Sherri’s Story: When Survival Means Sacrifice (Part Two)

Sherri came to Georgia looking for a new beginning—but instead, she found herself homeless, alone, and in the depths of addiction. She never imagined how much one decision, one shelter bed, and one advocate could change everything. 

In Part 2 of her story, Sherri opens up about the hard road to recovery, the moment she finally felt seen, and how she started to love the woman she’s becoming. 

Plus, hear from Dr. Carla Garvin on the role trauma-informed care plays in stories like Sherri’s. 

Transcript

Sherri: [00:00:00] And I looked around when I graduated, I was like, I made it. I made it. Look at me. I accomplished something. I was getting all these certificates at the sister's house on Fridays. Um, I was, I was somebody that I never knew, and that was Sherry. 

Rachel: Welcome to Unseen Atlanta in. Atlanta Mission Podcast where we shine light on some of the city's toughest issues. We're gonna do this by sharing true stories from real people who've experienced homelessness and addiction. We're also gonna bring you subject matter experts who are gonna give us context to these issues. 

I'll be your host, Rachel Reynolds.  

Jonathan: And I'm Jonathan Miller, your other host.  

Rachel: I think one of the things you're gonna hear in Sherri's story is I think her story is just so. It's gonna resonate with so many people because there's so many different facets to it. So it's [00:01:00] not just one thing, it wasn't just addiction,  

Jonathan: right? 

Rachel: Uh, it wasn't just abuse. It was all of these little things that, um, kind of added up to it. What I hope that you guys hear from this is that while Sherry has experienced really hard things like abuse, addiction, um. Abandonment, all of those things, it really gives a face to those hard issues and I hope that that's something that everyone gets to see. 

While Sherry's story is really hard, I hope you see how beautiful it is and how beautiful she is. So we're gonna jump right in. Welcome back. Um, so I wanna clarify a little bit about the timeline. So you grew up in Illinois. Had your kids. Yes. 17, 18, 21. Yes. Somewhere in that range? Yes. Um, you ended up getting with this guy, then you ended up moving to Kentucky? 

Yes. Okay. Then from Kentucky, at that point, when you're in Kentucky, you don't have your kids anymore, do you? They were grown. They were grown. Okay. So they were grown to [00:02:00] Kentucky. You gave your kids to your parents when you were living in Illinois?  

Sherri: When I was. Living in Kentucky  

Rachel: when you were living in Kentucky. 

Okay. Then from Kentucky, you meet another man. You guys moved to Georgia?  

Sherri: Yes.  

Rachel: Okay. Is that right?  

Sherri: Yes.  

Rachel: Illinois. Illinois, Kentucky, Georgia, and Georgia. Okay,  

Sherri: so I left everything. I packed up everything. I left it all. I left the apartment like somebody lived there. Like, oh, you did?  

Rachel: You just, you didn't take your stuff? 

Sherri: I didn't take nothing but my personal stuff.  

Rachel: Okay.  

Sherri: And a few clothes.  

Rachel: Why? Why  

Sherri: At that moment I wanted a new, I wanted a new, a new life, a new beginning.  

Rachel: A fresh start.  

Sherri: A fresh start. Uh, I wanted all of that, but it didn't go the way that we planned.  

Rachel: Why not?  

Sherri: Because we ended up in the streets homeless. [00:03:00] He went to jail. 

Rachel: How? Okay, so that's a lot. You ended up on the streets. He went to jail. What hap how did that happen?  

Sherri: We were, we were homeless and sleeping in our truck, and I had to use the bathroom. Okay, so the police stops him and told him he ran a red light. Could he see his driver's license? I'm thinking he had driver's license. 

He didn't have none.  

Mm-hmm.  

Sherri: They said he had a warranty and you know, and he told me this sad story, so I fell for that story. I didn't know where I was gonna go, didn't know what I was gonna do. Didn't know nobody in Georgia. Uh, we was at the Paradise Place, okay, for homeless couples. I had, uh, 24 hours to be out. 

I had no idea where I was going.  

Rachel: Was this the first time in your life you had been homeless? [00:04:00]  

Sherri: This is the worst one of all.  

Rachel: Hmm. Had your addiction led you there a couple of times?  

Sherri: No.  

Rachel: No? Okay.  

Sherri: No.  

Rachel: So were you still actively in your addiction at this point?  

Sherri: Yes.  

Rachel: Okay.  

Sherri: Yes, I was. I was real active in my addiction. 

Yes, I was. Um. I was more active after he got locked up. I didn't know anybody. Um, I slept in my truck. Um, I kept going to, when we got here, he took me down. I, I don't know if it's downtown Atlanta where the waterfall is. Yeah. Is that  

Rachel: Centennial Park? Probably, yes,  

Sherri: ma'am. So I started to know some, I mean, not know him, but you know, I met people through him, so I knew. 

Where to where the stuff was at. So I knew where to go and I knew where to, you know, so I [00:05:00] stopped hanging down. I stopped hanging. I didn't want to go there. So when I got into the Atlanta mission,  

Jonathan: can I ask a question real quick? I feel like, um, your story. You know, you're experiencing homelessness. You don't know anyone, you don't have family friends. 

Um, a lot of people say they feel unseen. Can you tell me a little bit about what it's like to be unseen?  

Sherri: I, I blamed myself for being in the situation that I was in. I wanted a new, a new atmosphere. I wanted a new. New scenery. I wanted to, I thought, let me rephrase that. I thought by leaving the state of Kentucky and moving to Georgia would be a good move. 

Will start over. [00:06:00] Didn't know nobody. I didn't, um, fresh start, you know, let's see if things will be different. They were worse. 

They were, they were. 

He wasn't who he was. People can tell you this and that, but when you really find out who they are, they're not who they told you they were.  

Mm-hmm.  

Sherri: So when he went to jail, I became homeless, and then I went to the shelter.  

Rachel: Yeah. What was it like when you first got to the shelter?  

Sherri: Whew.  

Rachel: How'd you hear about it? 

Sherri: You know, I, I don't know. All I know is I got into my truck, uh, and I drove and I went there. I had 24 hours to be out of the Paradise Center. [00:07:00] I went there and it was on a Friday. The lady said, I'm sorry we don't do intakes on Friday. I said, well, I got 24 hours. I don't know what I wanna do. I wanna be out, blah, blah, blah. 

I wanna be on the street. I don't, I was furious. I went to, I started drinking. I started using more heavier because I didn't know where I was gonna go. I blame myself because I left a lot of things. I left my home. I had a roof. I had a, a, you know, a place I could call home. I had a place I could eat. I had a place where I could take a shower, and I left all of that and I became homeless. 

It is an experience. Woo. 

That I never [00:08:00] wished nobody to have to experience that.  

Mm-hmm.  

Sherri: I stayed there. There was time I cried, there was time I wanted to leave. There was time I wanted to die.  

Rachel: When you were at the shelter or when you were homeless?  

Sherri: When I was at the shelter.  

Rachel: Okay. So you got to restoration house. You ended up getting a bed. 

Sherri: I got a bed, I stood in line.  

Rachel: Okay. Tell me about it.  

Sherri: That Monday morning.  

Rachel: Okay, so you left, they, you went there on a Friday. Then did you come back the Monday?  

Sherri: They told me to come back on a Monday.  

Rachel: Okay, so you did.  

Sherri: I was there early Monday.  

Rachel: Okay. You were gonna make sure you got a bed.  

Sherri: Yes. And then she said there's only four beds, and I said four  

Rachel: beds. 

What number were you in line, do you remember?  

Sherri: I was number four.  

Rachel: Wow.  

Sherri: I got in there, 

I cried the whole [00:09:00] time I was in there. I was depressed. The, the, I was in a deep dark depression. Here I am in a shelter here. I left everything that I had in Kentucky, you know, to start a new life, to think it was gonna be better, but it wasn't. It was worse. It was the worst experience that I ever experienced being around a bunch of women. 

Okay.  

Sherri: I did not that like that. Why? Tell me. I never hung around a lot of women. Okay. I hung around a few, you know, you know, people that I worked with, I hung. Mm-hmm. But just to, and then to have people to tell you when to get up. Um. 

When to eat, when to, 

if you go, you can't come back at this [00:10:00] time and, and if you go out, you gotta be back at this time. I wasn't used to none of that. I said, I'm a grown ass woman. I ain't used to this. So I was okay. Then I met the people that worked there. And I ended up on the recovery coach.  

Rachel: Oh, you did? Okay.  

Sherri: Um, miss Cheryl, so she came up the steps and she said, Sherry, I said, yes. 

She said, get your stuff together. I said. Where am I going, Uhhuh? She said, well, you gonna go to the sister's house? She said, you know, usually take people a long time to get to the sister's house. She said, but you on your way there. I was like, okay. So I got over there at the sister's house.  

Rachel: So did you stay at Restoration House for 30 days? 

Sherri: No.  

Rachel: Oh, so you got, you got right into the recovery track? [00:11:00] Yes.  

Sherri: Wow.  

Rachel: At this point, had you ever had periods of time where you were sober? Yes. Okay. So you had, you had had periods of time  

Sherri: Oh, yeah.  

Rachel: And you wanted to get sober?  

Sherri: Yes, I did. I, I, I wanted a, a new, I wanted to learn how to live without using and drinking. 

Rachel: Yeah.  

Sherri: I wanted to learn how to face obstacles without using.  

Hmm.  

Sherri: I wanted to learn how to, when things came towards me was not to use. When I got to the sister's house, I was depressed. I didn't even wanna follow their directions really, to be honest. And I told, um. My, um, advocate, who is Miss Avis? 

She's a dear [00:12:00] woman now.  

Rachel: Okay. Everybody has the same response when they talk about her. They always say, but we're good now.  

