I grew up in Preston Hollow, the only girl and the baby of the family. No one ever told me no and I could talk my way out of anything. My dad was the safe person in our house. The grounded one I could depend on. Mom was either in bed or the life of the party, so you never knew which version of her you were going to get.

When I was in middle school, my parents divorced and I moved to Texas in the middle of the school year. It was a hard time and I gravitated towards people who were drinking and smoking pot. My substance abuse continued to escalate and then in 1992, my mother took her own life. I didn’t have any understanding of what was happening at the time, but after getting sober, I could see that my mother was severely depressed and struggling with mental health issues and alcoholism for much of my life.

I finally got sober in October 2000 after experiencing legal trouble. My dad got me an attorney who said I needed treatment, but I kept insisting that the lawyer had no idea what he was talking about and this was all a huge misunderstanding. My family believed me because they wanted to believe me. I was fine, nothing was wrong and this would blow over. Fortunately for me, my probation officer clearly saw what was happening and the judge ordered me into treatment. That experience and the people I met changed my life.

I got sober and have been working in the field of recovery for more than 25 years. I opened and operated my own women’s transitional program for 12 years and have worked in primary case management, life coaching and recovery coaching for women. It’s the best feeling in the world to watch the darkness leave someone’s eyes. They release the weight of what they’ve been carrying. I get to watch families get well together.

I’ve been on the board of directors for Nexus for three years now. The services and community are essential to helping women and families heal. I often think about my mother and wonder what her life could have been like if she had known how to access treatment. I have so much empathy for her.

To me, being Strong Like a Mother is about being present for your child. My daughter is a senior in high school and she has only ever known a sober, present mother. Being Strong Like a Mother is being reliable and dependable. Someone children can look up to and say, “if she can do that, I can do that.” My daughter and I have had honest conversations as she’s grown and asked more questions about my journey. I’m proud that we’ve been a safe house for her friends when they have struggled themselves or felt unsafe with family members.

A mom is the heartbeat of a family. A healthy mom with a healthy family is good for the community, good for the economy. She can support her family financially and emotionally. We need our mothers who struggle to have access to resources like Nexus Family Recovery Center and your donation makes that possible.