Testimonials from Grateful Parents of
Addicted Teens

Anger filled my body as I spoke to my father on the phone. He mentioned that he was on his way to Malibu. I knew what was in Malibu, but I didn’t see it coming. I had heard about Visions 18 months prior when my best friend was sent to the residential program. I yelled and screamed. Rehab was not the deal I had struck with my parents. We agreed on psychologists, psychiatrists, and drug tests. Slightly relieved to hear that there was an outpatient program, I continued to rant and rave, yelling at my mother for “lying” to me. When I walked into Visions outpatient carrying a positive attitude, my parents felt confident in their decision. I was an expert in manipulation. Even the outpatient staff saw a bright future for me. I knew what they wanted to hear. I was an essential element to family night because I could easily locate and comment on other family’s issues. By focusing on others I could avoid myself. Even after three relapses my parents and I were still confident that I could succeed in outpatient. I went to the meetings, I had a sponsor and I had started the steps, but there was one big problem, I was living the same life as before. I went to the same parties, hung out with the same people and I watched them use. My relapses were inevitable. I was a dry and miserable addict. All I knew was that drugs and alcohol “helped” when I couldn’t deal. I didn’t know how to feel without becoming hysterical. When my mom walked into my father’s house at 2 pm on a workday, I wasn’t surprised to hear that I was to pack my bags for inpatient. Chris Shumow, Founder, makes a point to warn parents of the risks of sending their kids to outpatient alone. Two risks are that all the same temptations surround kids as when they were using and that there is a lack of supervision at home. The one bewildering statement is that inpatients easier. A few months ago that made zero sense to me. Hesitant to become sober as I was, I worked so that at outpatient I wouldn’t have to alter my life dramatically, but staying sober in the life I was living was impossible. Although more intense, residential has been a relief because it gives me the structure I need in order to focus on my sobriety. Outpatient also provides a place for families who are not ready to send their children to a residential facility. I can tell you from experience that a child who does not want to be sober and who only goes to outpatient, will find a way to use and to manipulate the system. All parents want the best for their children, but are often afraid to part with them. In the case of addiction, I can vouch for the necessity of an inpatient program. Inpatient has been vital in my recovery. Here, I have been forced to refocus my attention on me. Pointing out other peoples’ faults in order to avoid myself is no longer an option. I am constantly learning about myself and how to apply the new skills I have learned in my daily routine. For the first time I am dealing with my emotions in a healthy and productive manner. One of the most rewarding parts of working this program is that I am back to the girl my parents hoped I would grow to become. I know when I leave residential that outpatient will be a great place to which I can return and in which I can excel and maintain my sobriety and continue to discover the tools which I need to handle the temptations of life.

Hello Visions,

It's been about two and a half weeks in Isreal and I have been thinking about you and wondering when I will find the time to write... today is Israel Independence Day and we have a day of rest...
So far things are going well for our daughter's adolescent recovery and our family; we are still settling down, it will take some time to get organized and to feel at home.
Sarah is amazing, yesterday was her 60 days of sobriety, she is going to AA meeting everyday and this gives her a lot of support she also met a lovely young woman, her name is Hindi and she's 30 Years Old. Hindi is in recovery and Sarah calls her everyday and together they are checking the possibility that she will be her sponsor.
We also saw the therapist you recommended once and Sarah liked her a lot, so we will continue seeing her.
Other than that, I hope that all is well with you, we really appreciate all the work that you have done with Sarah, and she often speaks about Visions and misses everyone there.
This is just a beginning of a journey for us, we have the usual ups and downs but in general we feel good that we are not in Ojai right now...
Please send our warm regards to the stuff and the residents of Visions.

Wishing you all the best and a big hug,

Mom

Good Morning Celeste & Brian:

It has been a little over a week since Kiefer left Visions with me, therefore, I thought it time for an update. 

Kiefer was a little skittish the first few days outside of Visions secure bubble. He was easily anxious in certain situations and noticeably cautious. Several days removed from Visions finds Kiefer, relaxed, easily regrouping emotions when needed, clear eyed, largely tranquil, appropriately verbal and self expressive. We have had no meltdowns to date, however, the first AA meeting was located across the street from a local drug dealer/friend therefore we will more than likely not return to that meeting for awhile, Kiefer prior to that meeting yelled at some teenager and immediately recognized it as an emotional relapse moment - he self corrected and that is the only inappropriate event to date.

I have found Kiefer to be helpful, he organized dishwashing after Thanksgiving dinner, and has been steadily working to get his room orderly, including washing his own clothes, he is no longer "needy." Kiefer is not asking for privileges that he knows must be earned, such as driving. I am easily able to approach Kiefer with simple requests and his is pleasant in return, yet able to let me know what his needs are.

One week out of Visions, I find possible miracles have taken place within my child/teenager.

We are having a lot of fun going to meetings, we have gone all over Omaha and tried a variety of meetings, We have received tips for good Young Peoples meetings and so we are adjusting the schedule to take in those meetings too. Kiefer has already been embraced by several young sober men. Kiefer is approaching men he has met in previous meetings and has already established a good call list. I am finding that he is pulling away from Visions and realigning himself with local AA members. It is hard to know who is "safe" at this time, I guess more will be revealed.

Kiefer appears to truly embrace his sobriety; he certainly is appropriately protective of the safe places and people concept. Kiefer today exceeds my highest expectations post rehab. I would not have asked for/or hoped for/ this miraculous outcome with Kiefer, prior to sending him to Visions, I continue to be completely convinced that miracles happen at "Camp Visions."  The test of time will certainly reveal more, however, right now, today, life is completely changed, renewed, revitalized and appreciated by not only Kiefer, but our entire family as well.

