Hi, my name is Asa. Some of you had known me as Erika. Thank you for taking a moment to read my story. A close friend encouraged me to start this GoFundMe, and I realized it’s okay to ask for help while I focus on healing and building a life of purpose. I’m reaching out because I need support to stay housed and keep utilities paid while my health issues — which are often debilitating — make it hard to maintain basic stability. I live with severe complex PTSD (CPTSD) and other health challenges, including chronic pain, profound fatigue, and symptoms that sometimes resemble OCD. My physical and CPTSD symptoms often interact in ways that make daily life unpredictable and exhausting. When my body flares from pushing too hard, sitting, walking, or using my body can become very difficult or impossible. My ability to think through complex tasks can also be affected. Pain, tension, and fatigue can spiral my CPTSD into feeling terrified, like every small task is an emergency. It can take a lot of energy, skills, and time to calm my nerves and regain focus. Severe CPTSD is a lifelong condition. I cannot simply “snap out of it” or let it go. It affects my thoughts, emotions, and physical health, and requires ongoing treatment, therapy, skills practice, and sometimes hospitalization. Even small stressors can trigger symptoms, and flare-ups can be debilitating. This is why maintaining stability — housing, utilities, and support — is essential for my recovery. I take multiple medications and have been working closely with doctors for years to find the right combination to manage my CPTSD and physical health challenges. I have had hospitalizations for severe CPTSD and have spent seasons in intensive therapy — including group therapy plus two individual sessions a week. These experiences, while challenging, have been critical in helping me learn skills to manage my symptoms and rebuild my life. I’ve always been a hard worker. I ran a decorative painting and mural business for 20 years, putting in long hours, working with scaffolding and plaster, and building a profitable income entirely through my own effort. I also built my art portfolio from this work, earning a scholarship to a prestigious undergraduate art program. My dream has always been to finish a dual graduate degree in art therapy and psychology so I can heal myself and help others heal through art. Unfortunately, I had to step away from both my business and grad school because my health became too overwhelming, even with accommodations. Two years ago, I made the life-changing decision to get sober from alcohol. For many years, alcohol had masked my CPTSD and mental health challenges. Sobriety meant facing these illnesses head-on, and I’ve spent the past years working tirelessly on my recovery. I’ve built supportive relationships, attended trauma recovery programs, and worked closely with medical professionals to find the right combination of treatments and strategies. I’ve dedicated time and energy to deeply learning techniques to manage my illnesses and rebuild my life. Over the years, I’ve also dedicated myself to helping others in recovery. Supporting others has been a central part of my life and has shaped my understanding of resilience, courage, and community. I have experience working with individuals and groups in healing art programs, including my time with Awakenings in Chicago, where I developed trauma-informed, art-based training for staff working with sexual violence survivors. Learning their models, techniques, and organizational structures has informed my vision for community healing work. I’m also working with a friend to create a small community art space in my home, focused on healing and recovery. This project has been energizing and grounding, helping me stay focused even on days when my health is challenging. As I recover, I hope to do more volunteering with local non-profits, sharing and learning alongside others who have experienced trauma — which is deeply nurturing and empowering for me. Through all this work, I’ve started to see more and more better days. I’ve made lifestyle changes — improving my diet, losing weight, and using an e-bike to gently exercise when I have energy. I am hopeful that I will continue to improve, finish my graduate degree, take care of myself, and help others in the community heal through art therapy. Right now, I need help to stay safe and stable while I continue this journey. I am raising funds to cover: • Rent • Utilities (heat, electricity, water) • Basic groceries and essentials • Transportation to appointments • A small buffer to prevent homelessness or further crises Asking for help is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I’ve spent my life being independent, generous, and hardworking, and now I need support to continue. Your contribution, no matter how small, makes a real difference. Sharing my story also helps more than most people realize. Thank you for believing in me, supporting me, and helping me stay safe as I continue to heal and build a life full of courage, purpose, and hope.