A Guild client on the importance of empowerment.
So many of our clients have told us over the years that managing their mental illnesses felt impossible before they were connected with Guild. That was also the case for April, who first began working with Guild in 2021 after the peak of the pandemic.
April’s story is one of transformation and growing independence, but prior to working with our staff she struggled with severe mental health challenges. April was experiencing audio, visual and tactile hallucinations that made her want to hide from “the monsters” and from her life.
“I was in a bad state,” April shared with us. “I was in the hospital a lot. I had major panic attacks. There was a time when I slept overnight, took a morning nap, took an afternoon nap, and then sometimes took an evening nap. All I did was sleep.”
After a kitchen accident led to April being moved out of independent housing and into an assisted living community, she began to feel even more restricted. Hopelessness took over, and she started to believe there was no point in living anymore. But one of our case managers helped April realize that wasn’t true.
“She listened to me,” April said. “She cared what I thought. Guild let me try. Other places didn’t let me try.”
Trying, for April, meant being empowered to live independently once again. Our team helped April access support services like medical, housing and employment coordinators. She learned to manage her own medications. She got her own apartment. She’s even back in school. April attended Hubbs Center for Lifelong Learning, which provides educational services for adults who want to earn their GED or prepare for employment or college. Now, she’s taking classes at St. Paul College for her associates degree. She hopes to someday get a full-time job working in a child care center.
“My first job was in child care when I was 14,” she said. “I’ve wanted to do child care ever since I was a kid. They’re so eager to learn. They learn something and they just grin like you wouldn’t believe. They’re so proud of themselves. And when they’re proud of themselves, I’m proud of them too.”
It’s not just April herself who notices the improvements in both her mental and physical health. Her family and friends see the changes, too.
“They’re like, ‘You’re doing awesome!’ It makes me feel good,” she shared.
With support from our targeted case management and individualized home support services, April now lives independently, manages her own schedule and confidently navigates daily life. She credits Guild with getting her to a point where she actually had the ability to succeed and strive for more.
“I wasn’t given that opportunity before,” she said. “People with mental health issues, if they all had Guild, they would all be doing better.”
You have the opportunity to support our programs and help more stories turn out like April’s. Donate to Guild today to invest in the futures of people living with severe mental illness.
