Mental Health Support for Adults with FASD: David’s Journey
David*, a 50-something-year-old man, was referred to Senior Social Worker Jan Coleman for counselling and support with his mental health.
David was born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) — his life was set in motion well before it had begun.
David experienced severe trauma throughout his childhood that lasted well into adulthood. He was removed from his family, separated from his siblings, and placed in institutional care. From there, he was moved from foster home to foster home. The emotional, physical, and sexual abuse he experienced during this time impacted every aspect of his life, particularly his mental health.
“When I first met David, I could see the impact his childhood had on decisions he had made as an adult, they were interconnected and bound together,” explains Jan. “For David to experience some sort of freedom from his thoughts, paranoia and anxiety, we needed to develop a team of support around David.”
Tailored mental health support for adults with FASD
Jan was able to offer an outside perspective and support David to understand how he interacted and related to the world around him. With her help, David began to explore what he wanted his future to look like.
David told Jan that he was committed to a better life. A life where he could learn to read, get his car licence, and find a job. Working in a client-centred way, Jan supported David to define small steps to achieve these goals – helping him work through challenges one at a time.
“David was making good progress, but it became clear that there was still one place where he was stuck,” says Jan. “David’s accommodation was a constant reminder of his past. For his mental health and safety, his immediate priority was to move, and I supported him through therapy to overcome this significant hurdle to his healing and find a safe place to live.”
The role of social work in supporting adults with complex needs
As a skilled clinical social worker, Jan supports clients to overcome personal difficulties and structural barriers so that they are included and engaged, strengthening their independence and resilience in practical ways.
Her trauma-informed, person-centred approach has been key to helping David extend his network of support and practitioners to manage his ongoing mental health needs.
“David is committed to building a better life,” says Jan. “And I feel incredibly privileged to walk alongside him on that journey.”
A therapeutic relationship built on trust
David and Jan have built a strong therapeutic relationship, and Jan feels truly humbled to be part of David’s world. While Jan continues to provide therapy to increase David’s capacity to live life, he now feels, more than ever, better prepared to navigate its transitions.
If you or someone you support is looking for mental health support for adults with FASD, Therapy Pro’s experienced social workers can help. We provide mobile therapy services across South East Queensland, Sydney, and Melbourne.
Complete our contact form below and our client services team will be in touch within 1 business day.
*Client has been de-identified.
About the author
Jan Coleman is a senior social worker ＆ behaviour support practitioner at Therapy Pro, supporting clients across Melbourne’s South East. Jan brings compassion and clinical expertise to her work with individuals living with trauma, disability, and mental health challenges. She works collaboratively with clients to help them build capacity, strengthen resilience, and create lasting change.
