Sister Stories
S. Patti Zureick – Ministry Spotlight
Stepping into S. Patti’s therapy room, you immediately sense the feeling of peace and kindness. Not only from the warm, radiating smile of S. Patti, but the room itself. Every component of the room design is set forth with the children in mind. From the fairy corner, where a child can wrap themselves in the umbrella of safety of netting while sitting in a bean bag chair, to the hidden LEGO area where they can build to their heart’s content. The intricately designed dollhouse, so lovingly crafted to help children tell their story… all things provide a safe space where the children can talk to S. Patti and receive the support they need to handle life’s challenges.
The fairy corner gives children that may need to avert their gaze the opportunity to do so. It creates a barrier that allows them to feel safe through the emotions of turmoil they may be feeling. It’s a way of being close but still being safe and distant.
S. Patti’s story started with teaching kindergarten and first grade for 26 years. While teaching, she often saw that the parents also needed support, and in supporting the parents she could have a larger impact on the clients. At the age of 48, after being out of school herself for 20 years, S. Patti went back to school to become a counselor. She worked in community mental health for Mercy Health and Professional Services and, when approached by the Assistant Principal at St. Boniface, she transitioned into working in a school setting. Combined with her extensive experience teaching, she now was able to impact not just the clients, but the parents and other teachers in the mental health field.
Working with children encompasses a variety of techniques, whether it is silent observation within a therapy room, meeting with the parents and clients, or watching them interact or play together. She’s able to help children and families navigate life’s complexities, handle grief, or even just handle the conflicts that might occur daily between parents and children. Maybe a child has a hard morning and comes to her for advice; regardless, she is there to create a safe, welcoming space to teach them skills that will allow them to thrive throughout life.
Within her therapy room, she employs strategies of empowering kids to make choices and share their stories through play. LEGOs, dollhouses, books, stuffed animals, and board games all become tools when employed strategically to help a child communicate. All tools generously donated. Group sessions with parents allow for insight into the home dynamics as they build a house together out of LEGOs. Her penchant for Charlie Brown and the variety of personalities in the characters allows for conversations that might guide toward solutions and support.
With teachers, she supports them with guidance on how to handle behaviors in classrooms and creates a space where the teachers can send clients to calm down and learn how to be in control of their emotions to the best of their ability. She’s grateful for the partnerships that occur with other teachers that allow her to help them move from crisis counseling to preventative counseling that teaches skills. She’s always willing to help when needed.
Time and time again, she empowers the children to make the choices themselves, thus showing them that they can choose the outcome of the choices they make. Anxiety, depression, behavior issues, or having appropriate classroom behaviors are all components of a child’s daily life, and she is there expressing empathy and teaching skills. She ensures the child has the choice and gives permission to talk about situations to ensure they feel safe.
At times, she must support a child and family through the grief of losing a parent. S. Patti volunteered with Fernside, a grief group created to complement Hospice of Cincinnati. She also does grief counseling at St. Boniface.
When asked how, while pouring into others, she takes care of herself, faith is a large component of that journey, combined with other therapists who understand the legalities of being a counselor and can help her navigate difficult scenarios confidentially. She can reach out to receive guidance if change isn’t occurring, to see where they may be getting stuck.
Beyond the tools of practice, faith plays a large part in helping the children as well. God is a coping tool in a Catholic school, especially with children coping with grief. God is a great place to turn and a place to go when you don’t understand.
As school draws to a close for the year, one must remember that not all children are excited for the summer. Some crave the structural support a school offers and a safe space to express themselves. School can be a refuge from life’s concerns; schools provide food for the body, spirit, and soul. When watching her interact with her clients, you can see that S. Patti and the work she does demonstrate the light of Jesus’ love to the children and the safe space we should all crave in God. A Sister’s journey isn’t just work; it’s leaving a life-changing legacy that expresses God’s love in a hard world. S. Patti is this expression.
