hen I entered the Program I was 17 years old, and have since turned 18. From my first month I began working on my anger issues. I dealt with issues about not feeling wanted or loved. I have worked hard, showing a strong commitment to working and finishing the Program. Through my program I have built relationships with both my parents - relationships

that were not there before. I did this by showing an unconditional love for my family, for I was too prideful to show this before becoming open and honest with my parents and myself. Now, I can truthfully look in the mirror and say to myself the three most important words, ‘I LOVE YOU!' I have come so far and completed so many things. More that I had ever dreamed.

The staff are phenomenal. They are always willing to assist me and take time to sit down with me, no matter what time it is. There are times I have been very down, and they have always shown a caring compassion. There's always a hug or pat on the back when you need one.

~ Brennan

efore making a decision to place our son in a private residential care, we tried every avenue available in our community: an after school group counseling program, but they did not have enough space for him; our individual/family counseling, but it became apparent that a lot more intensity and time was needed. None of the counseling we received, even began to touch on our son's deeper issues concerning drugs, self-esteem and anger.

I was determined not to give up on my son. The idea that there was nothing anyone could do for him was intolerable to me. The Programs were very impressive to me and stood out from all the others because of their strong commitment to our family as a whole, and because of the continuing aftercare services they provide.

What I appreciate is that, while he has given up his negative, destructive behavior patterns, he is still the same basic person that I love so much. His unique sense of humor, creativity and fun loving personality are all very much intact. I feel that this program has allowed my son to discover the amazing person that he truly is while at the same time teaching him all the important life skills he needs in order to have a happy and productive life. Not only have i seen great progress in my son, but the program has helped me grow tremendously as an individual. The support groups, phone calls with the staff, newsletters and seminars have had a profound effect on the quality of my life. This Program truly is about healing the family as a whole and bringing them back together again.

I know that we made the best possible decision we could have when we enrolled our son with Teen Help. I hate to think what the ramifications would be for families and for our society as a whole, if this option were not available to parents. ~ Anne

t was a hard decision to intervene in my daughter's life, deciding to send her to the Program. But the lost and discouraged girl we sent, now describes herself as a beautiful, loving, worthy, energetic, giving, real and inspirational young woman. We agree! I am a nurse and psychotherapist with a private practice in New York, and working at a private rehab for teens in trouble. I saw my daughter in those kids. She had just discovered boys and we could see her falling into the hands of people she was trying to please. She stood on the sidelines of life, neither engaged in schoolwork or sports. As parents we felt powerless.

We have gained a lot of strength from the seminars and support from staff and other parents. We have grown in ourselves and our marriage. We write to our daughter and are blessed with letters

like I never thought I'd receive in this lifetime. And then came the phone calls, and our visits, have been as sweet as honey. That nasty, defiant, ugly behaving girl is dead. My angel is back, and she is loving herself. ~ Susan and Richard

ords cannot express enough how thankful I am that such programs exist. Before entering her program my daughter had no self-esteem, or awareness of how much she was hurting herself and her family. She got involved with the wrong crowd and headed down a destructive path filled with truancy, drug abuse, dishonesty and running away. Yet only a couple of years prior, this same child had been president of her class, an all star soccer player and a solid B student. We tried everything to get her back on track; increasing consequences for bad behavior, tough love and counseling . . . nothing worked.

She now values herself and family. The letters I receive from her are assurance that I did the right thing. I feel as though I'm getting my old daughter back; the caring, thoughtful and loving child she

once was. I am grateful that these programs exist, and so is my daughter. She thanked me for saving her life after being there for just one and a half months. She realized that she was on a downward spiral and needed help getting out. ~Julie

could only run so many times till I had to face myself. I went from one destructive choice to another. When I ran away and ended up on the streets my parents decided to intervene and send me to the Program. Gradually I started to see glimpses of a beautiful little girl awaiting for me to find again. The one who once played with Barbie dolls and laughed with her dad. Who ran in the fields and caught grasshoppers. I get excited to learn in seminars and am anxious to go!

I am 19 years old. I love my family so much. Not once have they given up on me, but have only given me life. I have met many people on this journey and I carry a part of them with me everywhere. Things are going great for me at home. I have begun college, and my goal is to become a Japanese interpreter. I attend my AA meetings and am involved in their activities. I am happier than I have ever been in my life. A very wise quote sums it up for me. “I never said it would be easy, just worth it.” ~ Melanie

efiant. Failing in school. Heavy metal music. Self-indulgent. Middle of the night disappearances that lasted several days. Middle of the night phone calls from the police and trips to the police station. Angry silence punctuated with blinding rage. Locking our bedroom door at night in fear. This was the story of our lives some two years ago. My husband and I stood by helplessly and watched in horror as our 14-year old son went down in flames. More than anything, we feared that final phone call telling us to come to the morgue to identify our boy's body.

