Success Stories from Our Drug & Alcohol Rehab Programs

The following are testimonials and stories of success from our past patients and parents of teens and young adults who have undergone our drug and alcohol treatment programs. We share these stories in an effort to help you understand what to expect from our drug and alcohol treatment programs and to offer inspiration and hope in this difficult time. To learn more about how our treatment centers can help you or a loved one, contact one of our Missouri alcohol and drug rehab centers today.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

Our family owes a debt of gratitude to the Crossroads Program for giving us our daughter back. I can not even begin to explain the amazing gifts this program has given to us! The phenomenal Counselors, the philosophy of this program, the love and support of the kids/young adults in the Group, the family focus, the parent support, the modified 12 Steps (presented in a way my daughter could relate), the approach to showing my daughter a more exciting sober option to enjoy her life; these are all reasons why I can’t thank the Crossroads program enough! I would be remiss, however, if I didn’t give my beautiful daughter credit for embracing her own recovery and working hard every minute of every day to stay sober and be of service to others! A simple “Thank You” just isn’t enough…

And, just in case you “need to relate”, my daughter’s journey before we came to the Crossroads Program resulted in frequent police visits, suicide threats, numerous other counselors, handcuffs, sleepless nights, FEAR, unmanageability, chaos, and brokenness. -2014

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

It’s been 13 years since our now-grown son joined Crossroads, and we wanted to let you know how grateful we are for the impact you and your standards, your moral code, your training and your example had on him. We were so sure of ourselves before he became a teenager, and thought we were really fine parents. Suddenly we had a snarling stranger in our house with a face that looked like ours. How quickly we fell from feeling powerful and in charge to powerless and confused.
“Here,” we said to you when he came to the program, “we trust you with the work we’ve done so far; work we thought was pretty good, but now no longer have confidence in.”

And you got him, just at the time that was most important for him as he stepped
into manhood. Our tentacles didn’t reach that far anymore. Who knew then that we were putting him in exactly the right hands?

From you he got joshing and love, he learned how to hold the heart and help it heal, he was worked damn’ near to death, he got no-nonsense supervision, he learned how to be terrified and do it anyway, how to make hard choices. He learned what he stood for, and had a place to turn when he wondered about that. He had a family of fellow travelers who precisely understood him and who were always interested in how he was growing. He had a spiritual home.

He went on to counselor training and to work for The Cornerstone Program. He learned about being honorable, doing what you say you’re gonna do, being honest when it doesn’t look so great for you, doing his share and more, doing what it takes to get the job done. He got many chances to stretch his creativity, to work on a screwy team that made something screwy work.

You were far from perfect, and I realize he didn’t come to you as an empty slate. He brought
a lot of what he is into the program, but who knows how he’d have grown without your care and influence? We’re so proud of the man he’s become, and are 150% certain a lot of that is because of you. We are constantly grateful as we see him go in a new life direction, how he makes choices, how he approaches responsibility, how he carries a pretty terrific heart with him. You share in the successes he’s building. His foundation began with us, continued with you.

So, thank you, from the bottom of our little parental hearts. We are forever in your debt.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

Our daughter was not one of those rebellious, combative, “bad” kids. In her junior year of high school we were aware that she was occasionally drinking and smoking pot, but we chalked the behavior up to experimental “rights of passage”. After all, she wasn’t doing anything we didn’t do as teenagers. By her senior year in high school, unknown to us, she had added cocaine to her repertoire, and marijuana use was almost daily.

During her freshman year at the University of Missouri, the other dorm residents that shared her proclivity for smoking weed found each other like magnets. Of course, the escalation of daily pot and doing coke on weekends and evenings led to mediocre grades the first semester and flunking out by the end of second semester.

In the meantime, an overnight emergency room incident for LSD-induced psychosis led to our awareness that her drug use was way beyond an occasional joint. After several promises to quit and many failed attempts to pass drug tests, we finally gave her the “big choice” – the streets on her own, or rehab.

She was adamantly against rehab. There is no more horrible time in the life of a parent than the terror of contemplating what will happen when you force your child out to the streets, with no resources and few life skills. But we willed ourselves to a firm ultimatum. She chose rehab. Finally, we had her in the clear. We could breathe again.

After research, and a major depletion of our life savings, we flew her out west to one of the “best rehabs in the country”. She spent four weeks there, and we spent one week there as well for family group therapy. She was superficially compliant with the program. Why not? Beautiful grounds, fabulous food, recreation, celebrity life style, and more drama than daytime TV.

Unfortunately, the truth was she still had no personal commitment or desire to become sober. I am now convinced this type of rehab is probably not an effective treatment for most teenagers. Her first week back home, she tested positive for cocaine on Thanksgiving Day. The disappointment and desperation was almost overwhelming. We again gave her the rehab-or-the-street choice, and reluctantly, she succumbed to the pressure. The next day, we drove the two hours to Crossroads in St Louis. She was high on coke. We basically turned her over to the counselor there and left. We did not have high expectations.

Meanwhile, back in Columbia, the local Crossroads Parent Group provided us with enough direction, testimony, and caring argument to convince us to let the process work. For most parents it is not easy or intuitive to let go. The parent group basic education is critical. While in IOP, our daughter became a couch kid with two other more advanced Crossroads girls in their St Louis apartment. Her entire social structure of sober activities was organized by the Crossroads members and counselors.

The group provides virtually a 24/7 safety-net of bonding, encouragement, monitoring, love, counseling, and pressure to succeed – all from the kids themselves. The kids in the program sometimes look a little rough, they all smoke cigarettes, they often act wild and crazy, may have purple hair or rings in their noses, but you will find they are all very positive and absolutely wonderful to talk to. Our daughter has not touched drugs or alcohol since joining Crossroads (16 months at this point).

She now has a fulltime job and is financially independent. She shares a rental in St Louis with other Crossroads kids. She is busy, happy, healing psychologically, and maturing emotionally. She has become a whole person. She sees other Crossroads grads eventually leave the protective fold to successful independence and can see herself eventually doing so as well. She has started to believe in herself.

Why is Crossroads superior to other adolescent treatment programs? The answer is really simple – ongoing support. The support offered by Crossroads is not limited to the kids either. There is ongoing support for parents and other family members, including spouses and grandparents. Our family has had two kids go through the Crossroads treatment program. For the past four plus years, we have needed support from staff and sponsors regarding substance abuse issues as well as issues about daily living when such issues are clouded by the effects of the substance abuse and the abusers on a whole family. We are grateful for all the support we have received as a family and for the fact that, even though the kids have graduated and moved on in their sober lives, the phone messages are still returned and the support is still there for the kids and their family members when new issues arise. Thanks Crossroads!!

