Touchstone Mental Health

The countdown for Give to the Max 2024 has officially started! We will be sharing stories from around Touchstone for you to learn more about our work and the people we serve! 

Tracy’s Story: 

Tracy’s path through life has been far from easy. She was adopted as a child, but her home life never felt right. “I never really felt like I fit in with my adopted family,” Tracy reflected. By the time she turned 18, Tracy had moved out and never looked back. 

For a while, she tried to build a life on her own, but at 29, everything came crashing down. She had a breakdown, followed by a bipolar diagnosis that she struggled to accept. “When I got diagnosed, I still didn’t believe in myself,” Tracy recalled. “I thought I could beat this. After so many failures, I didn’t want to be alive.”  

At this point, a friend of Tracy’s stepped in and connected her with Touchstone. Tracy had never heard of Touchstone, but her friend insisted that it would help. Yumi, Tracy’s case worker, then started to help. “My role is to help clients connect with the services they need so that they can make progress with their health and accomplish their goals,” Yumi reflected. Yumi played an essential role in Tracy’s transition, helping her take her first steps towards stability. “Yumi made it possible for me to have the power to go forward,” Tracy said.  

But life wasn’t without its struggles. For a time, Tracy worked, yet every month she would come up short on rent and groceries. The stresses of making ends meet weighed heavily on her. Yumi connected Tracy with another program that Touchstone offers, Housing Innovations, where Jherika became another crucial figure in Tracy’s journey. Jherika explained, “We don’t just connect people with housing resources; we help them realize their potential and achieve their goals. We’re here to support.”  

Tracy’s transformation over time was undeniable. “It’s nice to help people,” Jherika reflected, “but when someone can express to you how much you’ve helped them, it makes you feel good as a person. I’ve seen Tracy grow and blossom into who she really is.” 

Tracy’s journey to healing hasn’t been smooth. “I’ve gone through a lot of changes,” she admitted. In the process, she had to distance herself from her adopted family and lost some of her closest friends. Yet, despite the losses, Tracy has never felt happier. “I used to sing and dance in the mornings as a child,” she said, reflecting on the joy that has slowly started to return to her life. “Everybody that is helping me now, they all care and do a really good job.”  

 “It took me a year and a half before I even started to feel comfortable,” she admitted. "I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. I would almost cry because the happiness wasn’t there yet, and I was scared because it was so new.” But with time, that fear began to fade. Slowly but surely, she was starting to feel better. “And then all of the sudden, it was like, ‘Oh wow, I am feeling better. This is just… happening.’ And it keeps getting better and better. More help keeps coming my way.”  

Tracy’s life, though once filled with uncertainty and fear, has begun to flourish. She wasn’t just surviving anymore; she was truly living. 

Please join us in helping more people, like Tracy, to have hope for their future. 

Your Gift Drives Our Work

Touchstone Mental Health provides innovative services that foster hope, health and well-being. Each year, we help more than 1,500 people across the Twin Cities regain their confidence, embrace their self-worth, and hope for the future. 

Touchstone Services

Touchstone programs help people move forward in their mental health recovery and develop the skills they need to live well in their community. From residential treatment, community services, and housing programs, we meet a wide range of mental health needs and focus on health and wellness every step of the way.

We Rely on Your Support

Touchstone relies on your donation to fund our services, so people have healthcare, housing, and mental health support. Your gift will go to work right away to bring our services to people who need them most.

Donate today and bring hope and support for people in their mental health recovery.