“After the birth of my third child, I knew I needed help. My addiction was keeping me from being the mother my children deserved.”

In search of a safe place to raise her children while she worked on her recovery, Crystal came into the Odyssey House Family Center with her two youngest children.

Several months into treatment, Crystal, 24, feels like she is beginning to regain herself. After a decade-long addiction to opiates and marijuana, it was not easy for her to adjust to sobriety. But the struggle has been worth it, as she is seeing positive changes in both herself and her children.

Once, her addiction built a wall around her and made her feel isolated; she now feels more connected to the other women. Through her peer-driven groups, she is improving her communication skills while listening and learning from the stories of the other mothers. In these groups, she is gaining the tools she needs to overcome her addiction, maintain her recovery, and become a better mom.

Crystal believes that the program is helping her children as well. Her two-year-old daughter Leah has become well-spoken and tries to take care of her little brother as much as possible. Together they are team, and Crystal’s biggest reason to sustain her recovery.