Arlene came to our program in September 2002. On the day of orientation, she arrived in a bright red outfit, red headband, red shoes, gold rings (at least one on each finger), gold necklaces, gold bracelets, and at least 10 earrings in each ear. Every day she wore a matching outfit with several pieces of jewelry. I was impressed to learn that not only was she attending our full-time ALP program, she held two jobs and was taking classes at a community college as a requirement for a promotion at one of her workplaces. She professed a passion for writing and poetry and seemed enthusiastic to begin classes at the ALP. However, I was surprised to learn that during the school day, she would often claim she was lost during an exercise, could not find the paragraph in reading, did not understand the essay assignment, did not know where her next class was, or could not remember certain teachers’ names. Despite managing all of her educational, personal, and workplace activities, she would really push for and demand the individual attention of each staff member in the program. Although she liked poetry and writing, she refused to share her writing. She detested any group activities and sometimes declined to participate in class. As Arlene’s academic advisor, I struggled to devise a strategy to help her become a more independent student. I felt the entire year was a struggle. However, one day it seemed she came out of her shell. She would read her essays in writing class, arrive in class on time, and participate in group activities. I do not believe it was any one thing that caused Arlene to change. She did begin to articulate her feelings about being around new groups of people. She said it made her nervous to be in big groups and be surrounded by strangers. By the end of the year, I vividly remember when Arlene stood up in front of the students and staff of the ALP and proudly read her poetry. She finally trusted us and felt comfortable. Even though this is Arlene’s second year in our program, I feel it is important to mention that she fluctuates between “comfort” and “uneasiness.” Occasionally, she slips back into her “helpless” mode, which requires attention from a staff member. However, I, at least, feel more comfortable bringing this to her attention so we can work together towards creating a safe environment again (Teacher reflection notes, 2003).