After she was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, Brenda recognized that she’d need to stop working and focus full-time on her health. Receiving Social Security Disability Insurance helped her during the 18 years when she experienced recurring symptoms and looked for better ways to manage her mental illness.

Once she found treatments and strategies that helped her, Brenda started thinking about finding full-time work. That’s when she learned about Social Security’s Ticket to Work (Ticket) program and connected with an Employment Network that helped her find the path to financial independence through work.

Read A Light at the End of the Tunnel: Brenda’s Story