When Maliya came to the Ranch at age 16, she was depressed and suicidal.
"My childhood was really challenging," Maliya said. "I didn't really have a grip on reality because I was hallucinating a lot from a medication I was on. As far as my family, my stepdad was very abusive and left an emotional scar on my family."
To compound the pain and sadness, Maliya had recently experienced some significant losses.
"I'd just gone through the funerals of my aunt and uncle," she said. "I didn't see any reason to live."
As you might imagine, coming to the Ranch, an unfamiliar environment with all new people, is difficult for most children. Maliya was no exception.
"I was scared at first, and I wasn't exactly the nicest," she said. "But after a while, I came out of my shell, and I really knew I was in a safe place. I knew that if something bad happened, Ranch staff would be there to help me."
At the Ranch, Maliya learned how to identify and talk through her emotions.
"Ranch staff made me feel like a person—like I was being heard and not ignored. They were nice to me," Maliya said.
As Maliya thinks back to her time at the Ranch, three staff come to mind as having made the biggest impact—Kevin, Brandon, and Sara.
"Kevin would make the perfect father because he tells the best dad jokes and knows how to make someone feel better. If you feel like you can't smile, he'll find a way to make you smile. And Brandon just has a good vibe. He has a very calm demeanor and I love it. Sara was my therapist. She helped me talk through my emotions and helped me figure out a way to cope with them."
Maliya's mom, Amanda, appreciated the patience and skills of Ranch staff, and the way the Ranch Aftercare Program helped integrate Maliya back to the home.
"Before going to the Ranch, Maliya had significant mental health issues," Amanda said. "She was failing her classes and was aggressive and volatile at home and at school. Now she is doing well, and we are all pretty amazed by how far she has come."
Maliya grew close to the staff at the Ranch and has stayed in contact.
"I left the Ranch a little more prepared for life," Maliya said. "I got off those pills that were making me hallucinate and so far, I seem to be doing great. I've been able to communicate with my Mom and I'm working through my troubles. If I ever have a problem, I feel like I could talk to staff at the Ranch, and they could help me through it."
Simply put, the Ranch saved Maliya's life.
"Without the Ranch, I'd most likely be dead or maybe in jail. I don't know... a bad place that's for sure," Maliya said. "The Ranch helped me find a reason to live."
*We take great care to guard the privacy of our children. The pictures you see of Ranch children are only used with the permission of the children themselves and the written permission of their guardians.
This article was originally published in Ranch Voice: Spring 2022.
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