“You’ll be amazed at how good things are, in a place without judgment!” That’s what Crystal Ortega says about Joshua Station, to anyone seeking to heal from the trauma of homelessness. She’s overwhelmingly grateful she heard about Joshua Station while in addiction treatment. Reading resident stories on our website sparked a thought that felt daring: “Maybe I could do it too?”

“I’m ten times more confident about myself since coming to Joshua Station,” Crystal declares. I’m opening up, no longer crippled by shame and embarrassment. I’m an introvert coming out of addiction, learning how to be in public with a sober mind. Now I think to myself, ‘I did this, and I can do more.’”

Crystal says she grew up with a “decent upbringing,” but went far astray in her 30s. Drug addiction led to criminal involvement, which led to jail. She realizes now that both jail, and work release from jail, became the necessary pathways out of her chaos.

A single mother of three, Crystal had lost absolutely everything. Most importantly to her, she lost custody of her children. “Once I was in my right state of mind, I wanted to do this for my kids,” she remembers. She recounts her work: 46 weeks of intensive “women with trauma” therapy, 36 weeks of dialectical behavioral therapy, 50 weeks of other psychotherapy. Just this month, she completed her formal addiction treatment—a cause for celebration among her friends at Joshua Station!

Next big step? Crystal’s working on her GED as a gateway to further education and employment.

Crystal’s FAFSA (financial aid for college) has already been approved, so she has her sights set high. She wants to become a certified addiction recovery coach. She wants other women to know it “takes an army of support” to make it to sobriety. But it’s possible, and there’s hope.

GED instructors at Emily Griffith Technical College are amazingly supportive, Crystal says, as are the staff at Joshua Station. “Since I was in school 20 years ago, I’ve forgotten everything. But Rhiannon (her family advocate) told me it’s great to be starting with a clean slate!

Crystal attends her classes three days a week, and squeezes in study time when her baby is napping. Weekly therapy with Monica at Joshua Station keeps her growing, healing, and focused. Parenting classes are helping build the family stability she—and her children—need to move forward.

So our story’s arc continues to continue (!)—the lineage of remarkable women’s work, multiplying:

• From a young Denver schoolteacher, Emily Griffith… 
• To Rhiannon, first as a young mother at Joshua Station working on her GED, and now Crystal’s family advocate… 
• To Crystal making leaps in life… healing, sober family focused, college bound.

We salute you Crystal—on the strong shoulders of Emily and Rhiannon. You carry the courageous legacy forward and inspire us all.

*General Educational Development Test (high school equivalency)