Taysha’s Second Chance

March 18, 2026

When Taysha first arrived at Mercy Home, she made it clear she didn’t want to be there. She spent most days in her room, headphones on, shutting out the world.

“I didn’t see the point,” Taysha admitted. “I thought no one could really help me.”

Her mother had begged her to give the program a chance after she had stopped going to school. But for Taysha, every group therapy session, every conversation with her counselor felt like an obligation.

After only a few months, she packed up her things and left. At first, things seemed fine, she picked up a few part-time jobs and made money to support herself. But soon, the same problems crept back in. Her anxiety grew worse, and she started skipping work.

One night, after an argument with a friend, she realized how isolated she had become. She had nobody to talk to.

“That’s when I knew I needed help,” Taysha said.

A few days later, she decided to go back to Mercy Home. Afraid and unaware of what to expect, she was met with a surprise. “I didn’t think they would take me in,” Taysha said. “They said the expectations for me had changed, but I was welcomed back.”

Since that day, Taysha has taken many leaps. She moved to a new school, and her grades have improved dramatically. She’s also become a leader for others living at the Home.

In the fall, she spoke to her Mercy Home peers about her struggles with mental health issues throughout her life.

“You are not alone here,” she told them. “It’s okay to acknowledge that you’re not okay.”

She has also taken her family and individual therapy sessions more seriously. Every week, she meets with her therapist to talk about her life at school and at home. She says it’s helped her focus on staying in the moment and not worrying about what’s to come.

“I didn’t realize how many people cared about me,” she said. “I’m finally learning that asking for help doesn’t mean you’ve failed.”

Taysha plans to attend some sort of college in the future when she moves out of Mercy Home. She also hopes to stay involved in Mercy Home’s Community Care program, a resource for former residents that can utilize our resources while no longer living at the Home.

But none of that would be possible without partners in prayer like you.

“Thank you so much to Mercy Home for giving me a second chance,” she said. “I never thought I would be where I am today.”

Please note: Because we care deeply about protecting our children’s privacy, the names and certain identifying details in this story have been changed.