Finding Self-worth: Newhouse Staff Shine a Light
Stories
Ondria shines a Light on a client success story
My name is Ondria, and I am the Chief Clinical Officer here at Newhouse. I’ve had the privilege of providing therapy to a resilient survivor who is a single mother of three boys. She and her sons lived at Newhouse for a few months. When she first arrived, she was weighed down by depression and anxiety, carrying the heavy burden of her past experiences with domestic violence.
She had spent her whole life taking care of others: her siblings, her mother, and now her children. Like so many women, she was primed to put everyone else’s needs before her own.
In therapy, we worked hard to shift that perspective. She explored her strengths, acknowledged her resilience, and began to see that caring for herself was not selfish, it was essential. At first, she felt guilty when she considered taking time for herself. But together, we reframed that guilt into empowerment: if she didn’t take care of herself, how could she continue to take care of her children?
This was not an easy journey. But over time, she embraced the truth that self-care is a vital part of being the fiercely devoted mother she is.
“You have to fill your own cup before you can pour into others,” I reminded her often, and she began to take that lesson to heart.
As a Newhouse client, she has gained stable housing and continues her progress through our outreach services. We connected her with Great Jobs KC, where she is now taking classes for job training and will soon receive help with job placement which will build on her financial stability. She continues to come to therapy, exploring her strengths and setting priorities. Her children even joined our 10-week summer program. We are so proud of how this family remains deeply involved with the Newhouse community.
The progress she has made is incredible, and it’s a testament to her determination and courage. She has faced unimaginable challenges, yet she continues to move forward—healing, growing, and building a better future for herself and her children.
If I could share one lesson from her story with others who may still be in unsafe or abusive situations, it would be this: put yourself first. I know how hard that is, especially when your heart is devoted to caring for others. But putting yourself first is not abandoning your family—it’s ensuring that you have the strength, stability, and hope to care for them in the long run.
Her journey is proof that healing is possible, that resilience is powerful, and that when you take care of yourself, you open the door to a brighter future—for yourself and for the people you love most.
