My name is Kristen*. I am 34 years old, and I have four children. My two oldest children currently live with my parents, while I have custody of my two youngest. When I came to The Vine, my boys had a lot of trauma and a lot of behavioral issues that needed to be addressed. As I began addressing my own issues and other personal matters, I developed a desire to help others who faced the same challenges. So, I took a career in children’s behavioral health. I thought if God has helped me deal with children’s behavioral issues in my personal life, then I should share everything I have learned with others who are struggling as well.
I am currently a family support provider with the Department of Mental Health. Family support providers support parents of children with behavioral issues. Before I did that, I was a registered behavioral technician. I did behavioral therapy for kids on the autism spectrum. My eight-year-old son has autism level one, so he is very high functioning, but it has affected his life. When I started looking into a career that mirrored the experiences in my personal life, I wanted to go the route of helping families whose children have behavioral issues.
My boys and I are about to move out of The Vine and into our own place in another state. I have spent the last three-and-a-half years at The Vine dedicated to bettering myself for all of my children. As I worked through the different phases at The Vine, I gained independence and learned basic life skills such as budgeting, meal planning, and car ownership. Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children (OBHC) has been a great help in figuring out how to just do life.
While I am excited to begin the next phase of my life outside of The Vine, I will miss the community that is here. You just do not get a community like The Vine anywhere else. For example, one time my son was at a doctor’s appointment and someone asked him, “Do you have any siblings?” My son responded, “Yes! I have a ton!” I said, “You only have one sister and two brothers, not a ton?” And he replied, “No, I’m talking about my family at The Vine!” That is what The Vine has been to us – a family. Yes, there are expectations, curfews, rules, etc. at The Vine; however, if you are serious about bettering your life, then those rules are not an inconvenience to you.
The more you are at The Vine and the more you get into the routine, the rules do not even compare to the blessings you receive. While at The Vine, I have trusted God enough to watch over me when everything was very uncertain, and I have seen Him make a way, and I know He will continue to do so.
Will you join us in bringing love into action for children and families across Oklahoma by seeking help or giving to one of our programs that matter to you?
*Name changed to protect privacy.