We found the Program at a time when our family was at its absolute rock-bottom, lowest point. These good people accepted us just

as we were - bleeding, broken, and war-torn. In an amazing way that was both loving and tender, yet firm and no-nonsense, they provided us with a couple of keys: First, a safe, non-judgmental environment in which we could let it all out. Second, we were offered tools for us to use in making healthy choices for ourselves and our relationships. Wonderful tools to get us on the road to family health and keep us moving forward. This program is unique in its commitment to healing the entire family rather than just intervening with the teen in crisis. When you think about it, that makes a lot of sense. What exactly is the point of fixing a kid, only to return him to the same old environment he was in when he was broken.

The Program helped my son in a way that I was incapable of doing. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat.

~ Bonni

e are happy to recommend these Schools and Programs to parents. We are so thankful that we found this program when we did. Our daughter was running away, using drugs, skipping school, and was just out-of-control. After exhausting all of our local resources, we fortunately found this program for our daughter. There is no doubt in our minds that it saved her

life and assisted her in areas where other programs had failed. The Program encouraged her to get to the root of her problems, deal with them effectively, and start loving herself again. We had tried other programs, but they merely dealt with the symptoms. This program dealt with the issues that were driving those symptoms. The processes allowed her to build her self-esteem and self-confidence.

Today, our daughter is a powerful, happy, healthy young woman who is a joy and a delight to be with. She has been clean and sober for more than three years, works two jobs, has graduated from high school and looks forward to her future. Since returning home in March 1997, she has chosen to remain involved by staffing seminars, and has traveled to Seattle and Miami to staff Youth Seminars, having paid for those trips herself. Recently, she also began working for one of these Programs, which had been an important personal goal to her.

When we enrolled her, our hope was that she would be able to stop using drugs and become a successful adult. Honestly, we weren't very positive at the time, due to past failures in other programs. Yet, the results exceeded our greatest hopes and dreams! We got our beautiful daughter back. We are very proud, honored and privileged to recommend this Program.

~ Christy and Danny

have a B.A. in nursing and a B.S. in sociology and psychology. I am married and the mother of two boys, one of which is in the Program. This Program saved our son and also our family. Our son Eric was very difficult to diagnose with any one particular problem. We knew at birth that something was wrong because of his continuous crying, but the doctors that we took him to could not really give us any definitive answers. By the time he was 16 he had been on several different medications and through several different counselors. He even went through a wilderness program at 14 years old. The wilderness program helped somewhat but it just wasn't long enough. We found this Program through an educational consultant. We called in a last effort to save our son, who was becoming more impulsive, angry, and violent. He went on his own free will because he knew he needed more help then anyone yet had given him. He didn't want to be angry anymore but he didn't know how to break the cycle and we didn't know how to help him.

Our son has turned 18 while he is in the Program and chose to stay and graduate the Program for himself. In the past he has been able to outsmart counselors, his parents, and outsmart the juvenile courts, but he has not been able to outsmart this program and he is growing and discovering new ways of behavior that work for him because of it. The peace and the smiles we see on his face are worth every cent that we have spent.

My husband and I have been through all of the parent seminars and have learned a lot about ourselves and our family dynamics. I have even helped staff the seminars three times. I wish I had been through one of these seminars years ago. I have seen this program change families and individual lives for the better.

~ Linda

re you sure you have sent me the right child??? We sent you a 15 year old scrawny, dirty, self-centered, long haired, rude, defiant child. A child with not an ounce of self-respect nor integrity. We picked up a clean cut, muscular built, high school graduate, family oriented, with high self esteem, who now has goals for his life. Even after all this time since his return home things are better than we could have ever imagined.

Nick is 19 years old now, and has been home for nearly two years. He has proven over and over again that he can be trusted and will do whatever he states he is going to do. He is a joy to be around. He has completed his college classes now at a local community college and will be transferring to a university soon.

Our son is a wonderful young adult and is an asset, and a joy to our family.

