When Kayvon Tenisha Stephens lost her husband unexpectedly last fall, life changed overnight.
As she navigated the grief of losing her husband while helping her young son cope with the loss of his father, another challenge emerged. A job change significantly reduced her work hours, making it impossible to keep up with rent. Before long, she and her son found themselves without a home.
“I originally became homeless because I had to change jobs,” Kayvon said.
The pair first found refuge at Catholic Charities Samaritan House in Greeley before transferring to the organization’s family shelter program at Catholic Charities Samaritan House in Denver. While staying there, an opportunity arose to move to Catholic Charities Marisol Homes, where they could continue receiving support in a family-centered environment.
Today, just a few months later, Kayvon says Marisol Homes has given her family far more than housing.
“Marisol Homes has been amazing, like above and beyond, like exceptional,” she said. “Even the atmosphere is different. Staff here are like so calm. They just go above and beyond for you.”
For Kayvon, the greatest gift has been finding a place where both she and her son could begin to heal.
Each Thursday, they meet separately with Gretchen Henke, a therapist at Marisol Homes. Her son begins with a play therapy session before Kayvon meets one-on-one with Gretchen to process the emotions and challenges she has faced.
“I tell her everything,” Kayvon said. “I lay it like out raw… I’m having dreams of my husband or having flashbacks of finding him alone and unresponsive and she just works me through it.”
As part of her counseling, Kayvon recently began Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy to help process traumatic memories.
“We’re starting on the EMDR… that’s been intense, but it also has been a great way to regulate my emotions through everything and I’m very grateful for her.”
Beyond their weekly sessions, Gretchen has equipped Kayvon with practical tools she can use throughout the week, sharing reading materials, videos and techniques to help her better understand grief, guilt and shame.
“She has giving me packets where I can do like reading techniques and like YouTube links and to name Renee Brown who has dealt with like a lot of guilt and shame and stuff like that,” Kayvon said.
Growing up, Kayvon says showing emotion was never encouraged.
“I grew up in military household and you don’t show emotions,” she said. “And don’t want to raise my kid like that.”
Gretchen has also connected the family with support beyond Marisol Homes. Kayvon now participates in a virtual grief support group through SummitStone Health, while her son is preparing to begin a children’s grief program through Judi’s House.
“Being able to connect with others that have lost either their spouse or their parent or even a child… it has helped me a lot to make me feel like I’m not so much alone,” Kayvon said.
As the family approaches birthdays, holidays and the one-year anniversary of her husband’s death, Kayvon says having that support has become an important part of her healing journey.
For her son, the changes have been just as meaningful.
Before beginning counseling, Kayvon says grief caused him to withdraw. He became quiet, stopped playing and rarely shared how he was feeling.
Today, she says she is watching her son’s joyful spirit return.
“I could tell he’s smiling now,” she said. “He’s got that sense of humor back… I think therapy absolutely has helped.”
Perhaps the biggest change is that he now feels comfortable sharing his emotions.
“I think that he’s willing to show his emotions to mommy and not be afraid,” she said. “Before he didn’t want to make me anymore sad that I already was.”
The support extends beyond counseling.
Marisol Homes has connected the family with healthcare resources that have helped them continue receiving the care they need. Through Samaritan House Denver’s Every Child Pediatrics, her son completed his annual physical and sports physical before the school year, while Adventure Dental has helped ensure he stays current with his dental care. Kayvon has also been connected with Marisol Health, allowing her to continue receiving medical care while working toward stability.
The family has also found opportunities to simply enjoy being together.
Throughout the summer, Kayvon and her son have participated in the summer reading program and enjoyed outings made possible through Catholic Charities partnerships, including trips to the Denver Zoo, Elitch Gardens, the Butterfly Pavilion, Rockies games and other family activities.
“I want him to have a story when he goes back to school,” Kayvon said. “I don’t want him to feel like he didn’t have a good summer… He had a great summer and with the resources they give out here, it’s been amazing.”
For Kayvon, another favorite part of life at Marisol Homes is Friday evening Moms’ Night, where mothers gather while volunteers care for their children.
Whether making lip gloss, tie-dyeing shirts or simply spending time together, the evenings have become an opportunity for mothers to build friendships, encourage one another and take a break from the daily stresses they face.
“I look forward to Mom’s Night every week,” she said.
She also appreciates the parenting classes, cooking classes and career support available through Marisol Homes. As she looks toward the future, Kayvon is working toward employment, transportation and permanent housing. Through Marisol Homes, Kayvon was also connected to Project Self-Sufficiency, where staff are helping her maintain her Colorado pharmacy technician certification while preparing for the next chapter of her life.
For Kayvon, every service at Marisol Homes works toward the same goal: helping families move from surviving to healing.
“It gets us kind of out of that mindset and be in a better mind and a better place mentally,” she said. “As well as the support that they give us for getting jobs and housing and vouchers.”
Looking back on the past several months, Kayvon says Marisol Homes has provided more than a place to live. It has given her family the support to grieve together, heal together and begin building a brighter future.
For Kayvon and her son, healing has come through many forms — counseling that has helped them process unimaginable loss, healthcare that has strengthened their well-being, a community of mothers who encourage one another and staff who continue walking beside them every step of the way. Together, those supports are helping one family move beyond survival and toward hope.