Kiefer begins his new school tomorrow, Monday, November 30th, 2009. We met with administrators Wednesday and they will be contacting the teacher at Visions for ideas. We have enrolled Kiefer in the new district and it appears they may be able to give him credit for his efforts at Visions. Kiefer is looking forward to beginning the new high school program taught at the local university, there are approximately 25 intellectually gifted students in the program and it is highly individualized. By "changing everything" I see a new light in Kiefer, I will continue to try to change things for him so that he can prosper. Since Kiefer is a Junior I see this small, personal, educational setting as a true opportunity where he can flourish and grow intellectually without the stress of a traditional high school, Kiefer is looking forward to the change and relief of "school stress."

We also met with the family and adolescent counselors last week and begin both groups this next week in addition to individual counseling for Kiefer and myself. The family of teenagers group meets Monday and the Adolescent group meets Thursday, we may not attend the Tuesday group session as it overlaps Monday's group. His new counselor seems to have made good initial contact with Kiefer - time will tell. We know that we will not have the same level of counseling that was available at Visions; however, we have made good contact here and are beginning to develop a local support network for counseling. I will be inquiring about the Alegent Adolescent psychiatrist on Monday, so that we can have Kiefer's medication supported by Alegent staff, keeping everything within the same medical team. Kiefer has also decided to retain his newer physician who has knowledge of his addiction issues. I believe this to be a very good decision as it is very important for everyone on the medical team to be involved with Kiefer's recovery program.

The only issue that I am concerned about today is the smoking issue. Kiefer continues to really want to smoke. Somewhat like the medication (which he is continuing to take without incidence) I have decided to reconsider the topic at the end of 30 days or sooner if needed and discuss it with the counselors as I have told Kiefer that the contract cannot be changed without team approval, he is okay with this and is not pressing me on the topic.

Kiefer does miss the Visions staff enormously and his friends and sponsor in California. I have told him we will plan to return to California for a long weekend during school break around the Christmas holidays. I sense a natural transition is occurring in this regard and Kiefer is beginning to build a new network of sober friends around him. He has not asked to go out however I did allow him to go to dinner with a couple of sober friends to celebrate a 3 year sobriety b-day. Kiefer returned looking happy and relaxed. We have found a few young people meetings where the demographic really is teenagers; Kiefer likes the AA houses (clubs) and has genuinely enjoyed all the meetings we have gone to. I gave him his 90 day chip on Monday; it was the same chip I got 19 years ago. We were able to find a meeting on Thanksgiving that Kiefer thoroughly enjoyed, it was a bit irreverent, and so his 90 days began on Monday, November 23rd, 2009. Sunday night we did not get in until midnight, so we did not attend a meeting, the only night since Kiefer left Visions.

The only thing that we have had difficulty getting put in order is the Southworth Monitoring program for drug testing, We are playing phone tag with the counselor, but have received the packets. Monday we shall try to make contact with her and get the program started. Kiefer needs to be the responsible party for checking in - as it is his recovery program - I will assist if necessary as I consider this to be one if the most important components for living at home. I agree with Visions wisdom that returning home on holidays is not ideal and should be avoided whenever possible. We have had a little difficulty reaching people; however, I am happy to report that having the additional family around has actually helped the week progress. Grandma is sleeping at our house since Wednesday, Kiefer's only grandparent and the cousins have been fun - lots of wicked card playing. You will be happy to know that Susie has attended several AA meetings with us and has been a very positive support for both Kiefer and myself, she is watching for dangers and reporting to me if she sees a problem - so far only the smoking issue has come up. Susie has exceeded my expectations in this regard, her time at Visions and counseling with you made the difference, I believe her outlook is also brighter today and she sees herself as a support not only to Kiefer but the entire family as well. A side benefit is that I believe she is curbing her own drinking which is prevalent for most college students.

So far - excellent! I am trying not to get my hopes up, however, today everything is very, very, good, there is a bright future, and there is hope. Thank you,

Kind regards,

A Hopeful Mom

Dear Heather, Juliann, Solange, and Staff,

Next week on February 5, Josh S. will have 116 days sober.  I (the proud Mom) thought you might enjoy some digital photos of some of the paintings Josh has done since he’s been home.  Living a sober life has elevated Josh’s artistic creativity to a whole new level.  What I see as a “Visions Parent” is that after his being a part of the treatment program, Josh now has the ability to reach down inside his heart to use “what he feels inside” for inspiration to paint his “vision.”

He had his very first art exhibit on January 26th along with 40 other kids who are part of the Youth Arts Collective program which he attends 4 days a week from 3pm-7pm.  There are some pretty amazing young artists at YAC, and Josh has been learning a lot from them.

I hope you are all doing well and I know that you are working hard with all the kids and their families.

Anyway, Josh says, “hi,” and please tell Lani that we miss her cooking.

Warmest Regards,
A Proud “Visions Mom”

Dear Visions Staff,

I am writing to thank you for your efforts with my son, Chris. He has been home for a month now and is doing so well. When I say "doing so well" I am not just talking about getting back in school, following his treatment plan and being SO much easier to get along with, although all of these things are true. What I mean is that he is doing well and he really wants to do well. His perspective on his life and his desire to build a future of possibility based on the work of today is inspiring.

His understanding of his challenges as an addict in recovery and what that means seems deep seated; he is going to NA meetings and calling his sponsor daily, he has a home group and a service commitment in it, he attended an H&I meeting so he can help other kids once he has 6 months. He has been doing all these things without much prompting from me. He seems to accept that all of the privileges he had will come back in the fullness of time, believe me patience was not a hallmark of Chris' behavior in the past, he has not pressed me or had a fit of temper since coming home.

He started classes back at school this week, and we are, of course, still doing IOP treatment, that meant that on several days he had school from 8-3:15, IOP from 4-6 and then asked to go to a meeting from 7-8, got home and then did his homework! He has not complained (okay, maybe a little whine, but not much) he said "this is just what I have to do now, it won't last forever". He only has a few more weeks on the IOP (two hour groups, three times a week) and we will scale back to one individual session a week. The regular NA meetings we know will just become a part of a clean and sober life style.

