Looking to the Future

Thanks to Calvary I’m finally learning who I really am.

Terri*, a Calvary resident, has reached the other side of a painful past. She suffered trauma as a child, and as an adult experienced physical and mental illness, drug addiction and homelessness. Despite some of these obstacles, Terri maintained a steady job back in her home state. All the while she was dealing with a relationship marred by mental and physical abuse.

After sustaining serious injuries due to physical abuse, one of Terri’s co-workers discovered her, unconscious, in the bathroom at work. She woke up several days later in intensive care. Terri knew she needed a change. While she recovered over the weeks that followed, Terri began imagining a different life for herself. Finally, at the urging of her daughter, she packed a bag and left.

Coming to Calvary was a turning point. “I was so relieved to be here. I knew I could get back on my feet,” she remembered. At Calvary, Terri started talking to a therapist for the first time in her life. “Having a therapist on-site is huge. Not worrying about how to pay…it’s such a blessing. I learned about co-dependency and healthy relationships. I realized I had never healed from my past traumas.” With the additional support of her case manager, Terri is receiving the medical attention she needs to continue stabilizing her health.

Attending Life Skills, Education and Arts Program (LEAP) classes has also helped Terri heal. Through LEAP, she learned that writing can be a helpful coping strategy. “I’m healing and learning how to deal with my feelings,” she said.

These days, Terri continues to look forward and plan for her future. Her goal is to finish her undergraduate degree and start a nonprofit organization that serves children and youth. She recently applied for a scholarship to attend a local university.

*Name has been changed for confidentiality.