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

This letter is for people who are interested in this program and are looking for some help. We got involved with the program about three years ago. It still seems hard to believe how quickly the time has passed. At that time in our lives we were in a state of limbo.

We knew we needed to do something, but we were not sure what to do. Our child was in three other recovery programs and successfully stayed straight while in them. After they ended it usually took a few days to a couple of weeks before he was back doing the drug he loved.

During his time in recovery programs we attended alanon meetings and developed a new direction of gaining back our own lives, no matter what our son was going to do to his life. At some point when we let him back in the house, we received a call from one of the counselors to see if we wanted to meet with him. WE said sure, because the only thing we had to lose was our time.

After a couple of meetings our son agreed to meet the same counselor, of course he was reluctant and went because of our duress. During this time we saw the slip back starting again. WE told the addict in our life that if he was to stay in our house; he had to choose a program and work it. In time he did choose crossroads. In time he did go into outpatient. Not the perfect patient there was a minor incident, but that was quickly corrected.

Part of the problem was us, not doing all the things the counselors told us. To make a long story short, he did get sober in the program, and has been now for almost three years. I firmly believe it is the unending dedication of the group of counselors who are involved in this program, and the unique support system that is part of the program that made this possible.

Can I say that this will happen to every young adult who goes into crossroads? Well no, because addiction is a tough cookie. But I can say from my heart that I have not seen any finer place where I would spend my money to help my child. Thank You Crossroads

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

This is a message for fathers who are beginning to suspect to that their child has a problem with substance abuse. I was where you are three years ago and hope that I can share some of my experience to make your next few years easier to handle. Although I didn’t accept that my son had a problem with substance abuse until he was 17 years old, I now know that the problem began much earlier. I also know that my wife’s sensitivity and intuition was, for the most part, correct. She had picked up the warning signs much earlier and was also much more willing to accept that we had a problem.

We are a solid family, active in church, community, school, scouts, etc… We have successfully raised a daughter who is married and has two wonderful toddlers. My wife and I are both professionals, involved in education for many years. We thought we knew what we were doing in raising children. It was perhaps the self-assurance that we were doing everything right that caused me to resist so strongly and for such a long time the idea that our son could be abusing mind changing chemicals.

Early in our journey, we turned to professional counselors and our pastors for guidance. We wish we had received earlier and more forthright guidance from our son’s school. There seems to be reluctant on the part of high school educators to come to grips with the extent of the problem and its seriousness. We had great support from our family, but what it all came down to was that problems of adolescent drug abuse are beyond the scope of practice of most counselors, pastors, teachers, and family members.

As I look back and it now, given what I knew then, I would not have done anything differently; I just wish I knew then what I know now. Most of my useful education came attending lectures by Bob Meehan, and reading several good books on the subject, including Meehan’s Yellow Brick Road. There are other good books that I will be happy to suggest later, but for this first communication that is aimed just at fathers who have not yet come to grips with what they are up against, the bottom line is that I strongly encourage you to get involved in one of the Crossroads parents’ groups as soon as you possibly can.

Contact the Crossroads office and meet with a counselor. Even if your child is not yet in the program, you can begin to learn what you’re up against from other parents who have already been down the road that you are just beginning to travel. What you’re going through now does not need to be as frightening and frustrating and saddening as it is. Meet and talk with other fathers who are just as competent and as loving as you, who have had the opportunity to learn from their own mistakes and from the mistakes and triumphs of those of us who have gone before. I typically attend the meeting on Thursday night. They are excellent, and full of caring and resourceful parents who will be happy to listen and share. I look forward to meeting you sometime soon.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

By the age of 16, I had been kicked out of my house for refusing to stop using drugs and alcohol. I had been a consistent user for nearly 5 years at this point, and I truly was in love with drugs. I don’t think I would have ever gotten sober had it not been for Crossroads. The group provided for me something that I never thought I could find without using some kind of drug. It was fun. That was so powerful to me. I ended up going through IOP and, strangely enough (I never thought that I would ever be saying this) it was the most fun that I have ever had. I learned how to stay sober, but most importantly, I learned to enjoy life… sober. It has been nearly 7 years now, and I am truly grateful for all the blessings that are in my life as the result of working the 12 steps. I love my family, friends, and my relationship with G.O.D. I Love you all.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

I started using alcohol and drugs at the age of 12. During my using I maintained above average grades, and my commitments in most of my extra-curricular activities. Meanwhile, my family life was becoming non-existent, and weekly visits to a counselor consisted of me sitting in silence for an hour, and a yelling match with my mom on the way home. If a question about me using drugs & alcohol came up, I quickly referenced my 3.8 GPA and that I never came home past my curfew.

While it appeared to everyone else I was experiencing “normal teenage problems,” I was slowly deteriorating behind a front, entertaining suicidal thoughts, and feelings, and becoming more and more anti-social. My drug and alcohol abuse went from Friday and Saturday nights to almost daily using.

When a family member, my brother, decided to reach out to me and offer me help, most everyone, including my parents, counselors, and teachers, were shocked to hear I had been drinking and smoking pot consistently for the past two years.

I sobered up at the age of 16 in The Crossroads Program in St. Louis. Since then I have learned how to interact socially without drugs and alcohol. I have gained self-esteem, meaningful relationships with friends and family, and have successfully maintained my sobriety.

Today I am an active member of A.A. and can honestly say I would not have sobered up without the experiences I’ve had in Crossroads. I am grateful for the love and hope shared with me, and I only hope anyone looking for recovery from drugs and alcohol will have the opportunities I have had to develop a meaningful life full of love and happiness. Thank You Crossroads!!!!

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

You all are in my thoughts and prayers every day. Thank you for being the friends you are, and for years of wonderful memories I love all of you.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

I was struggling with my alcoholism and was kind of lost in AA. I found through a job a young man who was involved with crossroads. He took me to my first meeting. I later went into the outpatient program. I stayed for three years and was very happy there. Crossroads gave my avenue into AA and the fresh start that I needed.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

My life has been profoundly better through the caring attitude that the counselors took towards me and the fellowship and friends I met from Crossroads. I’m currently enrolled in college working on a bachelor’s degree in math I hope to pursue masters in math and teach at the college level. None of this would have been possible without help with my alcoholism which crossroads provided. Thank you for the help and the life long friends.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

Growing up I never anticipated having a drug problem like my father. I would always tell myself,”That will never be me, I have control”. But after I began using more frequently the control part slipped away.

