Isaiah's Story

A Teen Balancing Creativity and Challenges

Isaiah lived alone with his mother in lower Manhattan his whole life, and until he reached high school, things seemed to be going well. He loved art, architecture, and going to Knicks games with his mom. As he entered his sophomore year, he began to find that he was struggling with confusing new anxieties and feeling paranoid in ways he couldn’t explain. Isaiah found his creative energy was being silenced by these feelings, leading to growing frustration and anger. The symptoms grew over the span of a few months, culminating in a traumatic and unexpected confrontation with his mother.

Isaiah needed help, but his outburst made it clear he wasn’t sure how to get it. Isaiah entered an inpatient hospital program for both their safety. Soon, he was diagnosed with anxiety disorder and schizophrenia, concepts the family was entirely unfamiliar with. Overcome, Isaiah and his mother were at a loss— how could they move forward?

The First Steps to Recovery

Isaiah’s mother was fearful of another incident, and after careful consideration with the help of Isaiah’s care team, she acknowledged that she didn’t have the skills needed to help him manage his mental illness. By the time he was ready for discharge, she made the difficult decision to ask for help outside of their home.

Isaiah entered therapeutic foster care and, eventually, became a resident of Kaplan House, a Jewish Board residential program for young men that prepares them for adulthood. Through therapy, education, and life skills training, residents receive specialized, holistic support.

A Return to Himself on the Way to a New Life

Isaiah began his residency at Kaplan House feeling abandoned, isolated, and desperate for a foundation with which to rebuild his life. Over time at Kaplan House, Isaiah’s symptoms stabilized, and he reconnected with his passions – watching the Knicks regularly, poring over architecture books, and reconnecting with his family, particularly his father, who was able to step in and become a point of contact for his care while the relationship with his mother was in repair.

The main goals for Isaiah’s care team at Kaplan House were to stabilize his mental health, which would open the door to Isaiah reconnecting with his academic career and creating independent living skills that would help him in the future. Thanks to therapy and the coaching he received at Kaplan, Isaiah found his footing again as a student. Eventually, he graduated high school with a 3.8 GPA and enrolled in college at BMCC, where he made the Dean’s List and joined the school’s honor society. Isaiah also found himself back at his desk, drawing and creating art, for the first time since his symptoms started.

Meeting New Challenges with Developed Skills

With a life-skill plan in hand, guiding him in terms of budgeting and interpersonal skills, Isaiah was able to move out of Kaplan House and into his own apartment. But this new chapter was not without challenges. Isaiah found his roommate situation to be untenable. But this time, Isaiah was able to lean on the skills and methods honed in treatment, and with the help of his parents and his support team, he navigated a complex and tricky situation with calm and confidence.

As he prepares to start a bachelor’s degree program in the coming months, Isaiah understands the need to maintain focus on his care, receiving outpatient services through The Jewish Board’s Rego Park Counseling Center. It’s his hope to pursue a career that taps into his passions of art, architecture, and design – in order to design spaces for people that found themselves alone and struggling, to create places where people can feel at home. With the support he received at Kaplan House and beyond, Isaiah’s goals no longer seem like distant dreams – but realistic and attainable goals.

*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of our clients.