Valeria Kolar said she turned to drugs and alcohol to feel normal, to push away the traumatic memories that had destroyed her sense of safety.
The substances brought her comfort but also took their own toll. She ended up homeless in Salt Lake City, camping in various spots because she was too afraid of other people to sleep in a shelter.
But 10 years ago, her life changed when she landed her own apartment in a new supportive housing development called Palmer Court. Having her own space, she found she no longer needed substances for survival. Instead, she was able to seek counseling for the past trauma that was affecting her.