"With every step, he is rebuilding his confidence and reconnecting with the world, on his own terms."
Image: A teenage boy with blonde hair is sitting outside in a park and smiling.
When Jeremy* was first referred to iConnect, a mental health program for young people aged 12-18 in Tasmania, at the end of 2024, the world outside his home felt overwhelming. At just 15 years old, he was navigating significant anxiety, severe communication disorder, and what would soon become a formal diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Only months earlier he had been regularly attending school, chatting with friends and engaging confidently in class. But by April, Jeremy had begun to withdraw; first from school, then from social spaces, and eventually from almost all time spent outside his home.
Harry, Senior Youth Worker at Life Without Barriers, remembers those early sessions clearly. Jeremy couldn’t step outside without his mum beside him and rarely spoke, instead using gestures or requiring her to communicate.
His school attendance had dropped to around 20%, and every attempt to re-engage required enormous courage
"We didn’t set explicit goals at the beginning," Harry explains.
"We focused on what Jeremy enjoyed, and whenever a hurdle appeared that stopped him from doing something meaningful, we worked on overcoming that together. Progress needed to feel natural and unforced."
Gradually, Jeremy began to take small steps forward. He grew comfortable meeting at home, then began short outings to familiar places, and eventually started trying settings that once felt too overwhelming. Six months into his support with Life Without Barriers, those small steps had become confident strides.
Jeremy is now able to participate in three-hour community sessions that could include visiting the library, stopping into shops, exploring a museum or volunteering time at the local dog shelter. He talked openly with Harry about his special interests and communicated his needs in environments that once caused significant stress, like ordering food at a takeaway shop.
A major turning point came when Jeremy decided to try catching the bus between his school and another education setting.
"He was extremely anxious about doing it," Harry shared. "But he gave it a go anyway, and now he catches that bus most days without any issues."
His school attendance has now increased to around 60–70%, and he is navigating campus life with increasing independence.
Throughout this time, moments of connection revealed Jeremy’s strengths in unexpected ways. Harry remembers the first time Jeremy spoke directly to him.
"It was during a board game. He calmly explained how he was going to win in the next few moves, and he was absolutely right. I realised then just how perceptive and intelligent he really is."
iConnect’s flexible, person-centred approach has allowed Jeremy to progress at a pace that feels safe and sustainable. By beginning in environments where he felt comfortable; home, the dog shelter, sports, Jeremy learned to express himself confidently.
That confidence was slowly and respectfully transferred into more challenging settings. This psychosocial support has also worked alongside CYMHS clinicians, with Jeremy becoming increasingly willing to communicate his needs in clinical appointments as well.
Harry believes the key to supporting Jeremy has been staying truly person-centred.
"Not everyone’s recovery looks the same."
"It’s important to recognise your own biases and make sure they don’t overshadow what a young person actually wants. Consistency matters too, even if support is refused. Showing up matters."
Jeremy’s journey continues, and he has now moved into the Synergy program. The change in Jeremy has not gone unnoticed by his wrap around care team, and Lisa CYMHS Clinician, commented on the quality of care provided by Harry.
"Jeremy's progress would not have occurred without the exposure work that you have done in the community," said Lisa.
"Your ability to develop rapport with Jeremy, gently encourage him to engage in new activities while also holding boundaries with the parenting system, has assisted with containing anxiety in the system and enabled Jeremy to engage with school and have new experiences," she said.
"The growth he has shown reflects immense courage, persistence and the power of flexible, strengths-based support. With every step, he is rebuilding his confidence and reconnecting with the world, on his own terms."
Mental health services
Our Mental Health Services in Tasmania provide intensive psycho-social and psychological support. Life Without Barriers does this via three services, Synergy, iConnect, and YouthARCH, delivered by an experienced multidisciplinary team.
Synergy
Synergy provides a clinical outreach service in Southern Tasmania for psychological assessment, psychological intervention and wrap around case management to young people (aged 12-25) and their families with, or at risk of, significant mental health challenges.
iConnect
For young people aged 12-18 across all of Tasmania. iConnect is delivered in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH) through the Child and Youth Mental Health Service. We provide intensive, flexible, outreach-focused clinical case management and therapeutic support to young people and their families across Tasmania.
YouthARCH
YouthARCH (Adolescent Reachout Circular Head) is a school-based mental health program in far Northwest Tasmania. The early intervention program offers one-to-one and group-based support to young people aged 12-18, with a focus on mental health literacy, emotional resilience and targeted therapeutic interventions.
Please reach out if you would like to connect with us via email MentalHealthTAS@lwb.org.au or phone 03 6232 8750.
*Names have been changed to protect the young people in this story.
