I spent all of my energy and resources trying to support my son
None of this would have been possible without the knowledge and resources I was able to pull from the Partnership.
I am the mother of four, an educator, and an advocate whose work in reproductive justice spaces has been nationally recognized & awarded. My heart and purpose reside in service, policy, and advocacy. But over the last few years, I spent all of my energy and resources trying to support my son, and, frankly, keep him alive.
After some time in treatment and sober living, he returned home a little over a year ago and has been steadily improving since. He is now a supervisor at a nonprofit organization in the area, which helps build homes, gardens, and make facility repairs for homeowners and businesses in need of free or low-cost services. He completed a semester at our local junior college and finished with a 4.0. I am convinced that none of this would have been possible without the knowledge and resources I was able to pull from the Partnership and other organizations like it.
As the daughter of a parent who misused substances, I grew up in the era of Al-Anon and leaned heavily into the “tough love” model of family support prior to witnessing my son struggle with pills. Thankfully, early on in his addiction, I began to learn more about co-occurring disorders (my son has also been diagnosed with ADHD), compassionate responses, harm reduction, and the CRAFT approach. I believe this marked the beginning of a shift in the way I approached my son during this time, the empathy and compassion I extended to him, and the care and support I sought for myself.
