Vanessa spent time with her son at both Sojourner House and Sojourner House MOMS putting in the work to overcome her substance use disorder and find the path she wanted for herself and her son. The programs gave her an amazing foundation and the confidence to go after what she wanted for her life. “I was at Sojourner House for 5-6 months and then MOMS for 5 years. Now, I own my own home,” she said. “If you stay with it, you really can do it.” Vanessa credits her time at Sojourner House and Sojourner House MOMS for everything she has today. “I met some amazing women here,” she said. “This place gave me a sense of peace that helped me prepare for whenever I got out of here.” “Life shows up,” Vanessa said about life after her time at Sojourner House and Sojourner House MOMS. … [Read more...] about Vanessa’s Story
Recovery
Sam and her son are finding their path forward with the help of Sojourner House MOMS. The program has not only given her a safe place to stay as she works toward recovery, but it has also taught her many valuable skills and helped her build a bond with her son. One of the highlights of the program for Sam has been the life skills and personal finance classes she has been able to take to prepare her for life after the program. “They’ve taught me so much about where to put my money and how to manage it,” she said. “It’s helping me build confidence to know that I can do it.” Her time at Sojourner House MOMS has helped Sam learn what she wants for her future and the type of life she wants for herself and her son. She can finally envision a life without her substance use. “I relapsed … [Read more...] about Sam’s Story
In November and December, during the six weeks from Thanksgiving through New Years, our schedules fill up with celebrations and festivities. While the holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year for some, it’s one of the hardest times of the year for others. For those with substance use disorder, the holidays often come with challenges. The biggest seasonal challenges are holiday triggers – a term that refers to any behaviors or activities that can tempt those with substance abuse disorder to lean toward substance misuse during the holidays. Triggers are something that all in recovery manage, but more work is needed during the holidays to minimize, address, and cope with triggers. And since knowledge is power, the first step in navigating holiday-specific triggers is … [Read more...] about Common Holiday Triggers & How To Navigate Them
September was quite a busy month for the Sojourner House team as we joined forces with fellow organizations across the Pittsburgh community and participated in a number of Recovery Month events. Recovery Month is an important annual observance to Sojourner House and is a wonderful opportunity for us to focus on community outreach. In partnering with organizations and community members, teams across our city and county worked together to share resources and information with those who need help and support in recovery. The Significance of Recovery Month For 34 years, health and wellness organizations have used National Recovery Month (or Recovery Month) as a time to: Recovery Month is also a time when we can reinforce the message that behavioral health is essential to overall … [Read more...] about Recovery Month May End, But Our Work & Mission Continues
Every day, Sojourner House provides compassionate recovery services and works to create a brighter future for families. We are proud to help the mothers in our care make major steps towards a better life for themselves and their children. And this September, our team is also proudly sharing our knowledge and mission with the Pittsburgh community by taking part in Recovery Month. This annual observance is particularly significant to us, and we are excited to be able to work with the Pittsburgh community throughout this month to share knowledge and hope related to recovery. Throughout the month of September, Sojourner House will attend Recovery Month events and wellness fairs, and will work with community leaders to spread an important message: that no one is alone in the journey … [Read more...] about Honoring Recovery Month at Sojourner House
What do you think of when you hear or read about cannabis? Cannabis – also commonly known as marijuana – has been a focus of policy and public debate for decades. As far back as the 1980s and 1990s, it was heavily depicted in media as a dangerous substance associated with crime and perversion. Since the 2010s, however, the discussion surrounding cannabis has become more nuanced. After first legalizing medical cannabis, many states have gone on to legalize its recreational use as well. In a day and age when many parts of the United States have fully established adult-use recreational cannabis markets, Sojourner House’s experts and staff wish to remind our community that cannabis use is not a risk-free activity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it’s … [Read more...] about When Cannabis Use Becomes Cannabis Use Disorder