~ Maria

hen Eric entered the Program he had very low self-esteem, did not want to work and lived without future goals or objectives. He was extremely immature, self-centered and hateful of life, people and himself. Even though we put him into the Program against his will, by the time his eighteenth birthday came, he made his own decision that he needed to complete

the Program for himself. Today Eric is a very strong person who is caring and loving towards himself and his family. He has a strong faith and belief in the soul of man. He enjoys life, is employed and setting goals, and is a peaceful, happy man.

Our family has also found ways to communicate and relate to others; a direct result of the seminars we attended. We firmly believe that the basis of the Programs success is in dealing with the family as a whole. It not only changes the individual, but all family members for the better.

To affirm how strongly we believe in this Program, we emphatically believe that if our son had not been enrolled in this Program he would be dead today. We have nothing but praise for this program.

~ Steve and Debbie

efore the age of 12, I was a good kid. Then I was introduced to cigarettes, and from there my life went rapidly downhill. I stopped caring about what the important people in my life thought. I would leave for weeks, even months at a time. My parents did not know if I was dead or alive. They were more afraid for my life than I was. They placed me in local treatment centers five times, each time returning home and going back to the same self destruction. Things spun out of control and my parents looked for other answers.

Sending me away to the Program was the hardest thing my parents ever had to do, but it was the greatest gift they could have ever given me. I have learned to love myself and have changed my entire life. I want parents to know about this Program because IT WORKS! In the other programs I

was put on meds and they expected that to make me better. In contrast, this program I dealt with the core of what was going on. This program was such a blessing to my family. Today, nearly three years since I graduated the Program I have returned to work here. I have made it a purpose in my life to spread the peace, love, joy and forgiveness of my life to other struggling teens and families.

~ Liz

he power of love led Edwards father and I to make the decision that placed our beloved, youngest son in the Program. Edward was angry, and he was hurting himself, and us, by his actions and words. In short, our spoiled baby was out of control and we felt helpless to stop it. Not being able to create a solution ourselves, was something we were not used to.

Talking to him now is like listening to a new young man who is no longer hurting. He is healing in so many ways. He is able to express himself to us, and share what he wanted and needed from us. To top it all off, he wrote letters to us in which he stated that he is having fun and thanked us for finding it! I want to say thank you for giving our son and family a much needed second chance to live.

~ Ina

hrough months of ups and downs, confusion and clarity, support from staff and friends, and working through the feeling of raw guilt and shame, I am living once again! I moved from playing the victim, to learning to open up. With help I learned to deal with issues and surrender from my resistance I had held onto for so long. Through patience and self-evaluation I slowly started climbing my family ladder and building our relationship.

Im so grateful to have the Program as a place for learning and growing, and for the help I got from people who care. Without this opportunity, I really think I would have created some horrible results for myself, even quite possibly death. I thank the Program for the help and support, but most of all I acknowledge myself for utilizing the tools I have been shown and for being open to the help I was given. For now I see myself as a beautiful, powerful, and spiritual young lady.

~ Nina

ve said it so many times to my parents that it might have lost its effect. But my parents, and the wonderful program staff, did indeed save my life. I know they couldnt have done it without my efforts, but I definitely could not have done it without them. Everyone has a story, and here's mine.

I grew up in a good suburban family, with very caring parents. Around third grade is when I started getting into more and more trouble. Of course, it didn't look like much, but over time it became more serious. By sixth grade I was already smoking cigarettes and had begun using pot, eventually becoming addicted. I cried and cried, night after night and vowed never to do drugs again. That lasted six months, till I could no longer say no to my friends. Of course, it didn't start with my friends . . . it started with me . . . always does. By seventh grade I was using other drugs too and I kept getting into more trouble. Looking back to fourth grade was when running away from home and school began. The school was sick of me causing trouble. I even made teachers cry.

I was full of anger and addictions. Though my parents had their suspicions, every time they had me drug tested, I found a way to pass it, using various methods. I consistently ran away every time things did not go my way, and I had my entire family afraid of me.

The last time I ran away, the police found me and brought me to the station and then turned me back to my parents. That night was the last at home for a long time. My family had me escorted to the Program. It was the only way to keep the police, myself and my entire family safe, for at that point, I knew no fear for any kind of authority. It was my parents' last hope of getting their son back. To this day, I thank God, and them for doing this. If I had been able to escape, I would have definitely ended my life soon.

I am home now, and I've done great. I am in high school in the graduating class of 2001. I am playing Varsity Football, running Varsity Track and very involved in my church youth group. I am a person that others can look up to now. I even chose to spend my summer working at one of the Programs. It was wonderful to be there and have a way of showing my gratitude by giving back.

