You Are What Shapes the Treatment Experience

Before coming to Fulshear I had almost completely given up on myself. I became a shut-in, afraid that I would never be worthy or good enough for other people’s care and attention. I thought that my voice was small and powerless, and that other people’s existences were more important than my own. So I decided one day in early January that even if I didn’t believe that I could change myself, maybe someone could, and I took the leap to seek treatment at Fulshear. I expected my first week at the ranch to be spent alone and in my room. But as some of you may know, I’m a bit of a perfectionist and that’s not how this story went. I jumped into checking off boxes, pushing myself to do more than I had in months. Horse chores, programming, walking the dogs (horses), activities committee, therapy, and transition work – I did them all. I would talk constantly about perfectionism upon realizing the weight it held in my life and even ran a group about it with Michelle. Alas, though the ranch is the Fulshear dimension, after all, I experienced the bulk of my challenges at the apartments. In my time at the apartments, I switched TS after my former TS left Fulshear, graduated high school, met and said goodbye to my best friend, got my first job, and began advocating for myself. See, I’m the type of person who wants to be right but never knew how to get my needs met because I wasn’t confident in my ability to get my point across, and now I am an influencer of change because I am confident in my ability to communicate, I have empathy for both sides of the argument, and I can always find a logical way to explain why my side makes the most sense. I am still the same person as when I came to Fulshear, I just like myself more and I let people see me more. My parental unit, I thank you for paying for my stay here – I needed this. And for always trying your best to support me as best you could. I love you guys and I’m excited to go forward as your adult child instead of a toddler in the body of an adult. To all the clients and staff on my journey, I thank you for the moments I have had with you. You are what shapes the treatment experience.