Self Advocates: Meet Kalab Reeves

BY KALEB REEVES, WITH CHARLES SPRAY, MS, LMHC

My name is Kaleb Reeves, and I am a 25-year-old who lives in Hancock County with my family. We live in the country, and I really enjoy the peacefulness of it and being able to help my family around the property. I enjoy working with my hands and like doing lots of activities that involve using tools and creating things. I occasionally work with my dad and my brother, as we have a lot of tractors and other types of equipment that need to be serviced and fixed. I also do some landscaping and other yard work. I enjoy hiking, going to the gym, going out to eat, playing video games, spending time with my cat, and anything to do with trains, especially model trains, which I happen to know quite a lot about. I have a volunteer job that I go to once or twice per week at Louie Farms, which is very close to where I live.

I recently got my High School Equivalency Diploma, something I thought I would never be able to do. I had few high school credits and only received a certificate of completion as my behavior was not good at the time. I had not done much with my life since high school, and once I finally wanted to achieve some things I found out that I could not get a decent job or go to school without having at least a high school equivalency. I then started exploring ways I could get my diploma. I have rarely completed anything in my life but I decided I was up for the challenge so I got involved with WorkOne in Greenfield to see what I might be able to do.

I did surprisingly well on the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) so I decided to go to the Hancock County Learning Center in Greenfield to study so that I might pass the HSE. I put more into this than anything I’d ever done before. I had always quickly quit things I had started and even my family was doubtful that I would follow through with this. This turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life as I was surrounded by people who were caring and wanted to see me succeed. My consultant Chuck, and Rachel and Melissa from the Learning Center, all pushed me to do my very best. I loved it there!

Kaleb Reeves and Charles Spray

Once I got into it I developed a lot of confidence and realized that I was much smarter than I believed. I worked very hard and ended up passing all 5 sections of the HSE on the first try! This has done wonders for my selfconfidence and has reduced my fears of trying new things. Since I received my HSE I have been working with WorkOne to explore further schooling and possible jobs. I now know that having the type of life that I really want is truly a possibility.

I started volunteering at Louie Farms in March and it has been an amazing experience. The plan for Louie Farms is to serve people with disabilities in the future and I love that I am involved in the early stages of the creative and design process. Since I started volunteering at the farm I have been way more motivated in general. I love going out and working hard and feeling like I am contributing to something that will be of benefit to others someday. I have even gone out and purchased my own tools so that I can be of more use to the other people who volunteer there. My dad comes out occasionally and volunteers since he has extensive experience working in construction. We have built some goat houses and a few other things together. This has improved our relationship as we haven’t always worked well together in the past.

As far as challenges go, I used to struggle with my anger, getting stuck on things I was obsessed with, and not listening to others. I have made lots of progress with this and am generally easygoing and happy. I still struggle with my anxiety and obsessions and sometimes have trouble relating to people. But I am way more social than I used to be, and I really enjoy the groups that I do with my consultant and a few other (Medicaid) Waiver peers. I have also helped with the design of the groups, which has helped my selfesteem.

Engaging in too much technology, especially certain online games, is still a battle for me, but I am learning to do other activities such as hiking and working out. I feel much better about myself when I do these other things. I also struggle with getting too comfortable at times and I tend to spend too much time in my basement, which is not good for me as a person. I know this on many levels but sometimes it is hard for me to get out of my comfort zone.

I attribute much of my success to my support system. My behavior consultant, my friends, my PAC staff, and my family have all helped me learn to behave more appropriately and have helped me achieve my goals. I also spent time in alternative education (alternative school) which helped me learn to get what I wanted and needed in better ways. Programs and organizations such as WorkOne and the Greenfield Learning Center have helped me too. I have my cat for emotional support, and my Waiver staff have also contributed to my success. Visual supports, such as my anxiety management card, have helped me control my anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and obsessions.

My advice for others who might have a disability, have struggled with behaviors, or simply haven’t found what they want to do, is to take things one day at a time and believe in yourself. Everyone doubted me and I even doubted myself. If you are a doubter, push these beliefs aside and just do your very best.