Hello, my name is Cassandra, and I'm currently a mother to three amazing kids. This journey has awakened me to many realizations. One that I can no longer run from, and that's the needs of my mental health. When I met Erik, we dove all in: let's have babies, let's build a house, let's start a business, and let's max out our credit cards. 'Whatever it takes' is a saying often used just before you burn out. I recently had a stay at a behavioral health unit. It was a voluntary hold. I needed to get my mind right and heart aligned. Just imagine a mix of Scared Straight and a zen monastery. Yes, that's where I had found myself, next to suicidal tendencies, drug ODs, and other things I can't explain. I was an unhinged, manic, touched-out, and an angry mom. Through the help of an amazing team of nurses, counselors, psychiatrists, and let's face it, whoever was feeding me four times a day, no questions asked, with no dishes to do after. With the right meds and sleep, I was able to start dreaming again. A dream where a mother is resourced, supported, able to take care of her family and others without giving too much of herself. It seemed simple and sweet. The dream if I could find a way to get out of debt, find my path again, and show up for my people. Erik has been left at home trying his best not to go down with what one might call a sinking ship; he's got struggles of his own that he pushes down to keep things going.

The battle and balance game I play with my mental health started in my mid-20s. This recent stay at BHU, I can say, feels like my best breakthrough yet. Anyone out there struggling, know you are not alone and it can and will get better the more you're honest with yourself and others about what it is you need. We have bills piling up, work put on pause, and a silent recession we're all working to find our footing in. Please give only if you're able, pass my story on to someone it might impact, and know my intent is to pay whatever I can forward in due time.