Grant McMahon – Coast Mental Health

The person receiving support through the Homes to Heal program and the generosity of the congregation of St. Andrew’s Wesley United Church,is very happy with the apartment that is her home. She is a thoughtful and quiet person and when I asked her a few months ago what she appreciated most about her apartment she spent some time considering her answer;“that it is my own” was her reply. She values living independently and having a quiet and safe space of her own is very important to her. She is an avid writer of fiction and living in her own space affords her the opportunity to engage in this activity when she wants to. She has adjusted well to living independently and successfully looks after all of the aspects of maintaining her home. She is skilled in managing her mental illness and is diligent about looking after her wellbeing.

She visits her family regularly and values her relationships with them. Having her own living space allows her to create her own life while at the same time maintaining a close relationship with her parents and siblings. Her apartment functions as a secure base from which she can engage in activities in the community. Her summer and fall have been busy as she joined her peers in a wide range of social and recreational activities organized by a Vancouver based community organization. She volunteers twice weekly with a non-profit organization and also takes computer classes;both of these activities bring her a sense of accomplishment. Her longer term goals include gaining paid employment and creating more friendships;she is eager to work toward these goals but she also knows that this is a process of growth that will take her time to accomplish.