Heaven, 23, didn’t think her drug use was a problem, but when her second son was born with marijuana in his system she knew it was time for things to change.

Two days after her son’s birth, she entered the Odyssey House Family Center to address her substance use issues while still raising her two sons.

As Heaven progressed in treatment, she found every minute to be a learning experience. In group sessions, she recognized herself in many of the other women’s addictive tendencies. She recalled a time when she had only $10 left and instead of spending it on food, she “spent it on marijuana anyway.” Though she initially she found the structure of the program challenging, Heaven learned to embrace it and benefit from the focus it gave her.

Watching her two sons grow has given Heaven the strength to stay motivated in her recovery. “They need me to be the best I can be, so that they can be the best they can be.”