Sarah had reached a place in her life where she was truly content. In her mid-fifties, she and her fiancé Jim, were deeply in love. Over 11 years, they had built a happy life together. Sarah called Jim "the man of my dreams" and was looking forward to spending the rest of her life with him.

On a Thursday evening in May, all of Sarah's plans and dreams came to a halt with one phone call from Jim's sister - Jim had taken his own life. Sarah was devastated by the sudden loss.  

Sarah's good friend and neighbor told her about the Crisis Center's Corbett Trauma Center. During her first counseling visit, Sarah's could not hold back her emotions as she completed her paperwork in the waiting room.  Her hands shook as she showed Jim's driver's license to the front desk staff.  For the first few weeks, Sarah would arrive at her counseling appointments worn out and depressed. She didn't know how to go on without him.

To make matters worse, she and Jim had been living on a tight budget and his death left her with very serious financial problems. She had to work through the trauma of losing her fiancé to suicide, while also dealing with the stress of unpaid bills and debt.

The staff at Corbett Trauma Center connected Sarah with Family Stabilization where she received financial counseling and assistance. They even arranged for her to meet with her case manager on the same days as her counselor. The case manager was able to help her develop a plan to deal with the financial issues she was facing.  They helped her find resources in the community and advocated with some of the utility companies to help her with her debts so she could stay in her home.

As her financial future improved, Sarah was able to focus on the emotional trauma of Jim's suicide.  She continued seeing her therapist each week and the weight started to lift from her shoulders.  She soon found herself smiling when she greeted the staff at the front desk.  

She didn't have insurance to pay for her counseling sessions, so she paid what she could each week.  Her small payment didn't cover the true cost of therapy. Thankfully, grants and contributions from donors were available to make up the difference.  

Sarah grew stronger as she dealt with her trauma and her financial problems.  She started taking better care of herself and worked on some health issues as well.   She found better housing, and learned to advocate for herself with her creditors and other agencies. On Sarah's last day of counseling, she gave everyone who had helped her a big hug.

Trauma comes in many forms. Sarah didn't expect the joy she was experiencing in her relationship with Jim to take a sudden, tragic turn. The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay was there for her in her time of crisis, but we can't be there for people like Sarah without the support of people like you. There are multiple ways to help, including the Circle of Caring, the Sustainer Society, the Legacy Society, or simply by making a one-time donation.  

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