Throughout getting loaded, I hit many bottoms that never seemed to cut it. I tried committing suicide a few times and couldn’t find anything that would make me happy, not even in the moment. My mom tricked me by telling me I had a meeting with a counselor, not a drug abuse counselor. Of course I was skeptical, but at that point I was so miserable I would do anything to get out of the hole I dug myself.

I met with the counselor and thought he was stoned because all we talked about was drugs, I stuck around. I saw the light in the peoples eyes and wondered what they had. I gave the steps and the program a shot and it really does work, if you work it.

I’ve never been happier in my life. All I had been looking for getting high I found here. I wanted friends, and now I couldn’t ask for better ones. I wanted a relationship with my family, we talk every day and say I love you. And, I wanted to be happy.

My worst day now is better than my best days getting high. I found the solution I’ve always wanted. Now, I’m finally free to live my life outside of the bondage drugs held me by. Now, I have a life.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

I never could have imagined when rocking my baby that 15 years later I would be picking her up at the police station for assault and possession. It had been obvious that our once happy, carefree daughter had a problem. She was a mess and so was our family. The problem was that no-one was able to help us. We had been to Psychiatrists, counselors, and school staff. We had a psychiatrist suggest we “put her away for 6 months”. She had been labelled as oppositional defiant disorder. She was going down a slippery slope of drug abuse and I could not find a solution and was losing my daughter. A coworker told me about Crossroads and within a day we were meeting with a wonderful counselor. My first thought was that she would never talk to these people but an hour later she was still in there talking. She now has over 21 months clean and sober and is a different person. She smiles, laughs, gives hugs and is someone I loving living with every day. If you have any hesitation in Crossroads I can understand – I was there 22 months ago. The dedicated counselors worked with a child I brought in who was under foreign management (drugs) and not give up on her. There were numerous miracles that happened regularly and still happen. There was the counselor that sat in a lawn chair and talked to her for 3 hours through an open car window because she was struggling and did not want to be a part of the group or get out of the car (she was so stubborn). There was the insightful counselor who called one eve. because she knew she was struggling and prevented her from going out and getting high that eve. I cannot tell you enough about the love of the group and how awesome it is to have a house party with 22 or more sober kids laughing and having fun. The parent support group that helped me with my own control issues and insanities and in finding serenity. In less than 2 years my daughter went from wanting to be a body piercer/tattoo artist to completing high school early and now attending the comm. college. Life is good! She told me that drugs was like going to church for her and she loved using, 24/7. Miracles do happen – ours happened at a loving, caring place called Crossroads! If your story sounds like ours I hope you can find your miracle at Crossroads. Thank you to the parents, kids and staff! Love you!

We came to know Crossroads when our daughter was 18 and it was our first experience with a recovery program. We have been active for 4 years and have grown to understand that recovery is not a sprint but more of a long distance run. Our daughter has experienced more in her last 4 years than many of us experience in a lifetime; and through it all has had the support of the staff and friends at Crossroads. Crossroads is a bit unconventional but it works!!! We have seen many young lives change through this program and you will not find more dedicated counselors and staff who’s purpose in life is to help young people live sober. If you are struggling to find an answer to “what am I going to do?” make a call; your life will change along with that of your child.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

I would like to say how thankful I am that our family found the Crossroads program. Over the course of the last 18 months we have experienced growth and healing both as individuals, and as a family. For me an unexpected but wonderful blessing of being part of the Crossroads program has been the parent support group. We are able to share our experiences with other parents that can relate to our situation. The parent group also strongly encourages us grow as individuals by working through our own 12 step program. While that seemed new and somewhat scary to me at first, it has turned out to be a great way to help cope with the extreme emotions that come with loving and caring for someone with drug or alcohol abuse issues. Crossroads is not a magic answer. Parents and kids in the program still struggle (sometimes daily) with difficult issues and feeling. But with the love and support of each other, the 12 steps, and God (as we understand him), we take each day as it arrives, and remain thankful and hopeful for the future.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

I came into Crossroads 4 years ago. It took me awhile and a few relapses to really figure out that this program as trying to give me something better than getting high, and I’m forever grateful that the group and the staff never turned their backs or gave up on me… A few months ago I finally hit an emotional bottom which for me was what I needed to wake me up and realize I NEEDED this place and these people. Once I started trusting the counselors and the other kids in the group my life changed drastically. I was happy, more confident, I wasn’t angry all the time, and most importantly I was comfortable in my own skin for the first time ever. I also learned how to have fun, yes, FUN without drugs. And that was a direct result of me working this program and relying on a God of my own understanding. Today I have a better life than I could ever imagine, not exactly as I planned it when I came in here at 18. But better than I could have ever planned myself. I will always be grateful to everyone at Crossroads for helping me find this way of living, that is better than I could have ever dreamed!! I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

I joined crossroads in July of 2009. I am not being dramatic when I say my life was an unbearable mess that I could not clean up alone if I had tried. I was 19 years old and living in East Saint Louis as a homeless junkie. I had hit the lowest bottom of my life when I started outpatient. I had been living with various addictions since I was 16 starting with an eating disorder that progressed into alcohol to pot to cocaine to LSD to opiates to any and every drug i could find. I was obsessed, alone, and out of control. I had tried to get sober threw many programs, treatment centers, hospitals, and A.A./N.A. but i could never keep more than 3 months of sobriety at a time. No matter how matter how miserable or far down the scale i had gone it was never enough to get me to stop. I had not always been so obviously crazy and out of control. I was a strait A student in high school and was involved in dance, debate, student council, church, and many other activities. The disease progressed so quickly my family didn’t even know how to react. My eating disorder soon turned to a drug addiction in a matter of a year and I hit the ground running after that. It wasn’t long before i had dropped out of college, wound up homeless, overdosed, fell in love with heroin, and basically just wanted to die. I came to crossroads as a last resort. I was desperate and nothing else had worked. Outpatient taught me how to work a twelve step program honestly, find what i now call God, deal with my feelings, and learn to forgive and love myself. I made friends who truly loved me for who i was and i finally learned how to be me for the first time. I reconnected with my family who i am very close with today. Words cannot say how much gratitude I have for this program. I no longer have the need to take depression medication, throw up my food, get high, get drunk, or hide. I’m learning to love myself and grow into the woman i am meant to be. I completed outpatient and aftercare and now i am on steering committee, i sponsor other girls, and am coming up on six months and have not relapsed once. It really does work. I guess the thing that really made me want to stay in the group after i completed treatment is the love and fun of the group. I love my friends and my life here. I am happy for the first time in a very long time. I choose to stay and i choose to stay sober because i want to. I have found somewhere i feel like i belong and can start building my future. I have been working for a few months and plan on going back to college in the near future. After the hell i went through for many years with my disease, I’m grateful for that experience because it lead me to the life i have now. I wouldn’t trade my worst day I’ve had in sobriety for the best day i had in my addiction for anything.