Sherri: She said some things to me, you know, miss Avis, she said, you don't, you only here 'cause you wanna bed.  

Rachel: Mm. And I was like, nah, she gives some tough love.  

Sherri: She said, really? You only here because you want a bed? 

Mm. 'cause you homeless and you got nowhere to go. And I was like, no. So she start, you know, she said, you gotta go to meetings, you gotta do this. And I was like, shit, I ain't doing none of that. What she talking about? She kept saying, you gotta, you got to, she said you didn't have to. She said, well, you need to. 

Turn that man loose so you can stay focused on your recovery. I don't know what she talking about. And then at the end of it all, [00:13:00] when I went to JSW, it was like I learned a lot. I learned who I was. I learned to love me. Um, who is Sherry? Sherry is a wonderful person. She's lovable. She's kind. She will help you and would give her her your last. 

Her last. Um, I didn't know who I was when I got there. I was a broken woman. I was so broken on the inside. I dressed up on the outside, but on the inside I was broken. [00:14:00] I was so broken. I didn't know which direction that I should go. I was broken. Didn't think I could be fixed. My kids didn't have nothing to do with me because of my addiction. 

I was just there, didn't care. I was there because I was homeless, but then afterwards. 

I was amazed at me. I began to love me when I never loved me. I, I, uh, I, I went to Ms. Avis and I said, can I give you a hug? [00:15:00] And she looked at me. I said, everything you said was right. I was only here for bed. I didn't care nothing about what y'all said. I really was, you know, I following the rules, the directions. 

I mean, you know, I knew I couldn't use because I knew that y'all was gonna take a drug test. Um. I went to meetings. I only went there because I had to go. And then after I sat and I looked around when I graduated, I was like, I made it. I made it. Look at me. I accomplished something. I was getting all these certificates at the sister's house on Fridays. 

Um. I, I was, [00:16:00] I was somebody that I never knew.  

Hmm.  

Sherri: And that was Sherry today. They helped me out. They, you have to 

want the program, you have to take. Uh, listen, you have to want to do the classes, the trauma classes, the, you know, not to just to go because you don't have nowhere to go and because you homeless and you wanna keep a bed. The Sister's House has taught me a lot. They taught me to love me.  

Rachel: Do you feel broken anymore? 

Sherri: No. In some places.  

Rachel: I mean, don't we all in some places, same place. So how did, how do you feel like you were able to put those pieces back together?  

Sherri: From the support that I got from the sister's house, from the staff,  

Rachel: from the [00:17:00] tough love from Miss Avis,  

Sherri: yes. There was time I wanted to give up. Mm-hmm. I wanted to walk out. 

I didn't, you know, didn't care, didn't just didn't care anymore.  

Jonathan: Why didn't you leave? What kept you at my sister's house?  

Sherri: People that I became acquainted with. Miss Avis. Where you going Sherry? You know, if you go back out there, you know where you gonna be, right?  

Hmm.  

Sherri: And I was like, I don't give a damn. You know, I just, I ain't used to being in here with all these women and all this drama and all. 

I wasn't used to, I'm not used to this. And she said. Go in there and unpack them bags and lay down and get you some rest. She said, I'm gonna excuse you for class for tomorrow. I said, no, I can go to class. She said, no. Uh, [00:18:00] I found myself, I wasn't getting out of the bed. And she would come. Why we in the bed? 

What's the matter today? You depressed? I said, yeah, I'm in a deep, dark, depressed. I don't know why I would cry. Couldn't figure out why I was crying. Couldn't figure out why. I, I was in the condition I was in, and that was homelessness leaving my place. And one thing Ms. Vis said to me, wherever you go, you always gonna carry you. 

So now, wherever I go, I know I'm gonna carry me. I had, I would've had. 

Almost close to a year in clean time. But 

I, I relapsed, Ms. Avis was there. [00:19:00] The sister house was so nice to me that they could have put me out, but they didn't. Um. And when I relapsed, I was laying out there on the street. I was like, I looked around and I was getting high. I looked around, the rats was all jumping over here and dumping over here, and I would blow smoke so they could go somewhere else. 

And I laid there and I said, I'm about to lose everything right now. Mm-hmm. I said, I got some people that care been where I've been. I'm not alone in my addiction. And I called and I asked could I come back? I came back, um, I've been clean ever since.  

Rachel: Wow.  

Sherri: Uh, that's when I realized that you can have fun [00:20:00] without. 

Doing drugs and drinking.  

Hmm.  

Sherri: The meetings now are allowed to go to meetings. I like, and when I started going, I started hearing other people's story, how they became homeless and how this and this and that, and I was sat, that ain't me. They ain't nothing me. Shit. They're on, on me. I ain't them people, but then I am them. 

Mm-hmm.  

Sherri: I am an addict. I am a recovering addict. Um, I have no desire today to get high thanks to the restoration house. The sister's, especially the sister's house. My advocate, Ms. Avis, my, uh, counselor, Ms. Kimley. Um, and no, just to hear. [00:21:00] Some people's story where they been, and I was not alone. And they was always there. 

