Parent Resources

March 5, 2009

Hey Kathy,

I didn't go into the V3 program for [Graduate Resident]...When he was there all the boys had buzz hair-cuts (their choosing) & there's [restricted Tobacco]/Caffeine and communication is strictly limited to a weekly call. Letter writing is encouraged. It is a highly structured environment where the "community members" live cooperatively. The boys living quarters are separate from the girls, however, they do everything else together & everyone has a daily schedule from sun-up to sun-down that includes attending group meetings, group & individual therapy, exercise, cooking, laundry, shopping for groceries, etc. There are also opportunities for tennis, opera, yoga as V3 mixes it up for them. The Tucson AA community is very supportive of V3 too. What it IS NOT is a luxury re-hab program for the young & entitled! Generally speaking, the kids that arrive at V3 have "been there, done that, got the rehab t-shirt"......they have been unsuccessfully dealing with their addiction issues such as, wrecked cars, multiple DWI's or arrests, rehab stints, dropping out of high school/college, etc., etc. Many have cross-addictions & V3 treats them ALL.....heroin, cocaine, crack, crystal-meth, eating disorders, cutting, bi-polar to name a few. I think about 20 kids is the max. and the numbers fluctuate. Not everyone stays the course, as you might imagine. It is challenging, and for many, it is the first time in their adolescent/adult life's that they have ever WANTED to function clean & sober for any period of time. It appears to me, that there is a mutual acceptance, understanding and eventual trust within the "group" that allows the individual to safely expose & acknowledge their addiction and related struggles. The "group" always knows more about the individual and is always prepared to expose the individual when they are anything but 100% honest. As the months pass, individuals miraculously emerge from the "group" with a willingness and a sincere DESIRE to remain sober. There are basically (3) three month "development phases" that are structured to end with an intensive 3-day family visit and then an awe-inspiring graduation, complete with cap & gown at the end of the 3rd phase - [Graduate Resident's] graduation photo is my screen-saver to this day! Besides providing a strict, safe and loving environment for these young people to begin a meaningful recovery, V3 simply inspires them to seek excellence and many actually do it - [Graduate Resident] is living proof! He returned to college @ Uof A in fall 07, applied & got accepted into Eller School of Business as an accounting major fall 08, maintains a 3.45 GPA and has just applied for a spot in the highly competitive Entrepreneurial Program. Prior to V3 , [Graduate Resident] had dropped out of college in his sophomore year in time to secretly take OUR TUITION refund to use to buy drugs! [Graduate Resident] is a changed man by the grace of God which led us to Gale Standen and her program at V3.

Let me know how I can help you & your family.

God Bless You, xo
Phyllis H. (mother)

May 16, 2007

Dear Sharon,

I want to express my gratitude to you for your role in facilitating our son’s journey to a new life, one of freedom from addiction, and one where he is growing and maturing as I write this.

After months of living with our son’s addiction, we were confused, hurt and angry, and didn’t know where to turn.  I knew of V3 Tucson from a family member, and after making a trip to visit the community, I was convinced that some how, some way, we had to get our son there, before he killed himself or someone else.  I came back from my visit to V3 feeling both hopeful and scared at the same time.  I knew what had to be done, but I had no idea how it would be accomplished.  Living with an addict can make a person question themselves and their own sanity, and my son’s dad and I were at complete odds about how to approach a solution.

Once we decided to send him to V3, the decision of how to carry it out was a difficult one, until we spoke with you.  Prior to talking with you, we were convinced that because of our son’s erratic and sometimes violent behavior, we would have to hire an escort service who would employ as much force as necessary, combined with the element of surprise, so he would have no choice.  We had no idea that in the end our son would actually make the choice to go to V3, due solely to your intervention process.

The way you presented a loving intervention convinced us to give it a try.   The many hours you spent with us and all of the family members on the phone prepared us for the intervention in a way nothing else could have accomplished.   Astoundingly, not only did our son not react with violence and denial, but he completely shocked us all by relenting and agreeing to go to V3 that very day.  A miracle, to say the least.

He is in the third month of his new journey of a life of freedom at V3.  I cannot say enough about your intervention process, and about the growth he is experiencing at V3.  We sent him to V3 just 3 months shy of graduating from high school, but we are convinced that he is learning 10 times more about life skills, responsibility, accountability, and freedom from addiction than he would have, had he stayed.  He’ll graduate from high school soon enough and be more prepared for life than we ever thought possible, thanks to you and to the V3 program.

Please feel free to give my contact information to anyone who might need it. 

We love you!
Stacy

CALL NOW! 1-877-V3-TUCSON (1-877-838-8276)