The Hill Country Crisis Council is working to bring awareness to child abuse and provide specialized trauma support for young victims and their families in Bandera and surrounding counties.
Serving Kerr, Kendall, Bandera and Gillespie counties, HCCC offers a variety of intervention and counseling services aimed at restoring the lives of children who have suffered sexual abuse, physical abuse or neglect.
“Sexual abuse is especially prevalent in our area,” said Anna Reid, a licensed professional counselor associate with HCCC. “Our counselors are trained in a specific approach to trauma-informed counseling called TF-CBT, or Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This is an evidence-based approach developed specifically for children.”
HCCC’s Steps Program provides these services directly to children affected by abuse. The TF-CBT model includes educating the child and family about trauma, building coping skills, encouraging open communication about the abuse, and addressing negative beliefs children often hold about their experience.
Kelsey Howarth, an advocate supervisor with HCCC, recalled one particularly difficult case involving a child who had been sexually abused by both their father and stepfather. When the time came for the child to testify in court, HCCC stayed by the child’s side.
“We have a counselor onsite to help them talk about anything they are nervous about,” Howarth said. “We practice how they want to tell their story, and we stay with them throughout the court proceeding. We even bring in an emotional support dog to help ease their anxiety.”
Reid added that stigma and secrecy often surround conversations about sexual abuse, making recovery more difficult for families.
“There is a sense of shame that comes with these conversations,” she said. “Sometimes parents blame themselves—whether they never talked about body safety or did, and the abuse still happened. In reality, abusers are excellent manipulators who gain the trust of both the child and the parents. We help parents navigate those conversations and remove the secrecy that allows abuse to persist.”
Children, too, often carry self-blame, Reid said, believing they should have fought back or told someone sooner. HCCC works to help families heal together, reduce trauma symptoms and build new skills for safety and emotional well-being.
“The best part about my job as a counselor is helping kids and families see how truly resilient they are,” Reid said. “It is so rewarding to hear a child or parent say, ‘It wasn’t my fault,’ or, ‘I didn’t deserve to be treated that way,’ and to hear them speak with hope about their future.”
To support the Hill Country Crisis Council and its programs, donations can be made at hillcountrycrisiscouncil. com/donate.
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