After years of battling substance use and homelessness, Kerry realized she would only be able to reunite with her children if she sought help and committed herself to a long-term recovery program. That’s when she reached out to Harbor Care’s Cynthia Day Family Center. 

“When I first came here, I was shut down. I didn’t want to talk to nobody, and I thought, ‘Oh my God, I don’t want to be here, don’t need to be here,’” she said. Kerry also wasn’t sure treatment would work after having tried other programs. But she said the staff and the other women in the program helped her feel welcome, and over time the center began to feel more like home.  

“They make me realize that I want better for myself and for all four of my children.” Kerry

Kerry says the daily struggles of living an unstable life led to a painful separation from her two older children, both teens now. They remain in her life, and she says they are proud of her for seeking help. “I’ve been in and out of homelessness since I became a mom,” Kerry said.  

After a setback a year ago while living in a family shelter, she agreed to send her twin baby boys to live with her mother while she entered Cynthia Day Family Center. She believed that committing to a longer treatment program could help her reunite with them and keep her from falling further behind. After successful progress at the center, the boys now live with her full-time at Cynthia Day. 

Parenting twins while working on recovery can be demanding. Harbor Care’s occupational therapist helped her establish a bedtime routine for the boys. She also began working toward her GED, doing schoolwork while they played nearby. She had to get used to everyone in group therapy environments staring when she entered with her double-sized stroller.  

“They all think the boys are cute. They’re pretty easy babies,” she said. “They make me realize that I want better for myself and for all four of my children.” 

Kerry is learning to recognize her triggers and danger zones, build coping skills, and ask for support. “I’m learning that it’s okay to ask for help,” she said. “There’s no shame in needing help.” 

Now she tries to take each day as it comes. “I get the boys ready and I’m like, ‘All right, we’re going to see what the day brings us.’” 

Determined to continue her education, Kerry hopes to eventually work in the recovery field. Her advice to other women facing a similar challenge is simple: “Don’t wait. Ask for the help when you need it.”