Fifteen years ago, Vanessa was working toward a different future for herself and her son.
Her journey brought her first to Sojourner House, where she and her son could remain together while she received treatment for substance use disorder. From there, she moved to Sojourner House MOMS, where she continued building the stability, confidence, and independence she needed for the life ahead.
Today, Vanessa is a homeowner. She has built a career she loves. And the son who was by her side during her recovery journey has completed his education at Duquesne University.
“I was at Sojourner House for five or six months and then MOMS for five years. Now, I own my own home,” Vanessa said. “If you stay with it, you really can do it.”
Building a Foundation
Vanessa describes her years at Sojourner House and MOMS as a foundation—a place where she could find stability while preparing for what came next.
“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.”
But leaving a program doesn’t mean life suddenly becomes easy.
“Life shows up,” Vanessa said.
For her, one of the most important lessons has been recognizing the value of a strong support system. Recovery requires connection, especially during the moments when challenges feel overwhelming.
“It’s hard when it’s just you and your thoughts. You have to find a support system. Find people to hold you accountable,” she said.
Vanessa calls the people in her support system her “defenders”—people who notice when something isn’t right and make sure she knows she isn’t facing it alone.
Asking for Help Can Change Everything
When Vanessa thinks about what she would tell another woman beginning her own recovery journey, her advice is simple:
“Don’t be afraid to ask for help.”
For Vanessa, asking for help wasn’t a sign that she couldn’t do it. It was what allowed her to begin discovering just how much she could do.
“Asking for help is the game changer for all things,” she said.
Over the 15 years that followed, Vanessa continued moving forward. She built a career she loves. She became a homeowner. And she watched her son grow from the child who accompanied her during treatment and supportive housing into a young man who completed his education at Duquesne University.
Those milestones didn’t happen all at once. They were built over years of recovery, perseverance, support, and countless decisions to keep going.
More Than One Part of Her Story
Perhaps one of the most important things Vanessa has learned over the past 15 years is that substance use disorder does not define the entirety of who she is.
It is one chapter in a much larger story.
“My life these last 12 years has been amazing. I wouldn’t change anything,” Vanessa said. “My addiction was just part of my story, not my whole story.”
Today, Vanessa’s story is about recovery. It’s about homeownership and a career she loves. It’s about watching her son achieve a milestone that, 15 years ago, may have felt very far away.
Most of all, it’s about what can grow from the foundation created when a mother has the opportunity to recover while keeping her family together.
Recovery changes mothers. Recovery changes childhoods. Recovery changes futures. Recovery changes everything.
Visit our website to learn more about the programs and services available at Sojourner House and Sojourner House MOMS.