Daytop-Mendham brought my son back to me. It's a few buildings on top of the hill and a couple more nearby, which come to life through the efforts of a dedicated staff, a leader with vision and compassion, and a Family Association. Add dozens and dozens of young people in serious trouble with drugs and alcohol and that's part of Daytop.
Daytop is a family. This therapeutic community gives these young people an effective model for learning respect for themselves and each other. They learn how to deal with their addictions and overcome their guilt. The skills they learn take them back to their family with the tools to live without negative choices. They live together under one roof in their ``College of Recovery and Wellness."
Daytop-Mendham brought my son back to me. My son worked very hard to get to where he is today. The Daytop staff and other Residents of the program helped make it all possible. The support of the Daytop Family Association members and the Monday night Support Group meeting helped me to see how I needed to change in order to improve my relationship with my son and other family members.
When we arrived at Daytop, we had over three years of drug and alcohol experience and my son had just turned 17 years old. We were both in a downward spiral as a result of his drug and alcohol use. The break-up of a 19-year marriage and some of my poor choices, contributed to the many stresses in this young man's life.
Thank God for Daytop. Daytop provided a safe place, experiences and compassionate staff and the opportunity to go to work on the issues. Trusting the process and following the lead of the staff worked for us. When I had questions or needed some support, members of the Family Association as well as staff were there to help.
My son has been at Daytop for over 7 1/2 months. He has made great strides toward becoming the wonderful young man that was always inside trying to get out.
I don't know what the future holds, but I do know that because of a place called Daytop-Mendham, we have the tools we need to make it happen. God Bless Daytop!
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