Without these Programs, I would most certainly not be here. I wouldn't get to accomplish all these things that my family and I never thought would ever happen. You truly have helped me save my life.

~ William

son is born into this world. Mom is beaming with happiness. I am bursting with a Father's pride and joy. My big guy is so handsome, healthy, and built like a linebacker. He's simply perfect. At 2-1/2 years old, he must be wondering what in the world has happened to his family. He lives with each parent, but at different homes. Mom and Dad try hard to live with the anger and frustration of the non-working marriage. Overcoming their need to blame each other for the lost chance for a happy family, will be the challenge for the next 14 years.

Boundless love and dedication from both parents. Genuine attempts to cooperate and be civil. Continuous support at school and ball

games. Shared holidays. Trying to do all the right things surely would compensate for the ill effects of the dreaded broken home syndrome.

We all learned a hard, painful lesson: sometimes the effects of divorce and the negative influences of the powerful, non-working friends can over run all the love and good intentions in the world.

It's ironic . . . we gave our son this Program for success and happiness, but he gave us this opportunity to be better parents and people. The four parents of his extended Family worked their way through Discovery, Focus and Visions in the very same seminars, which did much to heal the past and bring all the parents together. This was no picnic, but we were determined to deal with the past issues of the divorce and heal our Family.

We are going to do our best to learn to be better people, and to live as the most healthy, secure family possible, which is what Vic always wanted and deserved. We are all getting another chance to be happy again. We finally realized it is the entire Family System that requires healing, growth and effort.

Thank God for the Program, and the wonderful people involved who care about our kids, and our families! The staff are a collection of the most dedicated, insightful, patient and loving people I have ever seen in my life. The students were the most powerful, special and intelligent young men I have ever met, while at the same time hanging their hearts out to each other.

I hope these thoughts may assist you in your journey. My best wishes to your Family's success and happiness.

~ Phil

remember my first day like it was yesterday. My Family Leader, at the time, was Jake. Jake was talking to me and telling me a little bit about the Program and what to expect there. At first I was shocked at the expectations and the time frame I thought I was looking at being there. Some students told me that I could wait it out, till I turned eighteen, or I could learn something beneficial for my life and my family's life. After taking a long look at my life and my relationships back home, I knew it was time for a change.

I began working the very next day. I was taking every chance I got presented to me, and learning every bit of information I could.

The Program gave me the opportunity to do something with my life. It was all up to me to make the change. It's all about how hard you work. I can honestly say that I made some of the best friends of my life there. I know I will be challenged at home, but life wouldn't be exciting without the unexpected struggles. I have confidence in myself and what I can do. I am just so happy with the person I have found within myself. It is the REAL ME, and I'll go to any lengths to stay true to myself.

~ Eric

ever once did I think I would ever graduate high school. Let alone, ahead of my own class. I was too far behind in school to ever get back on track, or so I thought. When I first entered the Program, I planned on only getting my G.E.D. and dropping out of any further educational plans. But I eventually made a choice I will never forget. One that has not only improved my life, but saved it from destruction.

I had just completed the Focus Seminar when I realized I could achieve more, and that I deserved more then I had been giving myself up till then. I talked to my teacher and made a commitment that I have never forgotten, and then went on to graduate high school. I also made the decision that I wanted to go on to college and eventually to medical school. I am now enrolled in a university pursuing a pre-med degree.

If it weren't for the support that I have been given, I would not be here today. Sometimes a helping hand is

just what is needed to lift someone up, and I got that in the Program.

~ Aaron

hen we made, what was then, the agonizing decision to send our son, we wanted to save his life. Little did we realize all of our lives would be forever changed, as well. Our family wasn't a family. Our marriage wasn't a marriage. Everything was a mess! By putting myself last, I let my life be in turmoil. It was what I had created. We looked at our lives and relationships, confronted issues, and quite frankly, got over them! We have never been happier or closer in our relationship, then we are now. With all the love and support at the seminars we discovered the opportunity to begin anew, and we have also many life long friends along the way. We look to the day when our family will all be together, using the tools that will assist us in our journey as a working family in unity.

~ Diane

hen we finally made the decision to enlist the help of the Program, we were facing possible juvenile detention and court ordered removal from our home. We felt placing him in a state run facility, minus any systematic program for behavioral modification, might be detrimental to him. The Program offered us a safe and loving environment.

After about four months into his Program, my son told me that he knew that he could never have made the changes he made, living at home. He said that he constantly lied to the psychologist he used to see weekly, and even went there ‘high'. We once sent him to a private school thinking we could get him away from drugs. He even sold drugs there.

