Widening Gerhard’s circle of security
His grandmother died and several of his trusted carers left – and it was just too much for him. Deeply frightened by all the changes, he stopped gardening, retreated to his room, and hardly ever came out. When somebody reached out to him, he reacted aggressively. He felt trapped in his own little circle.
These life events are too hard to handle for someone who is emotionally and cognitively vulnerable. In addition, Gerhard has ADHD, although he believes he’s grown out of it. But Rachel de Groot, his behavioural specialist, managed to turn it all around. This success is described in the case description by Gerhard himself, when he gives psychoeducation to his team of carers on how he now can handle stressful situations.