They were always like, now why are you leaving? And to have someone to really care.  

Rachel: Yeah. They saw you. Yeah. They knew you.  

Sherri: They knew me to have someone to really care, you know? So, you know, to go that extra mile.  

Hmm.  

Sherri: That made me think. And it did. And every day I look at Ms. Avis, I used to just talk SIUs about Ms. 

Avis. I really did. I thought she had it after me.  

Mm-hmm.  

Sherri: And I said, why are you always after me? Why you always. She said, 'cause I care. Mm-hmm. I said, yeah, whatever. I ain't never had nobody care. So, you know. Totally. Yeah. I said, you don't care. You don't believe that? No. You know, I said, you know, I done been lied to so much. 

I don't believe nothing, nobody say. And that day I went in there and I said, miss Avis, [00:22:00] she said, you made it. She said, I knew you had it in you. She said, but I said, but I always wanted to give up. She said, I wouldn't let you. Hmm. How'd that make you feel when she said that? 

I don't know. I, I, I, I can't express that feeling, but it was a good feeling.  

Rachel: We need to get our feelings wheel out. Yeah. And then we can express that I'm not good expressing my feelings,  

Sherri: you know? And Ms. Davis was one of the ladies. I can talk really highly about her. I really can. She is a good, good, good coach. 

She might be tough. But see it, you know, she wants to see you make it. She gonna stay on you. So you know now. And I go in there and I talk to her and say, said, you're doing good. I said, yes, I'm doing good.  

Rachel: So yeah. Tell us a little bit about where you are now. [00:23:00] You got a job? I graduated from JSW Job search workshop. 

Sherri: I went to job search workshop. I said I got a certificate, I'm graduating. I ain't graduate from high school, so that felt good to me. Oh yeah. Mm-hmm. And to walk down the red carpet and you got a little sash. Yes. I said, oh my God, that's, I said, okay, now, now I'm going somewhere. Oh. So after I graduated, went to the job search. 

I was only in job search for two weeks and I got a job. Wow. Wow. That's awesome. I've been at Publix almost going on two months now.  

Rachel: Amazing.  

Sherri: I love it. Today. I'm not gonna say my life is perfect. Who's this? But it's better than what it used to be.  

Rachel: You've reconnected with your kids?  

Sherri: Yes. Uh, my kids call, I might, we might not talk on a daily base, but now when I call, they will [00:24:00] talk. 

Rachel: Are they proud of you?  

Sherri: Yes. My son, my baby son. That's tag. Um, you know, he quit. Come, quit. He completely speaking to me. Um, today, he says, um, I don't care if we don't ever call and if we never answer.  

Hmm.  

Sherri: He said, just stay focused on yourself.  

And I was like,  

Sherri: okay. I'm looking around like, all right, God, now. He said, just stay focused on yourself, ma. 

He said, that's all you. Need to do is to stay focused on the number one person. And that's you.  

Rachel: That what a wise advice from your son? Yeah,  

Sherri: that's, that's the one that didn't speak to me. Wow. That's the son that told his kids that I was there. I was Wow. A crack head.  

Rachel: What? [00:25:00] Restoration. Wow.  

Sherri: Yeah, they couldn't find me. 

Wow. I told nobody where I was. Was I embarrassed? Was I ashamed? Yes.  

Rachel: What's the future look like for you, Sherry? 

Sherri: I can't really see into the future, but right now. One minute, one second, and one moment.  

Rachel: Yeah.  

Sherri: To me it's being clean. Hmm.  

Rachel: Amen.  

Sherri: I am human. I can't tell you what might happen down the line. Long as I continue to go to meetings, long as I continue to react with my sponsor. Getting high is the furthest thing is on my mind 'cause I want to live today. 

I wanna live to see my grandkids grow up and be something.  

Mm-hmm.  

Jonathan: So one of the, [00:26:00] the things that strikes me most about your story from beginning to end is this desire you have to be loved.  

Mm-hmm.  

Jonathan: To be seen, to be loved, to be known. Um, and my mind just keeps going back to when you, it was one little sentence. 

When I was a little girl, I just wanted my father to love me.  

Mm-hmm.  

Jonathan: And that really stuck out to me, and that seemed to be coming back. Um, and then you learned to love yourself.  

Sherri: Yeah.  

Jonathan: Um, so my question, my last question is, what do you love most about yourself? My new life,  

Sherri: my new beginning. I can smile. I don't walk around crying every day. 

I, I don't, I walk with my head up and not with it down. I. I know the time, days that I'm gonna run into some situations, but today I know how to handle those situations [00:27:00] without hiding them or covering them up with alcohol and drugs. Because back, back, for us, it was mostly things would hush, hush. You keep everything under the rug. 

But today I can tell my story and not be ashamed of my story today.  

Jonathan: And we're better because you shared your story.  

Sherri: Yeah,  

Rachel: we are.  