I am a stay-at-home Mom. I spent countless hours trying to re-direct his behavior with golf, tae kwon do, service work, chores, piano lessons, monitoring, punishing, loving and grounding this boy, but to no avail. You name it, we tried it. Nothing made a lasting difference.

Bottom line, this Program has changed my son and our family. My entire family has embarked on an incredible journey of healing. The seminars have been life affirming and extremely positive. I feel I have my family back. Not just this child, but extended family too.

My family did not undertake this huge emotional and financial burden blithely. We investigated our options and found that these Programs offered a safe and loving environment. The results have been heartening. Our son is home now, getting excellent grades in high school and has chosen to involve himself in community service with our local church. It is a joy to spend time with this caring, focused, hard-working and honest young man. I want to stand firm as one family who can't thank the Program enough.

~ Elizabeth

two weeks earlier that our ‘A' student was drug addicted. After researching every

possible outpatient, inpatient and tough love option, we elected to make this decision in order to give Krissy an opportunity to live a happy, productive life. Krissy graduated from the Program having rediscovered self-esteem, respect, love for her family and her incredible talents.

We all have dreams for our children, but Krissy surpassed anything I could have imagined. We are forever grateful to this program for having given us back our daughter, who has such potential to make a difference in this world. Please research the successes of these Programs and speak to the graduates. This Program saves lives and heals families!

~ Susan

e are an in-tack, loving family. My husband is a pastor, and we were the type of parents who volunteered to be the room parent, coach the baseball team, never miss a school or athletic activity. No parent of an out-of-control teen needs to have anyone criticize them, for they are already their own worse enemy. You lie in bed at night, rehearsing the tapes of where you must have gone wrong. You try to find solutions, as you desperately watch their lives spin out of control. You don't sleep or eat

well and your heart leaps each time the phone or doorbell rings. You wonder, “is it the police again, the principal, the teachers, another furious parent yelling at you to keep your child away from their child”? And on and on.

We lived this hell for three years. We tried counseling, which was great for us as parents, but all the counseling in the world will never change someone's heart that doesn't want to change. We were desperate. We knew that our son was at risk of dying any number of ways. It was pure insanity.

We knew we had to ‘shock' him out of his comfort zone, to help him see what his choices were doing to him and to us. This experience was just what Jacob needed. To get completely out of his comfort zone, and really take a look at his life and choices. I never thought I could say this, but I would go through all three years of hell again if I knew it would turn out as sweet as it has with our Jacob. We are so proud of him. Anyone meeting him today is immediately impressed with the depth of his character and the lightness in his spirit. We are eternally thankful for this Program and the wonderful compassionate people who have poured themselves out for our son.

~ Elyse

friend of mine told me about The Program. We had tried everything we knew how to do to help Bill, but nothing was working. My son was totally out of control, living in Golden Gate Park, and generally headed for big-time trouble. It wasn't hard sending him to the Program, as I new he was now going to be safe and would get the

help he needed.

This is a program for change, and it has changed, and greatly enhanced our entire family's life. Finding the Program saved my son's life and has brought my whole family to a new level of trust, understanding and love. Something we never thought could be possible. I have participated in all the seminars the Program has to offer, and so have my two daughters. As a result, they are both making better choices which have enhanced their lives as well. The bottom line is that calling the Program saved our family's life and I am thankful every day that I found it.

~ Carol

n May 1996, our 13-year old daughter boarded a plane with three of the most wonderful people we have ever met. We had arranged for these people to escort our daughter to the Program. The decision was reached after our hopes ran out that our daughter was “just going through a phase.” As we raced to the emergency room one evening, after she decided to “run away and

live her own life”, with her feet severely frostbitten and in danger of losing parts of them, we finally realized that we needed help. It was either that, or let our daughter continue to make choices that were threatening her mental and physical well being.

The Program provided her a safe place where she was given the opportunity to find out who she is, what she wants in life, and the tools to create what she wants. It was a long journey, but the rewards have been great. The staff that work with the children all have one thing in common, LOVE.

The wonderful thing about the Programs are that they are not just for the child, but for the entire family. New skills are learned to restructure the family.

At the time we thought our world was coming to an end. Now we realize that it was only the beginning. As far as all those that assisted our family, we will never be able to fully thank them for what they have done. They were there when there was nowhere else to turn. In looking back over these past years, the pain, the tears, the laughter, the happiness all mixed together as we look into the eyes of our family, we would do it all over again if we had to. We would recommend the Program to any parent whose child is in jeopardy.

