When Gabriela was released from jail in 2018, she came out to nothing. Her husband had been killed and her son had been placed in CYFD custody. She had no place to live, no means of transportation, and no job. Gabriela knew she needed support and housing to start rebuilding her life, so she came to Crossroads and asked for help.
At Crossroads, community members like Gabriela are not only placed in safe, secure housing, but they also receive access to a dedicated support team of case managers, family specialists, vocational specialists, peer support specialists, and recovery specialists. We host daily therapeutic groups and client-centered events throughout the year to build community and create a strong support system for women in our programs.
“It takes a lot for somebody to reach out,” says Gabriela. “The love and support at Crossroads is unconditional. Each staff member is there to help me so I don’t have to worry about who am I going to ask for help.”
Stable housing was essential for Gabriela to get out of survivor mode and be able to work on other areas of her life like her recovery, mental health, vocational goals, and family relationships. A domestic violence survivor, Gabriela had previously worked as a mental health tech and corrections officer before a violent accident sent her into a downward spiral.
Gabriela learned about becoming a Certified Peer Support Worker or CPSW while working with her vocational specialist at Crossroads. Peer support workers are people who have been successful in the recovery process who help others experiencing similar situations. “The CPSW program is awesome because it’s a way back into a field that I thought I wasn’t going to be able to work in anymore because of my record,” says Gabriela.
With the encouragement and support of her vocational specialist, Gabriela updated her resume and applied for the CPSW program. She also completed a peer support internship at Maya’s Place, one of our transitional housing programs, and began leading a client support group once a week. “The support from Crossroads to receive my certification and overcome my own fears was really helpful.”
Today, Gabriela is a Crossroads graduate and CPSW with two full-time jobs. She works at Duke City Recovery Toolbox, a local methadone suboxone clinic where she was once a client, and the NM Family Advocacy Program where she helps families navigate the child welfare system. She has reunited with her son and continues to access services at Crossroads through our aftercare program.
“It feels amazing to have support and a career that is paying me well so I don’t have to stress about how I’m going to pay my bills or feed myself and my son as a single parent,” says Gabriela. She recently purchased her first vehicle under her own name and said it felt really good to do it herself.
Gabriela believes that when you stay engaged you stay on the right path. By participating in Crossroads programming, she has gained the confidence and skills she needs to be self-sufficient. “I’m thriving instead of surviving now. I’m not in survivor mode anymore,” says Gabriela.
That is our goal for all of the women who come through Crossroads doors.