Jonathan: So thank you.  

Sherri: You're welcome.  

Rachel: Thank you so much for sharing your story.  

Sherri: You're welcome. Thank y'all for having me. Absolutely. To share my story. Yeah,  

Rachel: no, thank you. Because  

Sherri: I want to share my story if I could. 

Rachel: Yes. Tell us,  

Sherri: do one thing. And my life before God calls me home is to share my story to young women [00:28:00] about being abused.  

Hmm.  

Sherri: That's my goal, and my goal is to 

get a building. And open that building for young kids and women that has been mentally, physically, and emotionally abused, that I have always wanted to do that because of the abuse that I was in. That's my goal.  

Rachel: You'll for sure do that one day.  

Sherri: That's my goal. I feel confident.  

Rachel: You can call it Sherry's house. 

Sherri: Yes, that is my goal, mm-hmm. Is to share my story around the world, to young women that don't believe that you are better, you beautiful, you loved, [00:29:00] uh, I just wanna share my story to women and let them know where I've been and where I'm at today. I might not be where I should be, but I damn so ain't where I used to be. 

Amen. And today, if no one else is proud of me, I'm proud of me. Mm  

mm-hmm.  

Sherri: I am proud of me and I can say that today I come a long way. And I have to stop sometimes and look like, wow, look where I'm at. So one thing I like to tell everybody, just remember wherever you go, you gonna always carry you. No matter whatever your addiction may be, you can't run from it. 

You always gonna carry you. And I know that today.  

Jonathan: That's a good word. That is, [00:30:00]  

Sherri: yeah. Gonna always carry you. And I thank Ms. Avis for that.  

Jonathan: Thank you. Ms. Avis. Yes. Thank you.  

Rachel: Miss Avis. Shout out Ms. Avis, shout out Ms. Avis,  

Sherri: we see you.  

Rachel: Um, thank you so much for sharing your story. You're welcome. Yeah. One of the things I feel like I really got from that is that what you were saying, like sometimes we don't get love from people in our lives that should love us. 

Um, and so it's so important. That's like a basic need we all have.  

Yeah.  

Rachel: Um, and how that can totally affect our whole lives, and how she really was able to find that by loving herself. Um, that was really powerful to me. I mean, the whole story, I can't.  

Jonathan: Yeah, I can't like  

Rachel: pick one thing out.  

Jonathan: I know, I know. 

Rachel: What stood out to you?  

Jonathan: Just for our listeners out there, if you're listening to this and you're, you're resonating with, uh, Sherry's story, we just want you to know that you are seen, you are known, you are loved. Um, and so if that's what you take away from this, this story. This episode was worth it.  

Rachel: Yes. If you made it this far into the episode, [00:31:00] you're likely feeling the weight of these stories unseen. 

Atlanta was created to reveal the raw and unfiltered realities faced by individuals in our city struggles with addiction, homelessness, and mental health. It's heavy, but don't stop. Now. We're about to turn the page to something life changing. Hope is coming. When someone steps through our doors, they step into an opportunity to start fresh. 

The transformation you're about to hear wouldn't be possible without our incredible partners like the Justin Landis group. Whether you're buying or selling your home in metro Atlanta, their unwavering commitment to exceptional service and authentic relationships sets 'em apart. Their compassion and dedication to our community fuels stories just like these. 

A heartfelt thank you to our partner and sponsor, Justin Landis Group, because of your generosity. These stories don't end here. Now let's dive back into the episode.  

Jonathan: I hope you guys enjoyed that story. Um, I know we did and we, we learned so much about, um, what it's like to experience homelessness and addiction and all, all the [00:32:00] things. 

Um, we have a special guest with us today, uh, Dr. Carla Garvin.  

Dr. Carla: Hey, um,  

Jonathan: hey.  
 

Dr. Carla: Hi.  
 

Jonathan: Welcome to the show.  

Rachel: Yeah. Welcome,  

Jonathan: hope. Thank you for having me. Yeah, we're really excited to dive in. Um, can you just tell us a little bit about yourself? And, um, your background, all the things about you.  

Rachel: She's also on staff at the mission. 

Jonathan: Yes. That's important,  

Rachel: just so everyone knows. So we'd love to hear what you do here too.  

Dr. Carla: Okay. Um, well, again, I'm Dr. Carla Garvin. I'm the Director of programs here at the Mission, which means I support all the programming that's happened at the different campuses. Um, that we have our residents live on. Um, so I get a chance to go out, train staff, have interaction with individuals, um, and just ensure that all the programs are what they need to meet the needs of the individuals we serve. 

Excellent.  

Rachel: What's your background in?  

Dr. Carla: Okay. I have a PhD in psychology. Um, I've been a counselor since [00:33:00] prob. Um, 2000. I got licensed in 2003. Um, so then I've just constantly been in the field dealing with trauma. Um, the emotional disorders, um, childhood disorders such as a DD. Um. Oppositional Defiant disorder. 