~ Kim and Danny

o you suspect your child lies to you every time you ask them if they are on drugs? Do they stay out partying for days, never coming home? When weekly therapy and short term rehabs fail, it may be time for a different solution. About a year and half ago I was running away from home, fighting with my parents, experimenting with drugs and alcohol, cutting school and I was only 14 years old. My parents relationship was deteriorating, as well as my relationship with them. I felt alone and outcast from ‘regular' kids. So I sought out the crowd I knew would accept me . . . the ‘weird' crowd.

Though I was just getting into all these things, my parents realized that more was going on with me then I let them see. Yes, they tried therapy and short term rehab but it just only fed into the beliefs as I viewed myself . . . ‘crazy, different and hopeless'. I'm glad my parents decided not to wait to send me. For I learned that there was hope for me and my family. Now we're working through our problems.

This program can work for others, just like me. It's done a lot for me and my family. I've learned to accept myself and love who I am, and how to lead a successful and fulfilling life for myself. Before I couldn't even let others love me. I pushed everyone away. Now I can love and be loved by others. I have learned to trust me and shut my brain up when I get stuck up there. I

am a realist. I don't need to do big things, or be loud. All I need to do is to trust myself. Someone once told me that there aren't very many people who can just be calm and strong inside and be okay with that. I have learned I am one of those people. I am finally learning to just be free.

~ Rochelle

or those considering this Program, I would like to say we hesitated when we enrolled our child. We asked, “how could anyone be able to turn around a son who was defiant, arrogant, rude, and mean?” A child we loved dearly, but a child that had been thrown out of five schools in the last two years, both private and public. A child who laughed at all of our efforts to get him

back on track.

Right before he left for the Program he was required by the courts to go to counseling. On the drive to the psychologist, he told me he wasn't going to say anything, which he held to. My resentment was growing, along with my anger.

As an educator who has seen many kids take this destructive path, I knew we had to do more than place him in a day program. We knew that it would take a 24/7 behavior modification program with a strong positive peer culture environment to bring our son face to face with his non-working behaviors. These Schools provided us that type of program.

There are many things that I appreciate about this Program. Foremost is the fact that the Program requires all family members to participate. When our son agreed to go, I agreed to work my program at home. I can't tell you how helpful the tools acquired from the seminars have been for me and my son.

No longer does my son refuse to talk seriously about his life. He has goals and he is working with his family to reach his greatness. He is coming to terms with his past and is putting his life back together.

Instead of arrogance, now he tells us how sorry he is for what he put us through. Instead of defiance, he wants to know if the Focus Seminar was as powerful for me as it was for him. Instead of the hateful remarks, he tells us he loves us. It is truly amazing how this Program has supported our family's efforts to heal and move forward. I sincerely believe that it could do the same for yours.

~ Orval

ur teenage daughter ran away from home. Prior to this event, she was incorrigible, seldom did what was asked of her, always gone, angry and nasty to us, cruel to her little sister, failing in school and so forth. The day she ran away we made it our business to find out everything that was going on! What we discovered was our daughter was an excellent actress and had fooled the school, her therapist, us and all her ‘clean' friends too! She had been leading a hidden separate life! We realized that if

we didn't get her help immediately, the next time we saw her would probably be on a slab in the morgue. We were scared to death.

We began researching different programs. A friend told us about the Program. They had a Program that made sense, instilling integrity, honesty and self-esteem. All very important characteristics that were missing for our daughter. They were compassionate and caring. They also are committed to the child continuing to do well once out of the Program by offering follow-up programs.

Our daughter graduated the Program. We are so proud of her! She now possesses honesty, integrity, self-esteem and is a caring, warm person. Not anything like the stranger she had become before. She also finished high school, on the Honor Roll, the year after returning home. We are very grateful to have our daughter back better than she was before. This experience has changed our family in such an incredible way. We are so much closer and happier that we ever were before.

~ Tom & Robyn

were going to think of me if I said something wrong. I was very lost and confused. I thought the cool thing to do was to

sit and do nothing. Just wait out until I turned eighteen. But as my eighteenth birthday approached I had some talks about whether I wanted to stay or not. I honestly felt it would be the best thing for my life. And it turned out to be just that. The reason I stayed after I turned 18, and then 19, was so I could complete something positive for the first time in my life, and because I have learned to love changing! After that I became more accountable for my life. I learned to always keep learning and growing and use every moment to the fullest. In my leadership Program in the upper levels I had some of the biggest learning experiences of my life, such as what to do in my free time.

