Blanca joined on December 14, 2020. She has two kids, a daughter who is 11 years old and a son who is 19 months. She started her time here in Employee Related Training on our Main Campus, Solutions Farms and in the Maintenance Department. Maintenance was her favorite. She liked to be out at different properties and learning skills she otherwise would’ve never learned to do like painting, dry wall, landscaping and installing window frames and screens!
In a past job, Blanca met many coworkers who had come through Solutions for Change and she was attracted by the amount of experience and independence they gained throughout the program. However, Blanca had limited awareness of the root causes that triggered the many losses in her life, including her loss of home. Those blind spots kept her from seeing all her possibilities, including becoming a part of the Solutions family. When she was 5 months pregnant with her son and unable to stop escaping into drugs and bad relationships, she realized she needed help. She went to one service center, but soon left and returned to her old escapism ways. She gave herself another chance at Serenity House, and after a successful 4 months, she knew it was time to apply at Solutions for Change. It was time to uncover the real Blanca!
Blanca is currently in the 201 classes at Solutions Academy, taking Parenting, Emotional Intelligence, Codependency and AOD (alcohol and other drug) classes. Her favorite part of Solutions for Change so far is the Codependency and Emotional Intelligence classes because she has learned so much about herself and how to manage her emotions. She has 10 months clean and sober, and is working hard to build trust, get better, produce results, and show she is serious, which she hopes will lead to her being able to see her daughter more often.
Since being a part of Solutions, Blanca’s daughter has been able to visit a couple times. They bonded, opened up to one another, and Blanca has taught her daughter many lessons that she learned in the Solutions Academy classes like setting boundaries. They feel reconnected to one another after years of very infrequent visits, and their relationship is stronger than ever.
Blanca has big goals for the future that we are excited to see her accomplish. After participating in job search, she wants to get her RADT (Registered Alcohol and Drug Technician) certificate and work at a women’s rehabilitation or detoxification center. After a couple years of experience, she plans to get her masters in AOD to become a counselor