Um, do a lot of work with veterans, with PTSD, um, supervision of interns and individuals coming into the field. Um, wow, you've done building? Yeah. You've seen everything.  

Rachel: I'm like, what hasn't she done?  

Dr. Carla: And I'm born, I was born and raised in Georgia.  

Rachel: Oh, wow. Okay. Um, so tell us a little bit about, have you ever worked with people who are experiencing homelessness? 

Dr. Carla: Yes, I had the first introduction, um, a main focus, um, in 2022. Okay. Um, I worked as the director of housing for a agency and we provided housing services to individuals with severe and persistent [00:34:00] mental illness who were homeless. So they would be approved for a voucher Okay. By the Department of Disabilities. 

Um, and then they would be. Refer to us to start the housing process. So we would help them throughout the housing process. Everything that you would do to rent an apartment or a house we did with these individuals and paid all the  

Jonathan: fees.  

Rachel: Wow.  

Jonathan: So you're very familiar with homelessness and the effects of homelessness. 

And all that kind of stuff?  

Dr. Carla: Yes. All of the trauma that's, um, that comes with it. Um, sometimes I often say that these individuals suffer from persistent traumatic experiences. Okay. What do you mean by that? Yeah. They continue to happen over and over again. We say post, but it really never stops for them. Mm. 

Homelessness leads to other emotional issues and they get involved with alcohol and drugs. That's coping mechanisms, you know? Um. Relationships are destroyed. So it just, it's just complex and [00:35:00] compounded. Mm. It's very layered. Extremely layered. Yeah.  

Rachel: Yeah. We talk a lot about, um, homelessness in and of itself is a trauma. 

Dr. Carla: Yes. You know? 'cause when people are suffer homelessness, it's just not about being without shelter. Okay. It's about being with. Without life as they knew it before that experience. So it's a lot of grief and loss that comes with homelessness. Um, and then the situation that actually led up to the homelessness, whether that is domestic violence or situations with family members where we couldn't resolve issues and got kicked out. 

So that INS F has even compounded, but it's more than just being homeless. Life has. Totally changed for these individuals. Mm-hmm. And they really see no hope. Hmm. They don't see the world as a safe place anymore.  

Rachel: What is the role of hope in mental health?  

Dr. Carla: [00:36:00] Hope in mental health is just trying to help individuals see that they are not what they experienced. 

Hmm.  

Dr. Carla: You know, and that if they do the work, that they can get to a better place. They can have an improved quality of life, and the hope that we try to instill with within them gives them a reassured or hope that life can be better.  

Hmm.  

Jonathan: Through your work here at Atlanta Mission, um, we talk a lot about hope here, like hope lives here. 

Yeah. Tagline. Speak a little bit to the work we do and how our clients, um, despite their trauma, that they gain hope. Yes. How does that happen?  

Dr. Carla: I think first and foremost, um, when we talk about hope, our hope stars and hope in Christ. And I think that hope in Christ gives us the ability to show hope by accepting them as they are, by loving them for who they are, for [00:37:00] looking at them as more than a person with a set of circumstances, you know, um, but showing them that there is love here, that there is hope here. 

That there is encouragement here. You know, treating them with dignity and respect, which is something they did not get in their traumatic situations. You know, I think a campus of democracy where they do have a voice in what happens to them. I think that I instills hope.  

Jonathan: What really stands out to me in, in what you're talking about, um, my mind sort of went to the word agency. 

Mm-hmm.  

Jonathan: So like, hope and agency are sort of connected. Um, how are they connected? Sort of connect the dots for us. Okay.  

Dr. Carla: Um, for me now, this is very unique because I've worked at many agencies before and there's not been an agency that really shows hope. You know, and it's really hard to explain, but it's when you enter a campus mm-hmm. 

You know, staff [00:38:00] is rooted in a calling to do the work, to serve the individuals that are here and. We are so hopeful for them that it just resonates off. Mm-hmm. When you go to the different campus, when you see their interactions, you know, we're not asking, you know, what did you do?  

Yeah.  

Dr. Carla: How did you get here? 

But what happened?  

Mm.  

Dr. Carla: What happened to you? As opposed to what did you do?  

Jonathan: Yeah.  

Dr. Carla: You know, which gives them a sense that. I'm somebody.  

Mm.  

Dr. Carla: You know, I'm not, what just happened to me, you know, and people are really interested now as opposed to what did you do to cause this to happen to you?  

Rachel: Mm.  

Dr. Carla: Okay. So what did you do this time? 

You, well,  

Rachel: even that question, the way you changed that question, like, it makes me feel different.  

Jonathan: Mm-hmm. Yeah. You really reframe it  

Rachel: Yeah.  

Jonathan: In a way that empowers people. Yes. And gives them a sense of, um, agency or choice, um, for their future. [00:39:00] That it's not, we're not stuck here, right?  

Dr. Carla: Mm-hmm. Absolutely not. And I think that as I. 