Crossroads is amazing, it is THE place for young people to get sober. Having joy and enthusiasm in your life is a necessity to truly living, and plenty of that comes into your life when you enter The Crossroads Program. You meet amazing, passionate people who are living everyday to the best of their ability. Plus, we do plenty of fun things like scavenger hunts!

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

This program has helped me in more ways than i can count. I am comfortable in my own skin for the first time in my life, and actually genuinely happy as well. I live for myself and not drugs anymore and that is a miracle. All thanks to the support group and counselors that are my dearest friends by far.

During my son’s senior year of high school we had a painful awareness that he was drinking, and drinking to excess. He was beaten and ended up in the hospital. He graduated and went to college where he partied enough to end up in his last semester away at school with a 0.76 grade point average, one wrecked car and two DWIs. I had visited a counselor for advice on what to do with/for my son after the first DWI. The counselor replied that my son would probably get another DWI and that I should get him in a drug and alcohol treatment center at that time. He suggested two places one of which was the Crossroads program. I called Crossroads and made an appointment to take my son for an interview with Mike Weiland, the director. My son reluctantly went, mainly to appease me, but after speaking with Mike(who sports a beard, long hair and a deep, raspy voice and speaks the language of youth) my son decided to get into the program at the age of 20. My son has now been sober for 14 months and is developing into a young man that I can trust again. The counselors at Crossroads have been fantastic in helping my son to be real. The counselors at Crossroads are recovering addicts and can see through the lies that my son would tell far better than I could(it takes one to know one!) I highly recommend speaking with the folks at Crossroads if you just don’t know what else you can do for your young son or daughter that is abusing drugs and/or alcohol.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

What a way to start the New Year! Knowing one thing, 100% for sure, and that is, my daughter is in the BEST place that she can be,to get sober and Learn How To Live Life On Life’s Terms! And, yes, I am learning that too…you see, this is a two fold program our children grow up and so do we as parents (if we chose to work the steps). Love you, Susan.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

I got sober when I was 15. I lost hope in everything around me and myself. I thought that I was just really depressed and didn’t have a chance. I tried suicide and cutting and pill popping and none of it helped me get better. THIS DID. I have almost 4 1/2 years sober and could not be happier. I am graduating in less than a month and am so grateful that I got to spend the time I did here. I can’t thank the people who showed me a better way to live in words. But thank you for the St.Charles group who helped me save my own life.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

When I was growing up I never had the soaring aspiration to become an alcoholic or addict when I grew up. But after a series of events unfolded as a result of my uncontrolled substance abuse, I found my way to Crossroads at the age of 18. I began using at the age of 12, and due to my uncanny knack for getting myself into trouble, and living a life full of guilt and regret, my drug and alcohol use escalated to a point of complete misery and depression. So, broken and somewhat ready to begin a new life I embarked on an experience that has been life changing and completely worth the risk. Because Crossroads introduced me to a way of living based around the twelve steps. And as a result I found that though life has ups and downs, I have the capacity to live a meaningful life today if I choose to, and for that I am extremely grateful. Today I am proud to be an alcoholic, because I find serenity in knowing that I do not have to try and manage my life on my own anymore, there are answers out there. And I am eternally grateful for the fellowship that I have found to help me manage my life, and for the tools that have been made available to me to live the life that I always dreamed of. Though the path that I have chosen for myself was quite unexpected at first, I find comfort in the fact that I am not alone, and that there is a spiritual solution for the disease that I suffer from. Thank you all for your help.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

I went to my first Crossroads meeting when I was 14. It took me about 6 more months to come back to another meeting, and that was only after the therapist I had been seeing suggested it. I was barely 15, but I was miserable. Alcohol was the only way I ever felt comfortable in my own skin. My grades had gotten worse, my friends weren’t really all that great of friends, and my mom had absolutely no trust for me. I was never someone who used everyday, but even without daily use drugs had caused at least a part of my life to become unmanageable. It took a little bit of time for me to be completely committed to being sober, but I knew that the people in Crossroads had something I wanted. It was the first time I truly felt loved by my friends and began to feel comfortable with myself. I completed IOP, and with help from that my life just continued to get better. I graduated high school with a 3.89, have a great relationship with my family, and have friends who I absolutely trust and can go to with anything. Today I have almost 5 years sober and I genuinely love my life and get to work for the same program which helped me get sober. I wouldn’t trade my life now for anything. I love you guys!

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

It’s very difficult to briefly state the positive impact The Crossroads Program has had on my family and on my two children who went through the program. I am so grateful the counselors who have touched our lives. Desperate parents, sad, sick children, angry siblings, disheartened teachers, mind-numbing mental health ‘professionals’, bewildered grandparents all seek answers to the causes of the kid(s)’ distress. Medication is only a band-aid and often worsens the underlying disease(s) of these children. The spiritual principles demonstrated by and taught by Crossroad’s Staff offer the first glimmer of hope in this sea of disaster and pain. It isn’t a perfect ‘program’ but it works so much better than the rest – and I’ve been to the rest with my kids. I’m exceedingly grateful that God led us to this program and that my children had the opportunity to learn and internalize the spiritual principles of the Twelve Steps through Crossroads’ enthusiastic approach. What took me fifty years to begin to learn was available to my children in a form they could comprehend while still in their teens. This program may not be for everyone – but it IS for everyone who sincerely seeks solutions to the symptoms and disease of addiction. Those who do not seek with honesty and openness will NOT find serenity. Now everyone in my home lives by these spiritual principles. Thank you Crossroads!