I do not know what the future will bring, I understand that addiction can come back on us with a vengeance. My son's life is his own now and he has a chance to meet it with a clear mind and the knowledge of his condition. He has a fighting chance. Visions delivered, I am so grateful. I am so happy to have my son back! Christmas is coming in a couple of weeks, I will not have to spend it wondering where my son is, or if he is safe; is there a better present? If there is ever anything we can do to help the continued realization of Visions' vision, please feel free to contact us.

I would be happy to talk with parents considering treatment for their children.

Dear Mr. Lieberman:

In January of 2007, my ex-husband and I discovered that our son Scott was doing poorly in school.  We investigated and, in dismay, we determined he had a substance abuse problem.

We hired an expert for adolescent rehabilitation centers and she recommended Visions.  Of course, the first 30 days was difficult for our teenager and us.  However, Kevin Kindlin guided my son and us on a path of diagnosis and therapy through intelligence, commitment, and love.

My son bonded with him as a person he could trust.  As the days passed, Scott began to open up with Kevin and his competency and caring helped all of us start on the road to recovery.  We sent our 17 year old son to Visions a child who was angry, addicted, and in so much pain.  Little by little Kevin helped Scott uncover the layers of his emotional pain.  Scott, like myself and others in both families, began to peel away the layer of self-doubt and sadness.

Sixty days later, the boy we sent began to change.  He laughed, joked, and embraced the 12 steps.  Through Kevin’s guidance, I began to see the value of AA, the value of sobriety with courage, and more importantly forgiveness.

I was sure my son would never forgive my transgressions. Kevin grasped the dynamics between Scott and me and as soon as Scott was ready, he professionally, kindly and lovingly allowed both of us to face our demons and recover love between us.

Scott has become almost a new person.  Instead of a self-centered and selfish boy, he is now a caring and considerate young man.  Tears well up when he puts his arm around me in love.  To tell you how grateful we are seems so trite and shallow.

I will never forget Visions.  I will never forget the gifted counselor who allowed me and my son to go forward with love and respect in our hearts.

Kevin has saved our son’s life as well as my own.  Scott and I are at a wonderful stage.  I have personally learned that forgiveness has brought me peace.

                                                                                    Thank you for everything,
                                                                                    A truly grateful mom

Dear Chris and John:

This is a letter to express our sincerest gratitude.  We cannot tell you how much we appreciate all that Visions’ staff has done for our son.

Before we brought him to Visions, to say our family was totally broken would be an understatement.  Unbeknownst to us, our son had been using for a couple of years and by the time we knew he had a problem, he was running our lives and we seemed to have little control over his actions.

There were many nights that we laid awake not only wondering where he was, but also wondering what his future was going to be.  It was obvious to us at the time that if he had any future at all, it was very bleak.  He had no respect for us, his friends or himself.  He had basically abandoned his junior year of high school and had only earned one credit.  Since he had become a master manipulator he was very good at telling us exactly what we wanted to hear at the time and never once had an ounce of remorse when we caught him in a lie.

Last year, our son lost his best friend to a drug overdose, which seemed to be his catalyst for a downward spiral in every way imaginable.  If anything, one would think that after losing someone so close to him that he would run away from drugs, but unfortunately, the opposite happened.  Since his behavior became so erratic, we stopped giving him money.  To get around that, he also started dealing.  I know of at least two incidences where he escaped death, and we were sure there were probably more.

He was seeing two therapists and he had them convinced that he was fine and neither of them knew he was using drugs…it was hard for anyone to believe that he was using since when he did do any of his work or take a test he was always able to earn an A or a B.  It was easy for us to believe that he was just going through his teens and was lackadaisical.  Drugs definitely have a way of decreasing motivation and drive; but when he decided to “deal”, it gave him a false sense of security and he thought with the kind of money he was making, he did not ever need school.

If we confronted him about all of this he always had a logical answer and then would make it seem that we were overreacting and things would be fine if we just stopped “hassling” him.  We knew that he was on a dangerous path, but there did not seem to be anything that we could do about it until one of two things happened; he had to be ready to admit that he had a problem or he had to hit bottom.  What was sad about all of this was that he truly believed he was doing well and there was no question in his mind that he was on his way to accomplishing great things.

We can say with conviction that because of the program at Visions, along with Brian W., Brian C., Heather, Sean, Joseph, Cheryl and Bill, Cody has his life back and has a bright future ahead of him.  We also want to thank Visions for directing us to the Betty Ford Center, where he was given some very valuable and helpful information, which assisted us in our son’s recovery.  The family as a whole is healthier and happier because of Visions and we will never be able to thank you enough.

Dear Bill,

It is with grateful hearts that we write this letter regarding the treatment you and your staff provided to our daughter Kelsie.  It seems like a lifetime ago that we sat in our kitchen in agony and contemplated sending her to Visions for Treatment.  After numerous discussions with John Lieberman, and assurances that she would receive the best possible care and treatment, we made one of the most difficult decisions in our lives.  All we ever wanted for our children was for them to be physically, mentally and emotionally healthy.  It seemed as if those dreams would forever be dreams.

As we think back to those moments in time we now contemplate what would have happened to Kelsie, and our family, had we not sent her to you and trusted your program and your deep commitment to service and recovery.  Although it was difficult at times and some of the revelations were heartbreaking, we have come to realize that true recovery begins with honesty, trust and compassion.  Bill, you and the entire Visions staff exemplify the definition of these words and we will be eternally grateful.

