Christian had just turned two when his mother tragically passed away from years of battling with drug addiction. His grandmother, Donna, immediately became his guardian and felt helpless watching him struggle to process his grief, which led to trouble eating and even speaking. Once Christian started first grade, he began having traumatic flashbacks of his mother’s death and was having trouble managing those intense emotions. Donna knew Christian needed mental health counseling, but the high cost, months-long wait times, and far distances to care centers made it challenging to access the services he needed. Fortunately, Christian’s school has a school-based health center through Nemours Children’s Health, allowing him to talk to a therapist down the hall from his classroom. This program brought peace of mind to Donna and helped her understand Christian’s grief. It’s important to remember that grief often comes in waves, and people process it in their own unique ways. Programs like Nemours’ clinic break down barriers to mental health care access, ensuring kids receive the care they need to process new emotions and life events.