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

I have been trying to write our story for days and never make it through because I want to say just the right thing to help another parent. Hope and Faith is what I hope to give to struggling, lost, hurt and desperate parents. Our daughter led a charmed high school life up to her introduction to her “drug of choice”. It was a fast descent from here. In a matter of three months we lost her to her “drug”. She lost all of her “normal” friends, a boyfriend that she had dated for two years; she flunked out of school and etc. Our family life was a living hell and there was violence. She despised me (mother). I was the reason for everything wrong in her life. Grandparents did not understand or really believed that she had a problem so every time there was a fight at home, she went to them. She failed every drug test she was given and we were at wits end. Our first visit to Crossroads did not go as we had hoped. My husband and I left there and said there was no way we would allow our daughter to go there. She would end up more of a drug addict being exposed to all of those people. We went to “traditional treatment” and one our insurance would cover. Let me see, we were filling out the paperwork, she asked to go to the bathroom and ran away. When the police were helping us look for her, they said, you don’t want to put your daughter there; she will only learn more tricks of the trade. So when we found her hours later, we took her home. A month later, we found a treatment center that was in Bonneville, MO. It was a much recommended place and we were happy with the treatment; however, week three she was kicked out for not following rules. She came home and agreed to do AA. We trusted she was going to meetings but actually only attended a few and started using again right away. Now I want you to understand the extent of our daughter’s addiction, she was not only using every day but also manufacturing and selling. All of her “new friends” were going to prison. When was she going to get caught? We went back to Crossroads because that was the only way her “sober” high school would accept her back. CROSSROADS was God’s answers to our prayers. No, she did not go willing at first. She hated it and told everyone we had made her join a cult including grandpa and grandma. After about two months, she began outpatient…..not happy about it she agreed to it. Her first outpatient lasted 13 weeks, how long is traditional therapy?? She would have been discharged after four weeks at the most. She remained sober for about 18 weeks and then wanted to live a “normal” life. This time she was gone from home and her family for about three months during which time her grandma passed away. I do believe this was her bottom. She came home, lived with another family and started outpatient again. She now has been sober for almost a year. She is a wonderful, loving, active member of our family again. She is working, going to college and has a sober boyfriend and friends. Her father and I do believe that if it wasn’t for the guidance of Crossroads and the support of the program, she would either be dead today or in prison. Our thanks, gratitude and love to everyone. They spent endless hours with her and our family. We took a 2nd mortgage on our house, we charged to credit cards, my husband’s family helped pay for treatment but it was worth every penny spent and what choice do you have in life and what is important in life, surely not money. Thank you for listening to this long story of ours. May God bless you and if anyone wants to talk to me, I will be happy to lend a shoulder or ear.

I said No! NO to Drugs, No to Alcohol, No to crazy times. Everyone has a story; my story is the same being told over and over again. I am a single parent with two wonderful children, each of us doing what life called for. Goals being met, loves being won and lost, and then one day something just didn’t feel right. Your gut clenches, doubt sets in, and the craziness begins. My two children had decided to join their friends in the best thing ever. No matter what I had said, no matter what DARE said, no matter what any person who loved them thought of the drug scene, this was for them. I spent way to much time trying to figure it out. I did not bring these kids into the world to watch them destroy themselves. You just seem to get to a point and, everyone’s point is different, when you realize we have a problem, we need help. We made the choice to take a new direction. We made it to Crossroads, where the most remarkable, dedicated people, listened to our story, and started from right there, making a difference in our lives. All three of us have been sober and working a program for 17 months. And if you’re lucky enough to find Crossroads, you’ll find us in your group, ready to start right there, making a difference in your life too.

My son was a mess, but we didn’t know it. He had lied to us and conned us for years. He almost made it through college, but his lies and his cons finally caught up with him. For almost a year he had kept his mother and I from discovering that his previous two semesters had been a near total waste; and he was failing his current semester. When we finally discovered the extent of his academic lapse, we confronted him. He admitted to us that he was smoking pot daily, not attending most of his classes, and really had no idea about his future. (He later admitted to using lots of other drugs as well, and to lots of heavy drinking.) We had heard of Crossroads from a friend whose son had been through the program. I remember thinking as I first heard his story years ago that I was glad none of my children would ever come to that. But here we were. We immediately called our friend and he told us what Crossroads had to offer, and put us in touch with a counselor. Within 24 hours of hearing about my son’s drug abuse, we were sitting with a counselor, and he was describing my son to me after hearing only 10 minutes of our story. Together we decided that it would be best for our son to leave school and begin a program. He was too old to be forced, but he reluctantly decided on his own to quit school, talk to a counselor and after several days, start at Crossroads with intensive outpatient. Crossroads helped my son turn completely around. He became totally honest with us and eventually asked us if he could make amends for all of our money he had wasted, for all of the ways he had hurt us, and for all of the lies he had told us. We were so proud of the transformation in his life, and of the hard work he was doing to regain a productive future. We were so happy to have our son back. At Crossroads I have learned not to be resentful of myself (or my son) for all of the terrible decisions he made in his life, nor the bad decisions I myself have made. I learned how to restore sanity to our lives and to our family. I have discovered the meaning of the word serenity and have found ways of experiencing serenity in my life every day. I have experienced the love of the Parent’s Group as they accepted us unconditionally and showed us that not only were we not alone, we were cared for and supported. My son has been sober for over 18 months now. He has a meaningful job and is giving back to the community in powerful ways. We are eternally thankful to the Crossroads program for all they have done for him and for us. And, we love you. Our son “should” be dead or in prison. All throughout his high school years his dad and I kept our heads buried in the sand, not wanting to acknowledge all the signs of drug use that were screaming at us. Somehow he finished high school, kept a steady job and moved out on his own. When we were finally faced with indisputable evidence of his drug use, he was addicted to heroin, selling it and fading fast. We were overwhelmed and devastated. Totally ignorant of how to deal with this situation, we were fortunate to have had Crossroads recommended by our family counselor. Our son was more than ready to get drugs out of his life, even though he didn’t actually believe he could do it. He took to the kids right away and the staff too. Former addicts themselves; they know all the scams that drug-kids use and don’t let them get away with anything. One day at a time, our son faced the truth about himself and used the steps to turn his life around with the help of God, as he understands Him. Our joy, at having our son “back from the dead” is HUGE! Our love for the Crossroads staff and their sacrificial lifestyle is EMMENSE! We can’t say enough about them! Our son is now a proud father with clear eyes and a positive focus on the future. We believe that Crossroads has given him the tools to maintain his personal growth and reach success in the years ahead! Luv ya!