One of the most touching moments in our adult lives came as Kelsie said good-bye to you in your office.  As she hugged you for the last time before she left Visions she thanked you for saving her life.  AS parents that gave this child life, it is an incredible experience to have her thank a man for saving that life.  There is no doubt in our minds, you truly saved her life.  You will forever be a part of our prayers, our memories and our family. 

As Kelsie approaches her 90th day of sobriety it becomes apparent that Visions has provided her the tools to continue to live her life the way she has always wanted to live; and to love herself the way she needed to be loved.  She is once again happy, confident and has a positive outlook.  She has a lot of work to do and we pray she will put into action the resources you have provided.  In addition, our family recovery program has provided a healthier environment for all of us and made us a stronger and more loving family. 

Finally, we are reminded of the prayer from step 11 of AA:  “…That where there is error, I may bring truth-that were there is doubt, I may bring faith-that were there is despair, I may bring hope –that were there are shadows, I may bring light –that where there is sadness, I may bring joy…”  May God bless you and the entire Visions staff; for you have brought all of these to our daughter and our family.

Thank You,
Dave, Cathi, Eric and Kelsie

Bill,

I wanted to put in writing how thankful I am that my son had the opportunity to experience his commitment to recovery while working with you at Visions.

When he arrived, I believe he was a broken soul.  I truly feel I was about to lose him forever as he fell deeper into drug use.  While at Visions, and under your watchful eye, he regained his health, inner strength, confidence and hope.  You believed in him, but held him accountable.

Presently, he is continuing his journey to a healthy and sustaining life of recovery.  Despite the fact he is now an “alumni” of Visions, you have not forgotten him and are still involved - as you stated – treating him like one of the “Visions family”.

You and your staff continue to be a positive influence in his life.
I am forever grateful!

Sincerely,

Joann

Dear Bill,

It is impossible to think of the words that capture the role that you and Visions have played in the lives of Christina and our whole family. When we arrived in October 2006,  we were full of fear and hopelessness and Christina was in great need of help and guidance.  In the early days we were all full of doubt as to whether you and Visions were the right choice.

What a difference a few months makes.  Visions has had a huge impact on all of our lives and Christina in particular, although still having a lot of work to do, has made almost miraculous progress.  Most fascinating was the development of such a trusting, caring and most fruitful relationship between you and her, a most unpredictable outcome.  We also want to thank the entire outstanding staff and in particular Kristin, who was a remarkably “tuned in” and considerate counselor to Christina.

Bill, your balance of personal experience and tough and demanding counseling, is a unique and very powerful balance.  It creates trust and respect for both your patients and the parents.  You are a rare and special talent.

Laura and I wish to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the great trusting role you played.  Christina is a new person in the making, and I do dare say, “Better than ever”.  Thank you, and please use us and this letter as a way to assist others’ lives or as a reference in any way you care.

With admiration and thanks,

John and Laura

Dear Chris and Amanda,

Karen and I want to sincerely thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
You provided our son the additional time and treatment he needed in order to work on his sobriety. We deeply appreciate your care and concern at a time when we were struggling with a discharge plan. Your intervention allowed us to breathe again and to continue to believe in his recovery. While we realize he has a long road ahead of him, we know that he has received the best treatment possible.

We also want you to know how much we admire and respect the staff at Visions. All of the doctors, therapists, and technicians have been extremely supportive throughout Ian’s treatment. In particular Kevin has been awesome. We truly appreciated his honestly, tenacity, and compassion as we worked through our issues. He is an amazing guy with a huge heart. Along with Kevin we also came to respect Heather, Cheryl, PJ, Mike, Geoff, Ryan, Cecily, Allison, Elizabeth and all of the others who took such good care of our son. Each one of these caring individuals had a positive impact on Ian and for that we will always be grateful. Oh, and we can’t forget Lani. Her meals were great and she obviously cares deeply about all of the kids. She is a wonderful person.

And finally an update. Ian continues to work on his studies and hopes to be done with high school in a few months. With his acceptance at Cal State Northridge his current plan is to come back home after high school and to stay with us for a few months before going to college. Although we know that things can change, we are so thankful that he is looking ahead and making plans for the future. A few months ago, in the depths of our despair, we didn’t dare even consider the future. Visions has changed all of that.

Thanks once again for all you have done. We wish you and your family a happy and peaceful holiday season and a healthy and prosperous 2007.

Mr. Bill Hoban
Program Director
Visions Adolescent Treatment Center

Dear Bill,

We will never find the words to express our thanks to you, Brian and everyone else at Visions for your help with John.  We were heartbroken and desperate before John was taken to Visions.  John had become a drug addict, was completely out of control, and he was on a road leading to prison or death.  He was lost to us.

John’s treatment has not been an easy process, and he has had many setbacks.  We appreciate your persistence and patience with John.  Throughout his lengthy stay, he was not able to manipulate the system or wear you down; and he tried hard.  He has learned ways to deal with other negative behavior issues that began long before the drug addiction – controlling anger, managing moods, avoidance, defeatist attitude, impulsivity, and over-sensitivity.  You have helped to instill better values in him including honesty and integrity.

We too benefited from the program, especially from the Saturday family sessions.  This has been an amazing process to watch unfold.  Not only was John’s progress encouraging in this setting, but we also enjoyed seeing the transformation of the other kids. 

Further, we gained so much from the Family Program at the Betty Ford Center. 
We were so focused on John that we did not realize the toll this has taken on all of us.  For instance, we learned about the disease of addiction and now truly understand that this is a family disease.  We are all on the same page now and taking care of ourselves.

Above all, you have shown him the way to live a clean and sober life.  He has acquired the skills and tools he must use to cope with life, so that now he has a chance to live a life worth living.  There are no guarantees that he will use these tools; but if John wants it and allows it, at least there is hope. 

