone - and more hopeful.
Wrap-around support reminds us that healing doesn’t happen in isolation; it happens in connection. By bringing together the people, tools, and environments that matter most, clients are better supported to create lasting change.
Curious to learn more? Reach out for a free consultation at info@indigrowpsychology.com.