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

I am 15 years old; my sobriety date is July 31st. Before that I was in a boy’s home called OZANAM. I was there for 18 and one half months. My mom put me in there because I was an angry, fizzed out, alcoholic that got into too many fights for my own good.:) My days were spent doing drugs and flirting with the wrong girls. A K.C. senior counselor came to OZANAM and saw me. He later told me I was a miracle for that. I got into O.P. July 31 and was an emotional, jerk… still I have spent 127 days in the crossroads program and I have learned how to be o.k. with being ok, I have also found my higher power and have REAL friends I can count on. Thank you.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

My son’s life, my life and my family life changed profoundly for the better thanks to The Crossroads Program. The genius of this program is their understanding of young people, of creating an environment that is amazingly appealing to kids — so appealing that they are willing to get sober. Crossroads also understands the family dynamic and is uniquely able to help families handle problems and situations that seemed insurmountable. My son has been sober for six years, is a college student and is working. But FAR MORE IMPORTANT than that is that he is the happiest person I know. Could a mother ask for anything more? I cannot thank Crossroads enough for giving me that gift.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

You know its always kind of difficult for me to explain this ‘thing of ours’ to people, a lot of people don’t seem to realize how cool this group really is. If you were to ask me two years ago if I would be sober today I would tell you my old favorite line, “Dude I am going to smoke weed until the day I die”. I truly believed the only thing that could fill my many voids was drugs and alcohol. I have changed my life drastically because of these 12 steps and I probably wouldn’t have found them at the young age of 16 if it wasn’t for this group and what they do for young people. Before I got in the group I had been to countless therapist, psychiatrist, and doctors and not one of them had the enthusiastic outlook on sobriety that crossroads does. I am done writing now but I would recommend this program to any one needing help to get off drugs and alcohol.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

I am a dope fiend, alcoholic. How am I able to tell you guys this today? Crossroads… Outpatient changed my life in so many ways. I helped me realize who and what I was…DOPE FIEND and who and what I have become today…SOBER DOPE FIEND. It helped me find and use my god to help me stay sober and be loving and healthy. I started getting high when I was in 8th grade and after smoking pot every so often with my friends it became every chance I could get by myself. Being arrested twice, caught with my parents countless times, lying to every one I knew even myself didn’t once make me regret the decisions I had made. I could see the consequences in my actions but still did them anyway… I finally took a bottom (running away in Kansas city for 2 days) for me to realize “maybe, just maybe I have a problem. So my parents set me up an appointment with one of the counselors here in Columbia and since then it’s been great with seven months sober today! Thank you everyone I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH
I came into this program a mess, I had run away from my house and was living with a friend to get away from the pressure put on my parents from my out of control usage of drugs. When I got here, I talked to someone who seemed to know exactly what I was going through. Loneliness, depression, and of course addiction. However this person didn’t seem to be any of those, on the contrary he seemed to be quite a happy guy. I agreed that I would try it out. I have been in the group since and have 4 months sober. That might not sound like very long but in the short time I have been here I have learned more about myself and how my brain works than most people learn in their entire lives, and the best part about it is that I have had way more fun than I ever had using. Anyone who can honestly give this program a shot can make it. I owe my life to this program. Today I understand that I am a drug addict and that that will never change, but I can deal with it and life a sober lifestyle I never imagined. Things at my house have mellowed out a lot, while I was using I fought with my parents constantly and disobeyed everything they said. Now I have an incredible relationship with them I could never have hoped to imagine. I honestly could describe how much love and gratitude I have for this program and everyone in it. I LOVE YOU GUYS.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

When I first came into the program I was 14. I was a lonely wreck. The only love I had ever felt was by alcohol or whatever drug it was at the time. I continued to try things my way, and not accept the love that had been given so freely to me at the time. I don’t think I ever knew I was even worth loving. After many years of destroying myself piece by piece, I looked over my life and saw that I had nothing left. No amount of booze or dope could fulfill my needs anymore. I had pushed my family to the point that they didn’t even want to be around me. When I made the decision to finally sober up at the age of 19, I saw the one thing that had always been consistent in my life was the unconditional love that had been given to me by the people in the program. Today on the 14th of July, 2007, I am 6 days shy of one year of consecutive sobriety, and preparing to begin my career in the recovery field. The amazing things I have in my life today, from the great relationship I have with my family, to the awesome friends that I have gained, was made possible with the help of the Crossroads program. One of my counselors used to, and I’m sure he still says, your highs will be higher, and your lows will be lower, but if your heart can take it, come fly with us. Thank you for everything, forever grateful.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

I came into the program at age 16 after three years of drug and alcohol abuse and several attempts at taking my own life. I was scared of almost everything around me, especially people, and I didn’t talk much. I wasn’t much more than an empty shell of a human being walking around taking up space. This program and the people in it taught me how to love and they started to open my eyes to who I really was. It was here that I was reacquainted with the idea of a higher power who had long been absent in my thoughts or deeds. Today my life is friggin’ awesome. I have eight years clean and sober, a ton of friends whom I’ve come to trust with almost every detail of my life, a wonderful’ relationship with my family, and more days than not I spend laughing my ass off. I’m in school studying for a degree in International Studies (that may change next week so don’t hold me to it). My foundation for life was firmly placed upon the love and guidance I received while in Crossroads and for that I am indebted with gratitude. Thank you.

I was duped into coming to my first meeting at the age of fourteen. I was back living with my mom after having been kicked out of my father’s house, as well as several schools. I had a few friends, but the thing that made me happiest was sitting alone in my room, getting high. I had managed to develop a pretty decent rap sheet with the local police. I had nothing to look forward to and it’s not an exaggeration to say that I thoroughly hated myself and my life. After that first meeting, I agreed to go to one more function, just to get my mom to shut up about it. I stayed for five years. While I don’t feel that I have the words to describe my time there, I will say that this was the place where I learned that life can be beautiful. I had my ups and downs, but today, three years after leaving; when I think back on my time there the memories that come are of wonderful friends and counselors that I trusted more than I had ever trusted anyone up to that point. I loved them with all my heart and somewhere in doing so I learned to love myself. I hope that’s not too sappy for you guys. I graduated the program in April of 2002. Today I have a job as a tutor and counselor for autistic children, and I am perusing a degree in early childhood education. I am still active in my recovery, and all this time later I can tell you that whenever I really manage to make a mess of things in my life (often), it is usually a result of my not doing something that I learned while in the Crossroads group. In many ways I have moved on with my life, but I will always carry a piece of the group in my heart. Thank you for letting me share.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

I entered the program at 24 years old thinking that there was no hope of me getting sober. I had been drinking and using since the age of 15, and realized a few years later that I had a serious problem but refused the possibility of treatment. I thought I could get sober on my own. Obviously that did not work; I continued using and was facing 6 months in jail, and losing my family. I knew that I had to do something and soon. After a talk with the closest members of my family, I agreed that I would seek help. I had my first appointment with a counselor and found comfort in the fact that he had been through similar problems and managed to find a way to be sober and happy. After a month of trying to continue to use I agreed to go to St. Louis and go through outpatient. I had beaten myself into such a state of willingness that I took hold of the steps and god fairly quickly. I have managed to find a way to be sober and happy with the help of crossroads. I know now the way to be and stay sober is the 12 steps and god, with that knowledge I am now approaching my first year completely sober and I have never been happier.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

