See how Ethan, 13, worked through extremely severe anxiety and trauma symptoms alongside ADHD, through an integrated teenage anxiety treatment programme with his family alongside him.
Ethan, 13, was referred to Goodsky by his family after years of escalating psychological distress. He had already been diagnosed with ADHD and generalised anxiety disorder, and was managing his symptoms with three medications prescribed by his treating doctors.
At intake his family described his main concerns as anxiety, stress, relationships, and self-worth. His health screening reflected a nervous system under sustained pressure — difficulty concentrating, irritability, restlessness, low motivation, mood swings, and persistent anxiety. Despite being physically active, the psychological load was interfering with school, friendships, and daily life.
His family travelled interstate to the Sunshine Coast so he could access Goodsky's integrated outpatient programme, with his mother accompanying him throughout.
| Measure | Intake (February 2025) |
|---|---|
| PCL-5 (PTSD) | 41/80 — Likely (clinical threshold: 31) |
| Depression (DASS-21) | 8 — Moderate |
| Anxiety (DASS-21) | 12 — Extremely Severe |
| Stress (DASS-21) | 14 — Severe |
His anxiety score reflected persistent worry alongside physical symptoms including breathing difficulty, trembling, and an elevated heart rate. His PCL-5 score reflected significant trauma-related symptoms including intrusive memories, avoidance, self-blame, and hypervigilance.
Ethan's programme prioritised a bottom-up approach. Rather than relying on talk therapy alone, the team combined trauma-focused psychotherapy with body-based modalities working directly with the nervous system.
Telehealth from home — trauma-focused psychotherapy plus somatic and family work, establishing the therapeutic relationship before arrival.
Around 2.5 weeks of intensive treatment across psychotherapy, equine-assisted therapy, and body-based modalities.
Telehealth follow-up to consolidate the work after returning home.
Difficulty concentrating, irritability, mood swings, and restlessness can be features of both ADHD and an activated trauma response. The somatic therapies supported a calmer baseline, from which the psychotherapy could be more effective and the treatment team could begin distinguishing between the two.
Across all three phases, working with Ethan and his family on trauma processing, emotional regulation, and resilience.
Body-based sessions addressing nervous system regulation, family dynamics, and relational safety.
Experiential sessions with horses for boundary-setting, trust, and non-verbal communication — often an easier entry point than talk-based work.
Frequency Specific Microcurrent, neuroacoustic sound therapy, hyperbaric oxygen, red light therapy, and osteopathy within his broader support plan.
Alongside the psychological programme, Ethan received months of ongoing naturopathic support including comprehensive functional pathology, continuous glucose monitoring, and targeted nutritional guidance.
Continuous glucose monitoring identified notable glucose variability, particularly overnight following certain foods. The clinical team discussed this with Ethan and his mother in the context of his energy and anxiety patterns, and dietary adjustments were introduced during the programme.
His mother was on-site throughout, providing the family stability that is central to Goodsky's approach with younger clients.
A follow-up assessment was completed two months after the programme ended.
| Measure | Intake (Feb 2025) | Follow-up (Jun 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| PCL-5 (PTSD) | 41 — Likely | 12 — Unlikely |
| Depression | 8 — Moderate | 1 — Normal |
| Anxiety | 12 — Extremely Severe | 3 — Normal |
| Stress | 14 — Severe | 5 — Normal |
| Area | Reported change |
|---|---|
| School | Organising himself in the mornings, coping better with unexpected changes, and described by school staff as noticeably more settled |
| Friendships | Peers reported him as less reactive than previously |
| Physical | Standing taller, nail biting reduced |
| Medication | Working with his paediatrician, his stimulant dose was reduced after the programme, with a plan for further review |
In a programme involving several treatments at once, change can't be attributed to any single element. The care team identified three factors they believed were particularly important.
Body-based modalities supported nervous system regulation, creating a calmer baseline from which the psychotherapy could do its work.
His mother's presence throughout, and the family psychotherapy component, meant the work extended beyond Ethan alone.
Equine-assisted therapy offered a way in that didn't depend on articulating difficult feelings verbally.
We're happy to talk it through.
Get in TouchThis case study reflects one individual's experience and is published with consent. Names and identifying details have been changed to protect privacy. Individual results vary. The Goodsky programme is a complementary approach and does not replace medical treatment — we encourage everyone to continue working with their GP and specialist healthcare providers.
