You Make it Possible – We Make it Happen

In many ways Tiombe is just like you and me. Her life was moving along and then a few challenges came up that created an imbalance. First, in 2015 her mom passed and before she had fully healed from her mother’s death she began a difficult divorce. We all handle and process stress differently and for Tiombe her stress manifested physically. It proved debilitating for her and quickly she found herself nearly immobile. Her 2018 diagnosis included stress induced catatonia. Tiombe found it difficult to walk on her own and became reliant on her son and daughter for nearly everything. Day to day living had become not only a mental struggle but a  physical struggle too.

Things began to turn around when she found the McClendon Center. In 2019 she began attending the Day Program and found new ways of handling her stress and managing her life. She just needed some caring people to trust in while she found her way. Slowly her physical strength grew as she began working with MCC counselors. She credits MCC staffer “Mr. Woody” with helping her with his kind and consistent guidance. Once she was strong enough she began painting with Tyler Strusowski in the art therapy sessions. She found a natural talent for creating and expressing herself through art. Her confidence grew as her art flourished, and life began to feel manageable again. She also began to think about the future which include aspirations of attending the University of Maryland’s art program one day.

In the early days of the pandemic Tiombe continued to create and keep in contact with her MCC support team. She also joined the online MCC art therapy sessions. Two of her pieces were part of our recent online art show and both sold! She was grateful for the extra money the art sale generated and said she planned on using it to buy Christmas dinner for her family. Interested in the art sale? Click here

Whatever Tiombe’s goals include MCC will be here for her, supporting and assisting her to improve the quality of her life to the fullest potential. Thank you to our donors who make this happen, we really couldn’t do it without you.

For 40 years we have been making a difference for those recovering from mental illness. Kindness and compassion are not billable services – but that doesn’t stop us from providing them. It is dedicated donors like you that bridge the financial gap and make what we do even more meaningful. Thank you!