After several years of using drugs and alcohol everyday, my relationship with my family was nearly over and most everything that had any importance in my life I had lost. My mother brought me to the Crossroads program as a last resort. I had no interest in quitting my drug use. After several months of being in the program and NOT following any of the suggestions from the Crossroads staff, my drug and alcohol use was worse than ever. Everything came to a head when I was arrested on multiple felony charges, dropped out of high school, kicked out of my house and the only people that were still willing to help me were the people at Crossroads. I had hit complete bottom and was hoping to die. I was willing to do any and everything. I attend a 45 day inpatient program followed by the Crossroads intensive outpatient program. I did the things suggested and my life changed dramatically. In a matter of months my life was tremendously better. I graduate the Crossroads program in the spring of 2002. Today I have over 5 years sober and continue to rely daily on the foundation I learned in Crossroads. I will graduate college in the next year, I have held the same job for over five years and most importantly my family life is wonderful. I am truly grateful for the people at Crossroads and everything I learned there. Thank you for everything Crossroads

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

I first heard about Crossroads when I was in college in Kansas through a mother of a close friend of mine. She shared with me a brief version of his story which made me think. I had begun to try drinking at the age of 14 and started to actually get drunk at 16. I did not begin to use a drug until the age of 18. When I went to college I started smoking pot and over the next eight months escalated to cocaine and methamphetamines. I was a great student while in high school until the very end of my senior year. I attended KU and basically gave up after the first few weeks when I decided that partying was the best way to get the friends I always wanted and to hide the person I didn’t want people to see. I passed 6 out of 16 hours my first semester and somehow was able to stay for a second. During the first semester, my connections with friends from high school were gone, my new drug friends were also beginning to no longer talk to me, and eventually my family started to treat me differently. They had every right to. I wasn’t the same, sweet, loving, filled with life Tim that they were used to. The “darker” side began to come out and I changed my appearance quite drastically. During the holidays I was uninvited to Christmas and basically told not to come around if I was going to act the way I was. I’m not sure if my family new I was using, but let’s face it, it was pretty obvious. Second semester of KU came to a halt when I no longer went to classes and ran out of money. Along with this, I had maybe four friends and my family barely spoke to me. I couldn’t find a job, so I found methamphetamines. When I lost 20 pounds in three weeks, I realized I might have a problem. When that mother shared with me her son’s story, I knew that I had a chance at getting a better life. I sit here typing my story today with truly a new outlook on life. It has been a rocky road since I first came in to Crossroads in April, 2005. Two relapses and many mistakes later, I have learned that I was the problem and drugs were a symptom. I currently have just over 13 months sober and am making some big changes in my program to progress my life. I have a 3.0 in school and will graduate with my associate’s degree next summer, God willing. I have more true friends than I could ever dream of. I am closer to my family than ever. And last, but not least, I am happy and have hope for a better future. That, to me, is why I stayed here and what I hope to spread. Thank you Crossroads for giving me the benefit of the doubt when I needed it the most. I am forever grateful.

As others, I have been thinking very deeply about how to sum up my crossroads experience. Let me begin briefly with what it was like before I joined. I began drinking when I was 13 shortly after my dad passed away. Before this I had an average childhood… I went to a good school, made good grades, and had a comfortable amount of friends. Looking from the outside everyone would see me as a perfectly normal child. On the inside I was screaming out, I wanted to be cooler… dress better, look better, have even more friends. Not be made fun of and be accepted by everyone… Maybe even loved by people other then my family. For the next 3 years I drank hoping that I would be cooler that people would want to hang out with me. Nothing changed… I made a fool of myself at times, and thought I was cooler. I was invincible and no one could hurt me. Yet I still got my feelings hurt when I was turned down. Then in high school, when I was 16, a friend who I used to use with started talking about the Crossroads program. At this, a friend and I made fun of him, we told him it was a cult and he was full of it. But he had planted a seed in my head, that there was something better and that I did not have to continue living the way I was. A few weeks later I went to a Crossroads hang out. I knew no one, but was welcomed with hugs and “I Love You’s”. I didn’t even know these people and they wanted me to be there. That was a feeling I had never experienced. I was hooked… I wanted what these young people had… They were happy and not using drugs or alcohol to achieve this feeling. The next night I went to a Crossroads meeting. Once again welcomed by even more young, sober, happy, loving people. I took a wanna ball and made a commitment to stay sober 30 days. That was over 5 1/2 years ago. This program has changed my life. I have a relationship with my family that I never dreamed of having, I went to school. I am living on my own. I never expected that all this goodness would come to me. But as they say Expectations Breed Disaster. My final words to all you newcomers and parents of this Program: We Came to Live, We Stayed to Give…

I entered the Crossroads Program when I was 15. I was using marijuana and alcohol on an almost daily basis. I was skeptical of anyone who tried to get me sober; even my parents’ tearful pleas meant nothing to me at that point. I was so emotionally removed from all the people in my life that no amount of begging or pleading would have changed me. Nothing mattered anymore. When I first talked with the counselors at Crossroads I was immediately attracted by the happiness and fun that they obviously had. Soon I entered the intensive outpatient program and found a sober way of living far more satisfying than anything I had ever known. The staff showed me in a loving way based on true experience and a genuine desire to see me happy how I could live a happy and sober life. With the support of the program I now have over 4 years sober, was able to graduate high school as valedictorian, attend a prestigious university, and find a life that I absolutely love today. I have no doubt in my mind that none of that would have happened were it not for me getting sober, and I know that I would not be sober were it not for the Crossroads Program. I hope that all interested persons find at least a fraction of the peace and joy that I have with the help of the Crossroads Program. Thank you Crossroads and I love you all!

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

I came into the program at 15. I had been using for about 3 years at that point. I came in because of getting arrested on the first day of school for assault and possession. I loved marijuana, alcohol, and pain pills. At 13 I had overdosed and from there I was just an angry mess. I abused my mom physically and emotionally. When I came into the program I was a hopeless case and didn’t even a have desire to get sober. Now I have 14 months in 4 days, I am actually happy and love the life I live. My relationship with my parents is unbelievable and I would do anything for them. At 16 I have received my diploma and can’t wait for all the exciting chances that are ahead of me. My life would never have turned out this way if it weren’t for all the awesome people who helped me stay clean. Thanks. Love you guys!

