Posted: Wednesday, November 11, 2015

The Providence Center School gives Keenan an opportunity to succeed in college.

As a young teenager, most people would have described Keenan as normal, happy kid. He was active in sports and a close-knit circle of friends. But what others didn’t know was that Keenan’s happy-go-lucky attitude was a facade.

On the inside, Keenan was extremely anxious, depressed and afraid of failing. He needed to achieve perfection. He disguised this with arrogance and a carefree manner.

“It was easier to live this way than to allow myself to have uncomfortable real life feelings,” Keenan said.

He even hid his feelings from his parents. Keenan felt that if they knew the truth, they would have thought they were doing something wrong. 

Eventually, Keenan’s masquerade reached a breaking point. He really started to struggle and his grades began to fall. Everything started to pile up.  The smallest issues became huge. Unable to cope with overwhelming feelings, Keenan became more anxious and very depressed.

“I didn’t feel motivated to do anything,” Keenan said. “I knew I wanted to do better, but I just didn’t know how.”

That’s when his teachers and parents decided it was time to try something new.  Together, they looked into a couple of options, and decided on The Providence Center School because it was the best fit for Keenan’s needs.

It was an easy transition.  Keenan felt much more comfortable in the unique, intimate learning environment that The Providence Center School offered.  He was finally able to get the one on one time with his teachers that he desperately needed and his grades started to improve. The compassion and understanding of the teachers and counselors helped Keenan address his need for perfectionism.

“I used to believe I needed to be perfect,” he said. “All I needed to do was just train harder and just study harder. But now I know that wasn’t realistic. No one is perfect.”

The Providence Center School’s individualized approach made a difference in helping Keenan to discover his authentic self.  “They helped me to be genuine, to be real in the moment. They helped me to learn techniques that I can use to manage my emotions.”

In June, Keenan graduated from The Providence Center School.  He is grateful for the guidance he received.

“They gave me an opportunity to succeed,” he said. “My family and I are deeply grateful.  They redirected my future and inspired my dreams.”

Keenan now attends Salve Regina University, where he earned a Presidential Scholarship Award.