We are eternally grateful.  You are a life-saver. 
Best regards,

Jan and John

Hi Heather,

Please accept this letter as the heartfelt expression of my gratitude for you, the Visions staff, the parents and kids there. Since I won’t be coming back again any time soon, I wanted to write you to communicate my deepest and most sincere thanks for your help. Writing never expresses the hug as well as being there but, hey…HUG!!! Sara will be finishing up with the last meeting and I'm sure she can give real hugs all around.

I can't tell you enough how thankful I am that you folks are there and that all of you are doing what you're doing. Your program and everyone who works there is outstanding and I would gladly endorse it/you any time you want.

It has been my great pleasure to get to know you and become part of the Visions "Family". When I count my blessing every day, each and every one of you is among them. Keep up the good work.
Thank you too for your recommendation of Elk Mountain for Daniel. I know he's not thrilled with the idea but I think he knows that it's the best plan for him under the circumstances. We'll keep you advised of his progress.

To the parents and kids at Visions, thank you, thank you, thank you. Words cannot express what getting to know all of you means to me. I will be forever grateful that you allowed me and my family to enter into your lives and that you came into ours. Your willingness to share openly was remarkable. Thank you for your support, encouragement and strength.

I hope that we can continue to support each other in our processes and I have asked Sara to give you our e-mail and telephone information to facilitate that. Please feel free to call me any time.
May you all find happiness and success in an addiction free life.

Warmest regards,
Marc

Dear Bill and staff at Visions,

I remember my fear and trepidation as I waited for a bed to open way back in early July. Those two weeks were the longest days of my life. I have to smile with the memory of the serious traffic jam on the coast highway as I took Gina up to Visions. Thank you for all you've done in guiding Gina and supporting her as she builds her recovery.

Gina is coming home tomorrow. "Coming home" is so much nicer than "getting out." It's been 70 days. I'm really excited. I'm eager rather than intimidated because she has strong course of action for continuing her recovery and sobriety thru SAV and outpatient as well as our home contract.

Gina's not the same girl she was when she entered Visions. She's not the same girl she was before she started with alcohol and drugs. Recovery has changed so many things about her. It's given us both an awareness of not only the disease but also our family dynamics. The process of recovery and sobriety is working through acceptance and the 12 steps of alcoholics anonymous.

I'm getting the old Gina back but improved with significant changes. She's getting a different Dad with the work we've done thru individual and family group therapy. Our communication is becoming a real thing. We have boundaries, respect and an understanding that we didn't have before.

Although the future is certainly not guaranteed, she has a firm foundation combined with aftercare support to continue her sobriety and recovery. We can never thank you and the Visions staff enough.

Sincerely,
Jim

Dear John, Chris and Bill:

We just returned from Dave’s high school graduation from Hyde School in Woodstock, CT. Dave has grown into a remarkable young man. Dave turned 18 on April 23, 2006, which was also his two year anniversary of sobriety. Yesterday, we received a check – in call from a new Visions staff member. The following is a brief paragraph we wrote for a local celebration event, and may be helpful data:

“Dave graduated from Hyde School in Woodstock, CT in May, 2006 and will be attending the University of California at Davis as a Philosophy major. Dave was Captain of Hyde’s Cross Country team and played on the Varsity Basketball and Lacrosse teams. He composed and performed original music for Hyde’s musical production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and graduated as a Hyde Scholar with Honors awarded in History and the Performing Arts.”

Dave was also the Senior in charge of the Men’s Serenity Wing. Hyde teachers drive the students to various AA and NA meetings in the surrounding New England Community every day, which was also a great benefit.

We thank you all, and Visions, for giving Dave a solid foundation upon which he continues to build.

Best Wishes,
Deborah

Dear Bill –

I know this letter will not adequately convey our gratitude and heartfelt thanks to you and your staff. I don’t think any words could do justice to, nor express, the admiration we have for you and the counselors for the almost six months of support, hand-holding and patience that you’ve so generously given our family.

Bill, you have been an amazing gift to us through this difficult time. Mario has been home now for over three months, and although every day presents its new challenges, I don’t think we could have faced it all without having had your concern and help. From the day he arrived at Visions, to today, you have been a pillar of support in this unplanned-for world of frightening prospects. While Mario was with you, I never felt that any question, concern or thought we had was ridiculous, superfluous or a bother to you. And since Mario has been discharged, you have ALWAYS been there to answer our calls (quickly, I might add) and our concerns when we’ve needed you. We’re always amazed at how you do that since we KNOW there have been MANY other families that you’ve worked with over the past 4 years. This has been an unexpected, treasured gift and so welcome, especially since we grew to love you all as family.

It was not “your” Saturday to be at Visions when Mario was discharged and we dearly missed saying goodbye to you. As your staff can attest to, it felt like a very unpleasant “withdrawal” of its own as we were leaving. We had such a difficult time of separating from the visions world of tremendously bright, intuitive, caring, understanding people who were always quick to offer us so much love and support. How do you leave THAT kind of world for the world of (scary) unknown possibilities, based on the experiences of the past few years with a troubled teen.

But, because you prepared us so well, and with your ongoing support and encouragement, we have been getting along pretty well. And, I think most importantly, Mario has learned so much about himself through his stay at Visions. He has shifted a lot of how he approaches his life (of course, not completely!) and its challenges for him. I think he is really looking forward to the next phase where he can actually put into practice all that he has accomplished.

So, Bill, please extend our warmest thanks to Chris, John, Heather, Graye, Kristin and all of the Techs that we have come to have so much respect and admiration for. I have often wished we could move down there, right next door to you, so that we could just pop over every time we felt like it. Aren’t you glad that the rest of the family has not supported that idea?!

Thank you, thank you and thank you for everything. You can feel comfortable in knowing that you will be still hearing from us regularly!!!
With the greatest admiration

Dear Bill,

Today Daniel reached 126 days of sobriety. I am writing to thank you and everyone at Visions for all of your help.