I have been through a lot, and the most important thing I have learned is I am in control of my life in every aspect. I am a Real, Free, Loving Young Man and Proud of it!

~ Eric

his Program is not a place where parents usually go as the first attempt of saving their child. At 17 I was skating on thin ice. I was suicidal and extremely depressed. I had been in two programs prior to this one, and nothing had changed. Together, my family and I made the decision to go enter the Program. I knew that I was in too far and I wanted a way out. I knew that the day my father took me there was one of the worst days of his life. As a parent, he felt like a failure. But we all knew that my life was at stake.

It turned out to be heaven-sent for me and my family. I have an inner peace and a feeling of self respect and confidence now I never had before. I turned 18 while I was in the Program and chose to stay on my own free will. When I began the Program I had maybe a 2.0 GPA. By the time I completed the Program I also graduated high school with not only a 3.4 GPA, but I finally completed something in my life.

The Program teaches you about a word call ACCOUNTABILITY! The Program is hard, and they do push us to move forward, but the feeling when you accomplish something is unmatched by anything else in the world. I have never met a more loving and dedicated group of people in my life than the staff that runs the Program.

I have been home and in the ‘real world' since August 1998 and still working to better myself and keep growing. I have struggles but that is what has made me stronger. I no longer live at home. It was a decision that my family and I thought would be the next step in the growing process, I needed to spread my wings and fly. I am currently working full time as a veterinary assistant. This fall I will be attending my second year at a state college. I will also be attending a community college to get my Emergency Medical Technician certification. I already have attained the first level. I hope to be a fully certified paramedic in the next two years. I will then continue to go to school to get my athletic training degree. I cannot remember ever being this excited about life. I can finally see the light and feel my dreams as reality. It is incredible to feel this close to all that I have worked so hard for. I look back on how I felt two years ago and I can't even imagine hating myself and life that much. It is a way of life that I don't ever care to go back to.

The ultimate desire to succeed is for yourself and no one else. It is your life and you are the one that must live with your choices. I thank God everyday for the Program and the strength to overcome the valley and climb all the mountains.

~ Pauli

efore I came to the Program I was into substance abuse, running away and being defiant. I was not happy, and if I would have stayed that way for a while longer I know I would have ended my existence. I have a new respect for what I have now. I will treat my mom with respect now, not like trash, as I once did. Yes, there are times when things will go wrong or when we do not agree, but there is never going to be a ‘perfect' family. This experience has helped prepare me for appreciating my family at home. This place has made me a much stronger person, and I am grateful for that.

For all the parents out there that care enough about their kids to give them a new life and chance . . . THANK YOU!

~ Chad

ryan was a struggling 6'3” 13-year old who didn't think much of himself. He began quitting sports, gave up on his grades and became more and more addicted to computer games and fantasy games like Magic and Dungeons and Dragons. We saw him withdrawing into his own little world. He was very depressed and isolated.

We knew things would just get worse if we didn't take steps to assist him. So we began the process of placing our son in the Program. The entire program is structured towards family healing. The time our son spent in the Program turned out to be as valuable for his dad, Danny, and myself as it was for Bryan.

Bryan is home now, and I can't possibly explain the joy he brings to his father and me. We laugh, play and cry together. This is the family I've always wanted. We aren't perfect, nor do we want to be. Being human is more fun! Bryan is loving, patient, respectful, powerful, kindhearted and truly the magical child I remembered him to be many years ago. If I had to do it all again, I would! This has been the greatest gift we've ever received.

~ Nancy

hen we enrolled our daughter in the Program, it was our last ditch effort, before she turned

18. We had been through the usual counselors, AA meetings, three different treatment centers,

reporting her as a runaway, and finally filing an ‘At-Risk-Youth' petition with the Juvenile Court. None of those changed the course of the self-destructive behavior our daughter was exhibiting. We had to take drastic steps to get her to turn her life around before it was too late.

From the beginning of her Program she wrote to us stating that she knew she needed to be there, that we saved her life, that she wished she had been sent there sooner, and thanking us for sending her to treatment. She has since turned 18, and due to the value she has created for herself, has chosen to stay and complete her Program. Not only does the Program work for her, but for our entire family as well.

The graduates of these Programs that we have come in contact with are so vibrant and enthusiastic and confident in their ability to take responsibility for the choices they will be making in their futures. We want that for our daughter. The people on the other end of the line at the Program were so wonderful, helpful and understanding during that most stressful time in our lives. They presented the facts and

the options in a supportive and caring way. They even called to see how the family was doing once our daughter was in treatment.

