Navos therapy brings mother and daughter closer

Like so many Washington parents, Jessica Ramirez became her daughter Juliet Sutter’s primary contact following the state’s COVID-19 stay-at-home order.

This change put a strain on their relationship, and Sutter’s father had differing views of the pandemic — leaving the young girl confused about new laws and restrictions.

“Juliet’s father and I struggled so much we ended up going through custody disputes through the courts, and this also was heavy on her,” Ramirez explains. “I realized how this was making her angry and causing her to throw things, and there was a loss of trust and ability to communicate calmly being stuck together for so many hours.”

Ramirez knew she and Sutter needed an additional layer of support to navigate custody challenges and their new dynamic, so she turned to Navos’ Child, Youth and Family Services.

The program, supported by donations to MultiCare Behavioral Health Foundation, operates within a framework of recovery, resiliency and wellness for families in crisis. For Sutter, this meant working with youth and family therapist Eric Myer, MA — from assessment, to treatment planning and coordination, to therapy on a biweekly basis.

“We have been with Eric for almost two years at Navos,” Ramirez says. “He’s friendly, caring, funny, outgoing, helpful. Therapy has really helped Juliet validate her emotions and be able to feel them. And we work a lot on how to cope with them. It’s built mine and Juliet’s relationship where we’re also working together at achieving mutual goals. Eric has changed our home life and made it so much easier and so much better.”

With Myer’s help promoting social and emotional development and Ramirez’s commitment to partnering with her daughter, Sutter has come to understand both her parents are on her side. And she’s equipped with the necessary tools to build a successful life.

Ramirez is forever grateful to Navos donors who supported her and Sutter along the way.

“So many lives are changed, including ours, just by donating to help anybody who needs mental health help,” she reflects. “I’m very much an advocate for mental health therapy, and all that entails, for myself, for my children, for anybody who just needs a little life coaching. Thank you. I am truly appreciative.”