This is her story…
M was introduced to MAP in 2019 by a friend in her church who was trying to help her and her family. She loved her children and was working countless hours at a restaurant, but finding herself constantly overwhelmed with the pressures and realities of life. M had tried therapy before, but it never worked.
Although she knew she needed help, she feared that MAP would be another program to give her a diagnosis and meds, only to make her feel worse about herself. Add these fears in the midst of her hard life situation and the rigid work hours, and she was not able to join the program.
She, honestly, just hoped that she could simply work harder to get her family out of the situation they were in and be better.
However, 2 years later, she found herself in a different job and different scenarios, but still the same obstacles and challenges. She recognized that if she didn’t get help for herself, she could never help her children and have the family she dreamed of.
She re-applied and was accepted in 2021.
Throughout her time at MAP she began to recognize that her situation was not just “a bad set of circumstances,” but was something she could take control of.
She learned to see life from a different perspective. She began counting the positive aspects of her life and saw the places she wanted to change as opportunities for her to do just that, take back her life and make change.
She felt empowered by the knowledge she gained of what really was happening in her brain because of trauma and that she could actually do something to heal herself from the inside out.
Throughout her 7 months at MAP, she addressed her own personal needs and challenges, she set structure and boundaries for herself, her kids and her family. When asked, she said, “How was I supposed to be there for my kids, when I didn’t even know how to take care of myself?”
She wanted to be a good mom. She wanted a family that was stable and healthy and communicated well. But, she didn’t know where to start. MAP not only gave her a place to start, but also the stepping stones to achieve her goal.
M said, “To me, MAP is helping you find something like navigation. It’s like 911 to a mom. This is the place that when you’re having issues you know you can go to without feeling judged.”
As an alumni of the program, she admits that it doesn’t mean her life is perfect, but she now has the tools to continue her growth!
M is currently engaged to be married, and is living with 2 of her children. She has regained a relationship with her 3rd child, a teenage son who had been in foster care since he was young. What a joy it is to be in his life, to be able to offer advice, guidance, and support to him… a relationship that once felt lost.
M told us that she was grateful for the opportunity to learn how to heal herself and has told several friends to come too and get the help they need!
