11/04/2025
🌟 A Candle in the Midst of Darkness: Rachel’s Story of Hope and Healing 🌟
Rachel Frazier has spent most all her life in Galax, Virginia. After years of living with substance use disorder and broken relationships, she found the strength to change everything when her children were born. “I knew I didn’t want to raise my kids in that kind of environment,” she recalls. Her determination paid off: Rachel has been in recovery for years, but the road forward as a single mother was far from simple.
From a very young age, her son began exhibiting significant emotional and behavioral challenges. After his ADHD diagnosis, he often experienced overwhelming emotions that showed up as outbursts and challenging behaviors at home and school. Building a connection with his mother was hard for him during that time, and their relationship felt distant and strained. “His behavior was off the wall!” Rachel says. Despite enrolling him in several behavioral programs in the area, nothing seemed to bring lasting change. “At seven years old, he did not care about anything,” she says. Yet even in the most challenging moments, Rachel noticed glimpses of hope. Her son excelled at solving “Mind Bogglers” puzzles, quickly outpacing even her own abilities. “I knew he was intelligent despite his behavior,” she remembers.
The ongoing challenges began to take a toll on Rachel. Some days felt overwhelming, and she struggled with exhaustion and worry about the future. “I had gotten to the point where I wanted to just lay down and die,” she says. Despite navigating recovery, limited resources, and immense stress, she held tightly to her belief in her son and their ability to find a way forward. “I was not giving up on my kid,” she told herself. It was during this difficult time that someone mentioned the Mount Rogers Community Services Strengthening Families Program. Hoping for support and guidance, Rachel decided to enroll her family, looking for something that might succeed where other efforts had fallen short. Prior to starting, she explains, “I figured that this program certainly couldn’t hurt since I had tried everything else.”
The Strengthening Families Program (SFP) is within the Prevention and Wellness Services arm of Mount Rogers, which offers programs and activities that involve individuals, families, communities, and systems working together to increase the development of positive life skills and promote physical and mental wellness. SFP is an evidence-based program designed to improve parent-child relationships and family functioning by teaching skills to prevent teen substance use, increase academic success, and promote positive behavior. This program utilizes interactive sessions with role-playing and family projects to help families build stronger bonds and address challenges.
To her surprise, she began noticing changes in her son’s behavior almost immediately. Surrounded by other families, supportive staff, and a positive learning environment, he showed a level of calm and cooperation she had rarely seen before. Instead of reacting with frustration or opposition, he participated in activities and engaged with others in a meaningful and respectful way. “I was worried about how he would be acting in the classes, but soon found out that he was becoming well-behaved,” Rachel says. Jokingly, with a smile, she adds, “I thought that they must have a different kid, because they don’t have my kid.” As the weeks continued, she watched his interactions grow more positive, his emotional responses soften, and his confidence begin to take shape. Gradually, the challenging behaviors that once felt constant started to fade. For the first time in a long time, Rachel felt a glimmer of hope.
The program didn’t just bring change for her son; it supported Rachel’s growth as well. Through SFP, she learned tools and strategies that helped her connect with her son in new ways and respond to challenges without constant conflict. “I wanted to communicate with him, but I didn’t know how. Kids don’t come with instructions,” she says. Slowly, the barriers that once stood between them began to crumble. Then came a moment she will never forget. “One evening, out of the blue, my son came up to me and asked me if I wanted to play a game with him. This had never happened before. That just done something to my soul,” Rachel shares through tears. “It was a school night, but I didn’t care. We played several games for hours and hours. It was the best feeling in the world. My son wanted to play games with me!”
Rachel’s dedication to strengthening her family continued long after those first sessions. Over the past twenty years, she, her son, and other family members have participated in additional programs at Mount Rogers, building new skills and deepening their bond. “We learned that we can be happy and do things together without all the turmoil. The program knew what I needed when I needed it,” she explains. Her son, once overwhelmed by big emotions, discovered a passion for cooking. Rachel began teaching him recipes passed down from her own mother, sparking joyful moments in the kitchen that once felt out of reach.
Through tears of gratitude, Rachel reflects on what Mount Rogers has meant to her life. “I love, love, love Mount Rogers, and I love that woman [Pam Flippin, Strengthening Families Program Manager]. She is an amazing woman. She saved me and my children,” she says. “She set me on the right path by showing me how to do things in a different way, giving me options where I didn’t know I had options. She treated me like I was somebody and that I mattered.” For Rachel, the program was more than just a set of classes; it was a lifeline.
Today, the bond between Rachel and her son is stronger than she ever imagined possible. “We are closer now than we have ever been,” she says. She believes deeply in the power of the Strengthening Families Program and the importance of families knowing support exists. “More families need to be involved in this program. If they knew about it, they could find the help they need. There is a candle in the midst of the darkness,” Rachel says. Through her love, determination, and the support of Mount Rogers, Rachel has created a foundation of hope, healing, and resilience that will continue to guide her family for generations to come.