You know, walk around the different campuses and you get to see, um, the transformation happening. Um, you just gotta be there, you know? Yeah. You do. To see people who came in one week with their head held down, had no hope, you know, and now are walking around head up, have hope not in them, not only in themselves and staff, but in Christ. 

For me to see someone comes up and just, you know, Hey, I read this in the Bible and it really gave me hope. Now I see what you all are talking about, that I'm not in this by myself.  

Jonathan: Yeah.  

Dr. Carla: You know.  

Jonathan: Well, I really want to talk about the transformation now. Um, talk to us about what services we provide that help people overcome the traumas that they've experienced and move forward in their lives. 

Okay, well we use the transformational model and we meet people where they are. [00:40:00] And tell us for our listeners, what is the transformation model.  

Dr. Carla: Okay. Transformational model is a five phase model where individuals come in and they find hope. You know, they find, uh, a place where they can come, that they can rest, you know, that they can relax, you know, feel safe, you know, in a safe environment, just from. 

What they've experienced, um, and find hope. We don't do a lot of work with them. We just, and find hope  

Jonathan: is the first stage. The first stage.  

Dr. Carla: Mm-hmm. Okay. And do say, and we just let them come in and just relax, have their mind and their brain kind of calm down. Mm-hmm. Um, because when people experience trauma, you know, activates the, um. 

Serotonin and the cortisol. So they're in this survival mode where it's either fight, flight, or freeze. Mm. And they're constantly in that. So when they come into, uh, phase one, find hope, we just let 'em rest, [00:41:00] let the brain calm down. You know, let them know that they are. Even here.  

Mm-hmm.  

Dr. Carla: Okay. So after that, you know, then they have the opportunity where they can choose help, phase two, phase two, and then choose help. 

We start identifying the needs that they have. Um, they have, um, ambassadors at that phase. They have community resource specialists, you know, that work with them, um, to identify their needs, identify resources that they need, and to help them start to see that. There is hope for them in their situation through all the resources that we have. 

Um, and if they choose to stay on with us, then they go to phase three, make progress. Mm-hmm. And it make progress, um, based on the identified needs. They get counselors, then they get advocates, and they still get a customer resource. A specialist, [00:42:00] um, that works with them to continue to identify resources. 

Mm-hmm. They get a therapist that starts to really talk about the trauma. Um, creating a safe environment for them to be able to share their stories, you know, to process it, to help them understand why they're. Brain or body is responding because with trauma there are so many different responses. You know, people may have headaches, other, uh, pains in their bodies that they don't really understand because I haven't been injured, but my back hurts, you know? 

Mm-hmm. My head hurts all the time. My stomach hurts, you know, I really can't eat. So we help them understand what their bodily responses have been to trauma, as well as making referrals to. Primary care physicians if they need it, um, and other doctors that may be able to address their needs to give them some relief from those things as well. 

And make progress. Um, they are then getting prepared to go to the next steps, which is [00:43:00] phase four. And then there, there's job search. And what I really like about, um, make progress is that they dress the part, they get up and they dress every day like they are going to work. Yeah. Mm-hmm. You know, so you get to see these smiles, these heads where they are dressing suits and ties. 

I mean, it's just an. Awesome thing to see. And you can see that they're transforming, that they're beginning to believe in themselves again. Um, they're beginning to believe in the resources that are available to them. Um. And in that each week they're celebrated. Mm-hmm. You know, all their accomplishments are celebrated, which is something that never happened to them before. 

So to see someone come in and on a Monday or Tuesday, go through that first celebration and they're, it is just like, they're just there. They really don't know what's happening. And then the next time they go through it and then you see them getting up, singing, clapping, um, being a participant in that, [00:44:00] um, that's how we measure hope. 

That's amazing. That's great. And then,  

Jonathan: um,  
 

Dr. Carla: the final phase. Sustain. Yeah. Sustain and grow. These are individuals that have progress through the program. They have a job, um, on the men's campus specifically. They can go to what they call Frugal Hall. Mm-hmm. Transitional housing. Transitional housing for them. 

And they can stay there for up to six months. And they have a goal of, of saving about $3,000, you know, so that they can have down payment, first month's rent and um, whatever it may need to go into a, um. Independent living of their on their own. Um, even after that, they get a retention coach for a year. So they have someone that stands by them for a year making sure that they're doing what they need to do to, uh, maintain their employment. 

And if they need to come back and see a counselor, those options are there for them. So we just don't drop them. We want to make sure that [00:45:00] they can truly sustain themselves. And, um, give them the services that they need to do that.  

Jonathan: Yeah. And for our listeners, if you're listening, you're like, wow, that's a lot of stuff. 

It is a lot of stuff. It is. It really is. Um, there's so much Yeah. That goes into the work we do. Um, and well, and it's really intentional. Yeah.  

Rachel: It shows the complexity of people. It does. And that we are trying to meet people where they're, meet people's needs. Mm-hmm. I always tell people like. Well, if you go to the doctor, you don't want them just to be like, oh, you need a job in a house, you're gonna be good. 

