In Her Words: Michelle Shares Her Recovery Journey
Michelle with her daughter
“Four years ago, I found myself not only struggling with the disease of addiction but was unexpectedly pregnant. My path to addiction led me to becoming homeless for the first time in my life on the streets of San Francisco. I found myself struggling to survive day in and day out and did not see an end.
As months passed and my due date approached, my anxiety grew. I reached out to my mother, who, miraculously, had never given up hope for me when many around me already had. I found myself nervously asking her if she thought I should consider giving my baby up for adoption. I could not see a way that I could provide a stable life for this child, much less myself. I was met with a quick and firm “no.” My mother’s support and dedication to me was truly unwavering. I knew at that moment I could face the upcoming challenges with her support and love.
As I sat in the hospital receiving treatment for substance use, prenatal care as well as mentally preparing for the birth of my daughter, I received a visitor from the Road to Resilience Program at the Epiphany Center. She addressed my many questions and gave me hope with her stories, experience, and information. This is how I found myself at the doors of Epiphany Center eight days after I gave birth to my daughter Annabelle.
With guidance from the counselors and staff, I gained many tools to battle addiction. Using these resources, I gained back my lost confidence and ushered in my new role as a mother in recovery. After graduating from the residential treatment program, I continued to receive support at Epiphany’s Step-Down transitional house where I was supported in continuing my recovery journey through an outpatient program. As I awaited my housing voucher, I began to see possibilities I couldn’t imagine when I was deep in my addiction.
I am proud and grateful to say that I have had my own home for over three years now. My daughter is thriving in an incredible preschool I once only dreamed of her attending. My family was able to make all this possible because I made the choice to recover. We do recover! I am blessed. I would never have come this far without Epiphany. I owe my life to the program. Without Epiphany, I don’t know where I would be…but I do know I would not be where I am today.
-Michelle
Former Epiphany Center Client
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