Every healing journey has a turning point. For Shermell, it began when she chose to put her health first.
When the world shut down during COVID, she found herself facing storms she never saw coming. A devoted wife of 30 years, mother of five, and “Yaya” to three grandchildren, she had always been the one holding everyone together. But when her own health and peace of mind began to unravel, she realized it was finally time to take care of herself.
After months of not feeling like herself, she worked with her medical team to find the root of her issue. Shermell received three diagnoses: high blood pressure, a health condition affecting her kidney function, and anxiety. Three surprises for Shermell who’d always been relatively healthy. “Out of everything, I was so surprised about anxiety. I didn’t know I suffered from anxiety,” Shermell shared. “But when the world slowed down, I started seeing myself—and realizing I was operating in survival mode.”
After twenty years working for D.C government, Shermell’s job pushed for a return to in-person work, even as she faced serious health challenges that made it difficult to return to work. When her primary care provider suggested that she remain on telework, her job said no. She made the hard decision to resign. “That did something to my mental [health, wellbeing]. I was lost. I kept wondering who I was if I wasn’t the one working, fixing, helping.”
With her help from our care team, Shermell began getting her physical health under control, even as she continued to wrestle with new emotional challenges.
She faced new surprises—supporting her mother, dealing with financial stress, and feeling the weight of her own emotional health. “I was the one everyone came to—my mom, my kids, my husband. But I wasn’t okay. And I realized I was letting myself fall apart trying to keep everyone else together.”
That’s when she reached out to our emotional wellness team. At Community of Hope, emotional wellness is a vital part of care. Through warm handoffs between providers and counselors, patients are seamlessly connected to the support they need, without barriers or stigma.
“I told them exactly what I needed and the kind of therapist I was looking for. I needed someone who would listen without judgment, someone I could trust.”
She met Camrey, her therapist, who helped her rediscover herself. “She changed my life,” she said with a smile! “She gave me insight on who I really am. I learned that I was a people pleaser—to the detriment of myself. But therapy taught me how to stop, analyze, and process. I learned that it’s okay to say no.” For the first time, Shermell began setting boundaries—something she’d never done, even with those closest to her.
Our case manager Lelia, quickly recognized Shermell’s gift for connection and her desire to help others who were struggling. “She wanted to share her experience of life by giving back,” Lelia shared. “I encouraged her to apply for the Department of Behavioral Health Peer Specialist Training Program, and she did — and was accepted out of 150 applicants. She’s now one of only 15 in the program, which is so needed and impactful in supporting others who feel alone or defeated.”
For Shermell, that moment was a turning point. What began as a search for her own healing became a calling to help others find theirs. “That moment felt like confirmation,” she said. “Lelia saw something in me I hadn’t yet seen in myself. Now, I get to give back what was once given to me.”