When I got into this program I was fourteen years old. I was getting drunk and using since I was nine years old. I would get drunk and use with all my family members. I grew up thinking that it was okay to get drunk everyday and use. I went through depression because of mental and physical abuse so the only thing that kept me happy was using and drinking. I was suicidal and doing things that a ten year old to a fourteen year old should not be doing. My anger would over power me and I would physically harm my family and all people who were around me. I hated myself so much that I thought that I had no purpose in life. I got in this program by getting arrested three times for possession and I got charged for grand-theft-auto. I was dealing drugs to pay for my family to live. I would often take out my anger and hate for others on myself, but what it really came down to was that I hated myself. I got sober may 1st 2006 I have been sober and free for 1 year and six months and I couldn’t be happier. This is the only place that I have found true happiness. I have a great relationship with my family, I have the most amazing friends, and I also have counselors that truly care about me and my well being. Being sober hasn’t been an easy ride. I have gone through and had to deal with really tough things since I’ve been sober. I have learned how to cope with life on life’s terms without going the easy way out. I am so grateful for all the great things that have been put in my life by God and my hard work. I have achieved more in my life in the past year and a half than I did in my whole life. To be sober the main things that I have to focus on is being honest, open-minded, and willing to become the person I am today. THANK YOU.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

Crossroads has helped our daughter in her recovery from addiction and has helped us as a family to learn more about addiction and how to cope with it. We were once at our wits end trying to figure out what to do and now we have the tools to cope. We came to Crossroads after trying a number of other programs for our then 17-year-old daughter – all of which were unsuccessful. During her senior year in high school, she started skipping school, dropping from her extracurricular activities, and grades were slipping. At first we thought her deteriorating behavior was just ‘typical teenager’ growing pains, then we thought it could be something deeper , so we had her visit a psychiatrist, who of course diagnosed depression and started her on a series of anti-depressants. After several dissatisfying weeks of this, we discovered drug paraphernalia in her car and had her tested for drugs. She came up positive for drug use, so we checked local programs and enrolled her in a rehab group that met a couple of times a week for a couple of hours each. She was supposed to remain sober, but she came home one night very obviously high. When we checked her into the group program the next day, we explained what we suspected, they tested her for drugs, which came up positive, and we immediately admitted her to the detox ward for a week. Nothing we were trying was working – our daughter was just going through the motions, was not serious about recovering, and her behavior was getting worse. And our fear and dread was escalating. We decided a prolonged stay in an in-patient program would keep her contained so the drugs could clear her system and she could hopefully get in a frame of mind to recover from the addiction. Problem was that she turned 18 while she was in the in-patient program and she knew that she could legally check herself out at any time after that. Working with her and the in-patient facility, we were able to get her to stay for 30 days. But she told us up front that it wasn’t going to work and it wasn’t what she wanted. She said a friend of hers, who had been using with her, was now attending the Crossroads program and thought it was helping her. So we started checking on Crossroads. Friends of ours had a daughter who attended Crossroads and they gave us some initial info and a couple of other people we could call about it. We called the Crossroads office and began discussing the situation and what they could do for us. What Crossroads offered was exactly what we had been searching for and didn’t know existed – a program of young people working together in a positive way for sobriety – one that did not shut its lights out at 5pm or provide our daughter with more drugs that we were trying to get her away from. We knew our daughter needed a sober group to hang out with – having fun with ‘cool’ people, but without using. People with experiences and interests similar to hers that she couldn’t BS, but she could relate to and learn from. As soon as our daughter completed her 30-day in-patient program, she started attending Crossroads. I will tell you that, as we found out later from her, she had no intention of staying sober – she was just using Crossroads as another way to keep us pacified while she continued to use on the sly. And it worked for a while, but she eventually found herself wanting to remain sober and Crossroads has been there every step of the way to provide the tools she needed, the shoulder to cry on, the honesty to call her on her manipulation and drama queen antics – everything she needed to support her in recovery. And ‘we came for our daughter, but stayed for ourselves’ – a common Parent Group saying. We went from paralyzing fear and craziness – I still remember innumerable sleepless nights and driving around trying to find my daughter late at night when she didn’t come in when she said she would – to a serenity and strength knowing that the tools we use, the support we get from other parents facing…

I had the good fortune, yet again, to be able to refer two families to Crossroads within the past few weeks. I attend Al-Anon regularly since I learned the principles of the Twelve Steps through Crossroads. My own two kids who went thru the Program have done so well that I love being able to share the Program with others. I keep coming back to it – in good times and in bad times. Without Crossroads, I don’t believe my son would be alive, I don’t believe my marriage would be intact, and I’m certain that I wouldn’t have the warm, close relationship I have with all three of my kids. I hope I continue to have the opportunity to point needy families in the direction of Crossroads.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Missouri

When my two children and I entered the Crossroads program my 17 year old son was living with a cocaine dealer & using heavily. He & I were barely on speaking terms. My 16 year old daughter was in a rehab camp in Utah & waiting for a chance to return to the drug world. Both of these children had progressed from casual users to serious drug use & I can still remember how hopeless I felt, realizing as I finally did, that this problem was not going to get better on its own. My son was first persuaded/threatened/bribed to go to some Crossroads meetings. This he did & then the counselors got him to commit to joining the group for 30 days-a miracle in itself-and I must say the effect on him was immediate. The personality changes that the drugs had brought started to reverse within those 30 days. And that allowed them to convince him to go into OP. My son’s illness would persist & remerge over the next several years but I can say that after OP we never came close to returning to the nasty, hateful, deeply dysfunctional family life we had before Crossroads. My son & I had been in the group a few months when my daughter returned from Utah. She was still very ill but she had been sober for a year (involuntarily) and she desperately needed an alternative peer group where she didn’t need drugs to be cool. Without it her year of sobriety would be gone the first weekend. She was a tougher sell on the group than my son was. It was always much harder for her to make friends so the group was not immediately attractive to her. But she was faithful to her commitment to try it and that gave her the time to see what real friends-as opposed to her user friends-were like. After a couple of months of evaluation the staff recommended that she goes to Step 2 in Phoenix. It was that program that really helped her turn the corner. She came back a new girl. Now, I need to point out that a major part of the recovery in our family came from the parent group. When my son first entered the program & I was told I should come to meetings too, I was as jaded towards this idea as any parent ever. I could see no way my attending meetings could help my kids-it was THEIR problem, not mine. But I think it was the feeling of hopeless desperation that got me there week after week. I had to concede that if I was willing to try anything then I had to try this. And I had to admit a few things right away. First, all of the parents in the group had the same problem and had a wealth of experience at dealing with it. There were parents who had faced & dealt with the EXACT problems that had totally baffled me.

Submit Your Testimonial

Personal information for company reference only. Information, such as name, phone, and email, will not be shared publicly.