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. “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 added. “They are like my defenders. They go fast to make sure I’m okay.”
Vanessa’s advice for others is to ask for help and get started because you don’t know how far you can go if you don’t try. “Don’t be afraid to ask for help,” she said. “Asking for help is the game changer for all things.” Asking for help changed Vanessa and her son’s lives. She found a job she loved and her son just started his first year at Duquesne University this fall.
Her time at Sojourner House and Sojourner House MOMS helped her learn that her substance use disorder was just a part of who she was. “My life these last 12 years has been amazing. I wouldn’t change anything,” she said. “My addiction was just part of my story not my whole story.”