Everyone Wants to be Heard

While her work as a Boys Town Family Consultant can involve complex issues, Kim Durbin believes one of the best ways to help keep families together is simple – she listens.

“Everyone wants to be heard, so listening is important,” said Durbin. “When families feel like everyone else is ignoring them or has given up, I hope I can change that by lending an ear, offering empathy and encouraging more effective ways to deal with their issues and concerns.”

Durbin has been a Boys Town Family Consultant since 2008 and currently works with 13 families whose children are at risk for out-of-home placement. Listening plays a large role throughout Durbin’s involvement with her Boys Town families. From noting each family member’s initial needs to working through issues with courts and counselors, she learns about each family and what can be done to help parents and children live together in a happy and healthy way.

“When I work with families who are struggling, I listen to their stories and offer them simple, common sense solutions that, with practice and consistency, can make an enormous impact on their lives,” said Durbin. “As long as the members of my families can maintain control, they are able to reap the benefits of change.”