Daniel came to Visions in January with many needs. However, it was the entire family who needed help. Our lives had become unmanageable. The fear and sense of helplessness had grown to the point that something had to be done. Removing Dan from home and putting him in a treatment center seemed so radical; so extreme. In hind sight, it was the behavior that we were allowing Dan to continue that was radical and extreme.

There are a lot of organizations in our society that advertise one thing, but deliver something else. That is not true with Visions. From orientation to exit our family was served exactly what you had promised. Everyone showed genuine concern for Daniel and the family. Each individual that we worked with brought a unique expertise to the table. You, Heather, Kristin and Graye all show a real passion for your work. You all have a gift for getting under the skin of these young people and helping them to look honestly at themselves.

At home, Daniel is growing in his ability to apply the problem solving strategies he learned at Visions. He is abiding by the rules of his home contract. He is attending a Clean and Sober high school. If all goes well he will graduate in August. He is maintaining a relationship and working his steps with the sponsor he met while at Visions. Daniel is in the process of making new friends through his school and Young Peoples AA activities. He even has a sober buddy that he surfs with.

I am not going to say that everything is sweet and wonderful, but I will say that our family is moving forward in the healing process and in recovery. On behalf of my family and with deep appreciation, I thank you.

Bill Hoban,

It has taken me such a long time to write this letter because I still can't find the words to express how very grateful I am towards all of you at Visions. Roger now has a chance at a normal life and it's only because of your caring, patient and knowledgeable staff.

The entire experience at visions was a positive one for us. I still miss Saturday family day at Visions.
But most of all I would like to give a special thanks to you Bill. You have such a wonderful gift for being able to defuse a situation and at the same time give us the tools we need to maintain a healthy outlook on life. If Roger had access to your insight and knowledge each day, the sky would be the limit. Roger will have many more rough days ahead and the foundation he obtained from visions will help him get through those times.

I will never forget the extra time and effort you put into Roger’s care. It means more to me than you will ever know. You will forever be in our hearts and prayers.

Dear Bill:

Both Yuka and I want to express our gratitude and appreciation to you and your staff for all you have done to help Kurumi with her rehabilitation, and with getting her back on the right life course. Without your valuable assistance we would have been unable to help Kurumi on our own.

The Wednesday family meetings taught both of us valuable parenting skills, and we will remember all of them as tools to give Kurumi the best parents advice possible. Your soft and crystal clear manner with Kurumi opened us up as well as Kurumi to the positive aspects of her life, and how important good communication is to a happy, healthy and drug free lifestyle. We left every meeting amazed at how effective your method was in laying out for Kurumi her problems and the possible solutions.

We also especially appreciated your expeditious communications with us throughout Kurumi’s treatment, and constantly updating us and keeping us abreast of any developments.

Yuka and I already see a tremendous change and improvement in both her attitude and outlook on life. We intend to continue to instill in Kurumi all of your positive influences as we embark into the future at home on our own.

Thank you so much for all your help.

Dear Bill & Grey & everybody,

I want you to know how well Josh is doing – he is back at his old school but he is hanging out with the children he was friends with in elementary grades. He doesn’t associate with his old using friends. He has a job and works 2 to 3 days a week – he attends meetings at least 3 times a week – he has a sponsor that he meets with regularly – I think they are up to the 6th step. He is making A’s & B’s – he had one C but is working very hard to bring it up to a B. He has not been this peaceful in so long. Our family is healing.

You guys made some sort of connection with him and it is like a switch has been turned on. My friends note that he makes eye contact and smiles, things he rarely used to do. The change is amazing. I am so grateful that we found you guys all the way across the country – I wish you were closer! I would love to see you all and for you to see Josh. He misses you all very much.

While I am not so great at expressing myself in this format – let me just write that I am crying while I’m typing this. I hope you get this and I haven’t wasted time!

Thank you so very much. Bless all of you and please know that what you do is unbelievable and miraculous. I can’t express my gratitude.

Alumni Parent

Dear Chris.

Lillian has thirteen months, and is doing extremely well in school. The eating disorder continues to plague us, but she is in therapy for that.

We would like to arrange for a short trip to LA to celebrate her first year; she did not get a chance to have a cake with the people who meant so much to her. I was wondering if you could help me with the timing of this. Would this occur at one of the meetings in LA that you go to with your groups? Or do you think we should host a small reception in a dining room at the hotel? What kinds of things have you done before?

Thank you for everything that you have done for us. We got our daughter back. She helps out at home and is nurturing to her brothers, cares for the animals that she once used to kick out of her room. She is now an excellent student and a compassionate and caring person. She is the person that was buried in her all along.

I treasure my own time at Visions, hard as it was it was the most important learning that I did for the parenting that I have to do for the next two children that we have coming along. I hope that you don’t need to have them in your program one day, but I assure you that there is no one that I would rather turn to in my time of need. The team at Visions has changed my life and given me the tools to move forward.

Best regards,
Nancy Z

Dear Bill Hoban,

We don’t know how we would have managed without your help. When we met you at Visions it seemed as if we were onboard a ship with no navigational means! You helped us understand out son’s problem and how we could help him. Thanks to Visions and your efforts we have our son back.

We will not hesitate to recommend Visions because it has been a life changing experience for us. One of the things that truly impressed us was the positive approach of your and your staff to a very negative and uncomfortable situation. You taught our son how to look within himself to find strength and motivation to change his life for the better. As his parents we had to take a good look at ourselves too! What we learned through the family sessions and parent meetings were invaluable.

We want you and your staff at Visions to know how thankful and appreciative we are for your dedication and expertise. We wish you the best!

Sincerely,

R & M

Dear Chris:

We are writing to thank you and the entire team at Visions for the extraordinary level of care and treatment that you provided not only our daughter buy also for our whole family. Had it not been for the intervention of the therapists and tech staff at Visions our daughter would not be where she is today, on the road to recovery.