We are all doing this for our kids. We love them and want only the best for them. This is not a punishment for them. This is saving their lives.

~ Barbara and Jack

remember looking up to the first set of upper status students, and I never thought I would be there. I didn't believe in myself. I spent a long time sitting around waiting for a miracle. Then one day I found out what the miracle was . . . it was me! That's when I really started doing good. I started to deal with the issues that held me back in my life and in the Program. I started to set

long term goals for myself.

I am firm in the Program. I know how hard it is for a parent to put their kids here, but you have to compare time needed for the hard work with a lifetime of happiness or a lifetime of pain. It's hard when we know we have to graduate the Program, but it is the best thing. I now see the rewards of having a clean and good life.

Parents need to grow as we do. The best way to a great relationship is through honesty and integrity. Strength is the key element to graduating this Program. I have learned to become a lot stronger with myself and be honest. That's what has assisted me in my journey.

~ Brendon

hile I was in the Program. I had such a wonderful experience. Not only did I learn how to love others, but I learned how to love myself. Being out in the world is crazy. Things are so much different than in the Program. While I was in the Program I was not as grateful as I could have been to be there. I wish the world could be that enriching. I wish the world could be that supportive. I wish that I could come back, but only if I can bring my family!

I have been home for awhile and I am doing great! I have problems and I struggle, and it is great! Although I do not always say that while I am struggling. I am a senior in high school and I will be graduating on the Honor Roll, as long as my grades stay what they are now! I also work after school and on Saturdays. My family life is great. I love both of my parents and my sister so much. I cannot completely say that it is because of you guys, as I can now acknowledge myself and recognize I had a big part in it too. But I NEVER could have done it without you guys.

I miss everyone there so much. The teachers, the staff, the girls, the seminars . . . everything! You have a great Program, and I am so glad that I was a part of it. Thank you for helping me get my life back. I would not be where I am today without you. So on those days when it seems discouraging, think of people like me. You are life savers. I cannot say enough to get the point across. I love you all so much. Thank you.

~ Amber

hen our two boys were young, my husband, Larry and I checked everything out before involving our children with someone new. This included baby-sitters, schools, teachers, and friends. That is why it seems so amazing to us, that we sent our son off to the Program without ever being to the facility.

Our faith and trust in the Program was just reinforced after our first visit there.When we arrived that morning, all the staff that we met seemed to be as excited as we were to see our son, after months of being apart. After our surprise, joyful, tearful reunion, I looked up to see that so many of the staff were crying right along with us.

As for the ‘physical' setting, it is in a beautiful, peaceful place. The classrooms and dorms are all separate buildings so the kids get lots of clean fresh air. Everything is clean and neat. The mountains are gorgeous. It is such a calming atmosphere.

Brent was so anxious for us to meet everyone and I could tell that he really felt loved by the staff. Everyone took a few minutes to welcome us, and share honestly of their feelings for our son. Any questions we had, were answered. One of our concerns, of course, was Brent's education plan. We were shown right where Brent stood and what he needed to do to graduate.

Our over all impressions could be described in these words: CARING, HARD-WORKING, SUPPORTING. Everything that we saw and experienced in this visit reinforced to us what a great program this is and that it is a terrific facility.

~ Marsha

y daughter is a graduate of the Program, and it saved her life. Sending my daughter to the Program was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life. The consequences of NOT sending her were too terrible to even think about. After much research I chose this program because they would treat my daughter with a great deal of love and respect. It was highly structured; her choices created her results. In order for her to ‘move up the phases' she had to prove herself to the staff, and to her

peers. I thought it would be much more difficult to fool her peers than to fool the staff. It was. They also have parent seminars. This isn't a program to ‘fix' your kid. This is a Program that heals the family. The Program deals with real change, internalized changes. I had seen the results of Vanessa's ‘friends' that went to the 30-day wonder programs locally. There was no positive change that I could see.

My daughter graduated over 2 years ago and is doing great. Our family operates much differently now than it did before. We treat each other with respect. We are more honest and accountable. We communicate with each other.

This is a crazy time we are living in. The problem is not going away. When does it stop? If it

is going to change, it will change one kid at a time. My daughter was once part of the problem and is now part of the solution. This Program saved my life, my daughter's life, my marriage and my family. If you are reading this, you probably have a child that is heading for disaster. Having ‘been there, done that', I can tell you our greatest adversity has truly become our greatest blessing.

~ Barbara