LEANNE, JOURNEYS OUT OF HOMELESSNESS
One of the characteristics of homelessness that often goes unrecognized is shame, the shame of the person experiencing homelessness about his/her situation. As Leanne indicates in her story, her “friends” kept asking her, “Why don’t you ask your family for help?” Part of the answer was her sense of shame about being in that situation. Another part was her clear understanding of her parents’ economic situation and not wanting to be a financial burden on them. Homelessness creates real psychological trauma, and all of those in helping situations must recognize that and proceed with trauma-informed practices.
“One of the characteristics of homelessness that often goes unrecognized is shame, the shame of the person experiencing homelessness about his/her situation. As Leanne indicates in her story, her “friends” kept asking her, “Why don’t you ask your family for help?” Part of the answer was her sense of shame about being in that situation. Another part was her clear understanding of her parents’ economic situation and not wanting to be a financial burden on them. Homelessness creates real psychological trauma, and all of those in helping situations must recognize that and proceed with trauma-informed practices.”
LEANNE, JOURNEYS OUT OF HOMELESSNESS
YOUNG ADULT WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE
“My biggest problem with me personally experiencing homelessness is mental health as well as family issues. I was constantly kicked out every time I was allowed back home with no care about my well-being at all. The mental health part of it was not getting the right treatment or any treatment at all and addiction also played a part in that story.”
“My biggest problem with me personally experiencing homelessness is mental health as well as family issues. I was constantly kicked out every time I was allowed back home with no care about my well-being at all. The mental health part of it was not getting the right treatment or any treatment at all and addiction also played a part in that story.”
YOUNG ADULT WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE
YOUTH WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE
“I feel angry when there is a lack of empathy for youth experiencing these barriers. You think people working in this field would want to really help. I know people had it worse, and that upsets me because I know that the outcomes are negative. When we lean on institutions for support and they don’t support us, it is upsetting. They were not focusing on me as an individual, but more as a behavior problem.”
“I feel angry when there is a lack of empathy for youth experiencing these barriers. You think people working in this field would want to really help. I know people had it worse, and that upsets me because I know that the outcomes are negative. When we lean on institutions for support and they don’t support us, it is upsetting. They were not focusing on me as an individual, but more as a behavior problem.”
YOUTH WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE
JAMES, JOURNEYS OUT OF HOMELESSNESS
“I felt the air go out of me and my mood sunk even lower; the anxiety became nearly paralyzing. One of the most difficult and abrupt adjustments I was being forced to make was going from a life that was fully engaged, challenging and fulfilling – supervising the in-home care of my mother throughout the course of her illness -- to one where I had to more or less sit back, wait for things to happen and change, and have faith that they would.”
I felt the air go out of me and my mood sunk even lower; the anxiety became nearly paralyzing. One of the most difficult and abrupt adjustments I was being forced to make was going from a life that was fully engaged, challenging and fulfilling – supervising the in-home care of my mother throughout the course of her illness -- to one where I had to more or less sit back, wait for things to happen and change, and have faith that they would.
JAMES, JOURNEYS OUT OF HOMELESSNESS
MICHELLE, JOURNEYS OUT OF HOMELESSNESS
“I became homeless through no fault of my own, and that should not even matter. I made my move to Colorado with investments, savings and a plan, all of the things Suzy Orman says you should have. I even had a paralegal degree under my belt, excellent letters of reference and years of good experience. All of the things that kept me from gaining employment were beyond my control. I have no drug use, no alcohol abuse. I had never missed a day of work due to my PTSD.”
“I became homeless through no fault of my own, and that should not even matter. I made my move to Colorado with investments, savings and a plan, all of the things Suzy Orman says you should have. I even had a paralegal degree under my belt, excellent letters of reference and years of good experience. All of the things that kept me from gaining employment were beyond my control. I have no drug use, no alcohol abuse. I had never missed a day of work due to my PTSD.”
MICHELLE, JOURNEYS OUT OF HOMELESSNESS
YOUTH WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE
“Many times when we were homeless I was pregnant and people treated us like trash. They didn’t view us a human beings, even our shelters wouldn’t help us and ignore our pleas for help. There were many nights we had to sleep in piles of snow because the only youth shelters we knew and was told or given any information about did not allow us to come back. And other shelters were not able to take us in because I was not 21 I was only 18. I believe more youth services should be offered as many times we found our selves helpless.”
“Many times when we were homeless I was pregnant and people treated us like trash. They didn’t view us a human beings, even our shelters wouldn’t help us and ignore our pleas for help. There were many nights we had to sleep in piles of snow because the only youth shelters we knew and was told or given any information about did not allow us to come back. And other shelters were not able to take us in because I was not 21 I was only 18. I believe more youth services should be offered as many times we found our selves helpless.”
YOUTH WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE