Believing in better days ahead

When Army Veteran Mario Reyes got out of the military in 2007, he carried invisible scars from his service. After struggling with anxiety and depression, he turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism, which only made things harder.

Over the summer, Reyes was the first Veteran admitted to Houston VA’s new Domiciliary and, this month, he was among the first group of Veterans who graduated from the program. The future looks bright as he celebrates four months of sobriety and a renewed sense of purpose.

“I am clean and sober and about to get a new home. VA has so many resources. Once I got into the Domiciliary and started being open to it, I was amazed at how things started falling into place. Now I wake up in the morning feeling hopeful about my future,” he shared.

“I felt lost. I just didn’t know how to handle things.”

The turning point for Reyes came when he was hospitalized at the Houston VA and heard about the new Domiciliary that offers Veterans who have an identified addiction or substance abuse disorder to seek care with residential rehabilitation, recovery and health maintenance. 

Reyes jumped at the chance to participate in the Domiciliary program. In turn, he got sober, opened up to therapists, and met and helped other Veterans with similar challenges.  

Reyes is pictured above with Domiciliary Chief Michael Abraham at the first Houston VA Domiciliary graduation.

“Our Domiciliary program takes a whole health approach to challenges Veterans may experience, making sure their medical concerns and social needs, such as employment and housing, are addressed,” said Abraham. “We house them while providing a whole host of VA wraparound services. It’s amazing how Veterans like Mr. Reyes can benefit from our program and really change their lives.”

Thirty-three Veterans have already been enrolled in the Domiciliary, which is located just a few miles from the main medical center in a beautiful brand-new modern facility. Once enrolled, each Veteran receives an individualized treatment plan, including group and individual therapy. The program offers Veterans not only a therapeutic environment and a safe haven but also a community of individuals who understand each other’s battles.

Reyes has big plans for the future. He hopes to enroll in VA’s Transitional Work Experience Program and is looking forward to moving into his new apartment.  He credits his success to the support of VA staff and his fellow Veterans, and plans to stick around to share his story with others as an alumni of the program.

“This program changed my life and made me believe there are better days ahead. I want to make sure other Veterans know there is hope and help out there,” he added.