Healing Her Heart: Naomi’s Story

For Naomi, moving forward has meant learning something that has never come easily: patience. 

“I’m the kind of person who wants things done instantaneously, so I’m learning to be more patient,” she says. 

Today, Naomi is staying at Shelters of Saratoga’s Emergency Shelter, where she is working toward permanent housing and rebuilding her confidence. Her path here has been shaped by experiences that began long before she ever faced homelessness. 

Naomi and her sister were incredibly close growing up. In a home where they experienced mental and physical abuse from their mother, the sisters learned to protect one another. 

After their parents divorced when Naomi was 11, the challenges at home continued. She found comfort and stability in her relationship with her aunt and uncle, who came to feel more like family to her than her own mother. 

For years, Naomi kept what was happening at home to herself. After her sister left for college, she finally reached a point where she knew something had to change. 

“I can’t keep living in this situation,” Naomi remembers telling her aunt and uncle. 

“It was making everything harder for me. I couldn’t focus at school and would be asked a lot of questions by different teachers.” 

Eventually, she made the difficult decision to leave home. 

“It was very scary and unpredictable, so I made the choice to move on from it and go live with my aunt and uncle.” 

After graduating from high school, Naomi attended Hudson Valley Community College for a year. When she lost her financial aid, however, she was unable to continue. 

The effects of her childhood followed her into adulthood, particularly in her relationships. Naomi struggled to recognize what a healthy, stable partnership should look like. 

“I always thought that was how I was supposed to be treated, like dirt,” she says. 

Her first relationship became another source of trauma when she was sexually assaulted by her partner while pregnant. 

Years later, following a traumatic accident, Naomi lost custody of her youngest son, who was two years old at the time. He was eventually placed in foster care in Colorado. 

“When I found out, I completely lost it,” she says. 

Through the emotional pain that followed, Naomi says she was fortunate to have people in her corner who helped guide her. Counseling also became an important part of her life and healing. 

“It helped me to see the better part of everything,” she says. “Things will turn around someday.” 

Today, Naomi’s son is 11, and she has developed a close relationship with his foster parents. She speaks with him regularly, although it has been two years since they have been able to see each other in person. 

“He has forgiven me, even though I still feel a lot of guilt,” she says. 

Her children remain one of her greatest motivations for moving forward. 

“It’s heartbreaking. I feel like I’m not doing enough for them, or trying enough for them,” Naomi says. “I know that they love me and forgive me for my mistakes. I love them unconditionally. They are my life.” 

More recently, Naomi experienced homelessness and reached out to the Department of Social Services for help.

Her housing situation began taking a toll on her well-being. Naomi asked her caseworker to help her find somewhere else to stay. 

“I wanted to give up. I felt like everything was closing in on me,” she says. “So, I knew I needed to be in a more supportive environment.” 

That search eventually connected her with Shelters of Saratoga. 

For Naomi, moving forward is about more than finding housing. It is about continuing to heal and becoming the person—and mother—she wants to be. 

“I’m trying to become stronger, not just for myself but for my children, so that I can be a better mom than I was in the past,” she says. “They deserve that.” 

Naomi has since moved into SOS’s Emergency Shelter, where she is working with her case manager, Brittany, to find permanent housing. 

“Brittany is helping me gain confidence to do the things I need to do,” Naomi says. “Right now, I don’t have a lot of it.” 

Alongside the support she receives at SOS, Naomi continues to participate in therapy, something she has done for many years. 

Securing a home of her own represents much more than having a place to live. It would give Naomi the stability she needs to continue rebuilding relationships with her children, including the ability to travel to Colorado to visit her youngest son and pursue visitation with her other children. 

It is a future she continues to work toward one step at a time. 

Naomi also hopes to find a support group where she can connect with people who have faced similar circumstances. 

“We could all help each other and build each other up,” she says. 

When asked what she wishes people in the community understood about homelessness, Naomi’s answer is simple. 

“I wish people would try to understand our struggles, and that each of us has our own story.” 

Naomi’s story is still being written. There are goals she has yet to reach and relationships she hopes to strengthen. But today, she does not have to navigate those next steps alone. 

“I’m very grateful and blessed to have support from the SOS staff,” she says. “If it wasn’t for you guys, I’d be lost. You guys always give that extra little push to keep me going forward every day.” 

And when difficult days come, Naomi knows there are people she can turn to. 

“I know if I’m having an issue or problem, I can come to the staff here,” she says. “I seriously have the best support ever here at SOS, and I’m grateful for all of you.” 

For Naomi, the work ahead is about housing, healing, family, and hope—and continuing to find the strength to keep moving forward, one day at a time. 

*If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, sexual assault, or domestic violence, support is available. You are not alone. Consider reaching out to a trusted local resource or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233) or by texting START to 88788. 

Everyone deserves to feel safe, heard, and supported. Whatever you may be facing, there are people ready to listen without judgment and help you explore the options that feel right for you. You do not have to navigate it alone.