Before our daughter was admitted to Visions my husband and I were in a state of terrible anxiety and uncertainty. We had no idea where to turn or how to save our child from her downward spiral. Her behavior had become so out of control that we felt utterly helpless and completely at sea. The drug use, the terrible friends, the complete lack of trust and the relentless lies and half – truths had become the norm for our girl. Our family was near collapse. Anger and confusion reigned.

After we made the hard decision to place out daughter with Visions a great sense of relief occurred. We knew she was safe and that she would at last be in a place where she could get help. However, our fear was that she would be intractable and would not be willing to accept what Visions offered. Thankfully, within a couple weeks Bill, Amanda, Dr. Lewis and the skilled and compassionate techs at Visions had begun to work their wonders. Our daughter’s “hard shell” began to crack. As the drugs left her system and the therapy started to work, we began to see our child re-emerge.

The road was a bumpy one, and more intense than we could ever have imagined. Yet all of us, our daughter first and foremost, will always be grateful to you and your staff. You gave her the tools to start to build a clean, sober and productive life. You helped her find the “self” that had been buried under low self esteem, reckless behavior and pressure from undesirable peers. You gave us the tools and t he hope to build a new future for our family.

For all of this we thank you more than you can ever know! Keep up the wonderful work!!!

With best wishes,

A grateful family

Dear Bill,

I want to extent my sincere thanks to the entire staff at Visions for helping my son. You have assisted in creating a new start in his life. He is a young person with such a bright future ahead and you have really made seeing the possibilities for himself apparent to him. I want to especially thank James, Wendell, Jeff, and Mescal for really getting him focused on his health. We also want to extend a big thanks to Daniel, his teacher for Math. Thank you to the special girls, Amanda, Liz, and Shawna. Thank you to Scott for providing building blocks not just to fight and control addiction, but for life skills to be carried on through education and life’s work. I really again thank all of you and hope you enjoy the movies, book, and videos.

With sincere thanks and appreciation...

Dear Visions,

I want to thank you and your staff at Visions for helping turn my son’s life around. Visions’ team effort in working with teenagers with substance abuse problems is truly impressive. I can honestly say that I would not have been capable of handling my son’s problem without your staffs vigilance and guidance.

Drug abuse is a frightening experience to watch, especially when it is your own child. My son has come a long way and is committed to staying sober.

Your program is a model one, with an intelligent and humane approach to rehabilitation for adolescents. I am looking forward to the opening of your outpatient counseling center in Brentwood, as a continuation of my son’s treatment. It is a great weight off my mind knowing that your staff will help my son navigate his way through his teen years. High school is a challenging period in any teenagers life. Visions is helping my son learn to make the right choices.

Sincerely,

A grateful mother

Dear Visions Staff,

It is now Monday morning, just two days after our daughter had been discharged. She will start the IOP today, and I am grateful for that option. I am happy to have her home, and yet I know she misses all of you there very much. I am glad that she made meaningful relationships with you, and I hope she can continue to draw upon what she built with all of you in her stay there.

I am deeply impressed with the commitment shown by each and every staff member I met. I know you are working, buy your kind attitudes and willingness to face the rough times helped me immeasurably. I quickly filled out the evaluation form, but realized alter I would praise each of you. I thank Shawna and Scott for their firm and kind presence at court. Thank you Louis for getting her up in the morning. I thank Justin for his clear help in discharging her, and careful tracking of meds., as well as providing excellent staff. I thank Scott and Wendell for their food on the table and there food for thought. You moved me deeply. I thank Bill and Amanda, Liz, Tracy, Abigail, Mescal, and James for working tirelessly with our daughter in facing her disease. You all do that, but I know you have really worked with here. Thank you Daniel for your wonderful teaching and that CD she was so happy to have from all of you. Thank you to Dr. Lewis and Dr. Waldman for your excellent medical care. There are more specific thanks, but I am crying now and can no longer think clearly…

No matter how the future unfolds, I want to let you know how much you have helped me. I think I would have collapsed without your help, despite the extensive work I have done on myself, in Al-Anon, and do in my own profession. Thank you, Chris, for understanding that, and for providing the vision for Visions, and for your gentleness in the face of my own despair.

I’ll keep coming back, in one way or another.

Gratefully...

Dear Chris:

There are not enough words in my vocabulary to thank all of you at Visions. You’ve given me the greatest gift of all. You’ve given me my son back. Fortunately for us, you were recommended to us at the right moment. We know how close we were to losing him. Your program and the staff who live it and teach it every day quite literally saved his life. I can’t speak highly enough of the staff at Visions. Of course, I will mention names, but it was everyone there that did it. The team. Their incredible support, caring, and teaching skills. I am crying as I write this. Tears of gratitude fill my eyes as I think of the contribution each of you has made in the life of my son. But indeed there are two in particular. Without the leadership and direction, the intelligence knowledge and caring, the insight and advice of Bill Hoban we could not have made the journey at all, let alone successfully. The man is a gift to humanity. Step by step he brought us together as a family and led us to our goal: Lee’s sobriety. Lee’s desire to live and be healthy. He shone a light into the depth of the hole my son had chosen to live in and guided him back to the surface. James. After all the praise for Bill you might wonder what is left. James has the unerring ability to hit the nail on the head. He has laser like insight with the ability to explain the problem and a solution to an adolescent so that he gets it. He and Lee connected. We could not have done it without him. Over and over again he made progress where we couldn’t. Spoke to him in a language and voice that he understood, connected with and accepted. We will be continuing with you IOP. We will do everything in our power to create a supportive environment that allows Lee to wake up every day and choose sobriety. We know that road is just beginning for us. He knows it is up to him. He is the one who has to make that choice every day. But without all of you he would not be alive to make it. He would not have the tools. He would not have the desire. He would not be in the place of health, the base from which he can make that choice. Thank you. With all my heart, thank you.