Right. That's not why we go to the doctor. We want them to figure out what's wrong with us and help us get better.  

Yes.  

Rachel: And so I really feel like at the mission, you don't come through our doors and we say get a job in a house. We say, no, we wanna treat you what's going on? Whether that's something mentally, physically, um, emotionally, spiritually, all of those things. 

Um, and so it makes me really proud of the work that we're doing, that we're trying to treat the whole person. [00:46:00]  

Dr. Carla: Absolutely. Um, and I guess if there's one thing, this is not just a shelter. Yeah. It is so much more. You know, it is a place of hope. You know, it is a place of. Redemption. You know, people are healed from their past pains, their hurts, you know, and along the way they find Christ. 

And I think that's the most awesome part about it. Um, that you are being served full circle, mind, body, and spirit. Mm-hmm. And people leave here recharged, rejuvenated, and ready to live the life that they were created to live. So it is so much more to  

Jonathan: than a shelter, and it's so. Beautiful. Yeah. Um, just the lives that we impact and the transformation that happens, that's where the beauty is. 

Well, and  

Rachel: the transformation that happens in us. Absolutely.  

Jonathan: That's true. I,  

Rachel: I'm not the same person I was and I think that's what I [00:47:00] love about a place of redemption. Is not just a place for people you serve. A place of redemption is for everyone who comes in contact with it. And so I hope our listeners, um, you feel that this is a safe place, a place of redemption, and that this changes you somehow, I know it's changed me. 

I'm sure you feel it's changed you in the, in the time you've been here. We've been here 90 days, maybe  

Dr. Carla: almost a 90  

Rachel: days. Wow.  

Dr. Carla: And I am, you know, it is just a renewed. Um, sense of spirituality. Hmm. Yeah. You know, being free. Hmm. You know, to be your authentic self and to see someone hurting and know that it's okay to come up and say, you know what, God loves you. 

Mm-hmm.  

Dr. Carla: You know, and even offer prayer. To where you've been in jobs and that's just been taboo. You can't do that here. You know, and sometimes people need to understand that, you know, there is someone greater than we mm-hmm. Are [00:48:00] that can help us get through these tough situations. Um, and we just have to trust and believe that he's the god's able to do that. 

And that's what you see here. So,  

Rachel: no, you, yeah.  

Dr. Carla: I am freed from, you know, not being able to share.  

Rachel: Yeah. That's amazing. You do. You definitely feel God in this place. Yes, for sure. Well, thank you Dr. Carla for being here. Thank you so much. Thank you. And thank you for sharing just your gifts with the mission. Um, I have a feeling that every client loves you a lot. 

I'm  

Rachel: like, I would like to, I would like you to be my counselor. So we're gonna, we're gonna have to talk about that offline. I like to have a lot of them around me. Wow. I really hope that you guys got to experience the Dr. Carla effect. Like Jonathan and I got to experience it today. Um, she's so amazing and I think it was really great that you got to hear about the work that, um, she's had a long career. 

I. [00:49:00] But how she's already felt so much change working here in 90 days, and we only get to do this work, the three of us sitting on this couch. We only get to do this work because it is generously funded by the community, not only through your dollars, but also your volunteering. We would love for you to be a part of the work that we're doing. 

So we'd love for you to go to our website today and find out how you can get involved. It doesn't have to be money. It can also be volunteering if he giving, um, of your talents and your gifts. We'd love for you to go to our website and check all that information out.  

Jonathan: And actually, um, we would love for your, your, your company, your place of business and work. 

Mm-hmm. Um, to get involved too. There's lots of ways to plug in as a group whether volunteering or giving, or even hiring our clients. Yeah. It's a very cool part of my job. We would love for you to get involved in any way and, and all the ways. Yes. Um. So until next time, take care and we'll see you later. 

Rachel: Bye.  

Tensley: Thank you so much for listening and engaging with [00:50:00] these challenging yet vital conversations about mental health addiction, homelessness, and trauma in our city. Facing these issues head on is how we ignite real transformation in Atlanta. Thank you to our season sponsor, the Scott Pryor Law Group. The transformation you've heard wouldn't be possible without incredible partners like the Scott Pryor Law Group, personal Injury and Accident attorneys, their compassion and dedication to our community. 

Fuel stories of transformation just like these. If you are injured in a semi-truck or car accident, call the Scott Pryor Law Group. As a US Marine, we fight and win for you. Our clients are family for life. We handle all types of injuries. You focus on healing and we handle the rest. Now, if today's episode inspired you to take the next step, we would love to invite you to join the work that God is doing here. 

There are two really impactful ways for you to get involved. First, you can give financially to help us continue the work you heard about today. Second, you can volunteer your time by serving at one of our campuses. You can find [00:51:00] all the ways to give and get involved@atlantamission.org. Thank you again for being part of this journey. 

Please join us next time as we uncover more powerful stories of hope and transformation.