Sincerely,

Clayton

Dear Chris,

My husband and I wish to sincerely thank the staff at Visions for the help they have given not only to my son, but also to us. Visions provides a service that we have not found anywhere else in the country. Those of you who know our family well will appreciate the significance of this statement. The physical facility at Visions is beautiful and homelike, but is the people that make it outstanding. There are too many instances of caring professionalism to recount, but I must cite a few specific instances.

When we first spoke to you, Chris, Tome had just been returned to us after a runaway and we were in crisis. We contacted you for the first time at 10:00PM on a Tuesday night, and you graciously fielded that call and found a safe place for Tom to stay until a spot opened up at Visions. Bill Hoban is a rare combination of toughness, insight, and humor that gets through to kids and parents alike. We appreciate Bill’s candor and forthrightness. He is not afraid to state the obvious truth, even if you don’t want to hear it. Our heartfelt thanks go to the techs – especially, Wendell, James, Mescal, Tracy, Liz and Susan. The countless hours they spent informally discussing “life” with my son were invaluable. Visions techs called my son on his addictive behavior and attitudes, but treated him with respect and compassion while doing so. They truly lead by example and are an inspiration to us all. It is incredibly painful to send your child away for treatment, but knowing that they are being treated like human beings by people that you trust and admire eases the pain. I doubt that many adolescents whish to keep in touch with the staff at their Rehab. Program, but this is routine at Visions.

My husband and I have also experienced personal growth through the Visions philosophy of family involvement. We found that many adolescent programs deliberately isolate the child from the parents, and this would have been disastrous in our situation. Family group therapy, AA meetings with the Visions family, and constant encouragement to attend Al-Anon (we did, and it does help) all provided support and the knowledge to enable us to begin helping our son in an appropriate manner.
Whatever happens in the future with Tom is in the future – but today was another “good day” with our son at home. Thank you. It will take a while for Saturday to feel complete with out a trip to Malibu.

Best Regards,

Tom and Kathy

Dear Bill:

Words can’t express our gratitude for the support you’ve given, not only to Jordan but the entire family. Visions has been a God send and has impacted Jordan in an amazing way. We don’t know what we would have done without you.

I believed any child can benefit greatly from the program. It’s a leg up on life. Small issues, huge problems nothing is left undealt with. There is no mediocrity in this program. It is, and you are a phenomenon. You are in the business of saving lives and families. It’s God’s work.

I was so skeptical and actually dragging my feet, quite resistant in sending Jordan to you.

Thank you for saving my sons life!

Sincerely...

Dear Bill,

The first Saturday after our daughter’s discharge, I would be lying if I said I did not miss Family Day at Visions just a tiny bit. The long drive up the coast gave us plenty of time for reflection. It was a challenge to make it there and back without fighting. Once inside the compound we fueled up the caffeine before submitting ourselves to the intensity of sharing with you and the other parents. The comfort that came from that exchange was the only thing that could penetrate our sense of failure. Here we did not feel so alone.

And when our daughter and the other kids entered the room to discuss their progress their honest revelations gave us hope and understanding. After Scott’s superb lunch and a long leisurely visit, we could manage until our next family therapy session three days later.

It’s great to have her home. Not only did Visions help our daughter get clean and sober, but you set forth practical guidelines for living any human being can use. Thank you for introducing us to AA and Al-Anon. We could not have made it this far without them.

From our first contact with Chris to our final meeting with you, the staff treated us with decency, respect, and compassion. Carefully navigated through out entrenched family roles and long-held beliefs you subtly enabled us to acknowledge them and grow. This Visions program forced us all to take a good had look at ourselves, and gave us the choice to change.

Our daughter’s depression slowly lifted thanks to Amanda’s skillful therapy and late-night chats with Liz and Tracy. Our daughter regained her sense of appreciation and empathy, some of the casualties of drug abuse. Teaching a rebellious adolescent to feel tenderness sounds like an impossible task, and yet I saw this in other too. Daniel did a great job of keeping the ball rolling with school. Wendell, James, and Mescal helped us through some critical situations which we were able to build on. And Dr. Lewis’s mix of medicines changed our skeptical view of anti-depressants and the entire field of psychiatry.

Most unique to Visions it its follow through with aftercare. To be able to segue seamlessly into real life was invaluable. There was no gap for us to fall into.

Recovery was painful, necessary, and came at a very high price. But we have searing and unforgettable memories that make the present moment all the more wonderful. With your help we have moved on. Today our daughter celebrated 90 days of life on the outside and 158 days of sobriety. We are grateful for every moment of every day, taking it one at a time.

For our daughter to be on track with the goals she once held is a remarkable achievement. She completed summer school and both enjoyed and flourished in the UCLA writing class we included in her contract. We just returned for the East coast to visit colleges she had always dreamed of. Thank you again for restoring our family’s sanity and hope for the future.

To our friends at Visons,

Tomorrow is our son’s last day at Visions and I sit here remembering that first night.

Eight weeks ago, we were living a parent’ worst nightmare as our young son descended into a drug-filled abyss. Feeling desperate and afraid, we turned to you with the impossible hope that somehow you could help our son return to the wonderful, sweet boy he had been.

That certainly would be miracle enough but more than that has happened these past few weeks. After what our son has been through, he can never be the same, but he is better, stronger, deeper and grateful for the second chance he has been given.

How do you thank the people who gave you hope, who gave you back the son you love?

You have given our family amazing wisdom, love and the strength to fight the seductive dragons of addiction.

We will continue to trace on the path of recovery and try to help who we can along our way. Our journey will not be easy but we have the tools and the loving support of the wonderful people at Visions.

It’ up to our son and us now.

Thanks.