Parent Before and After Stories
Bob and Gina
Bob and Gina found TreeHouse on one of the “darkest days” of their lives. Their daughter was struggling terribly with depression and was cutting herself. That day they checked her into a Crisis Unit and later that night came to a TreeHouse parent support group. They continued to attend each week for the next two years receiving practical help and emotional support.
That fall they became concerned for their son. Over the months that followed they found beer bottles in his trunk, eye drops in his pocket, porn in his room, and he was skipping a lot of school. Two years later he admitted he was addicted to drugs and was using heroin on a regular basis.
TreeHouse helped set up an intervention and he was soon in treatment for his drug addiction.
Today he is doing well. Gina says, “Above anyone else, you carried us through our darkest days. The parent group was our lifeline and getting our son to treatment saved his life.”
Donna
Donna, a single Mom, was torn with grief by the time her son was 11 and was unsure how they could live under the same roof.
Her son had ADHD, ODD, and a sleep disorder. He hated school from Kindergarten on. Unable to conform to the class room environment, he grew disrespectful and began smoking, using drugs, and alcohol.
Donna was unable to control him, “If I went in my room, he would beat on the door till I opened it. If I tried to leave him home, he would stand behind my car and refuse to move.” He was expelled from the school district in 9th grade for carrying a knife to school.
But through it all, Donna attended a TreeHouse parent group every week. She calls it her oasis.
“I will be forever grateful for the education, support, and friendship I found there.”
Her son is now in his twenties and is a successful, self-supporting adult. Donna is so proud of him, and today, they truly enjoy being together.
Paul and Michelle
Teens of loving parents sometimes make very poor choices. Paul and Michelle’s daughter got pregnant. Their oldest son was caught with a fake ID and was involved in drugs and gambling. But it was their youngest son who seemed bent on destroying his life and the lives of those around him.
It began with shoplifting, stealing at school, and stealing from family members. Deadbolts were put on bedroom doors. He was also charged with distributing his prescription ADD medication. He was charged with stealing and forging checks and served time in jail. He bounced from house to house, job to job, and continued his drug use. His car was then repossessed.
Paul and Michelle would attend our TreeHouse parent group each week, but their son continued to spiral downhill.
When he was 19 he was riding a motorcycle and turned in front of a truck. He ended up in a coma and on life support for seven days. Paul and Michelle still remember the words of the doctor, “Your son is near death.”
He kicked his cocaine use into high gear and went from using to also dealing. He was involved in a drug deal gone bad, had a gun to his head. The police shot and killed the other person involved. Paul and Michelle were beginning to believe that one day they would surely lose their son.
Their son continued his drug use/dealing. He has been evicted. His girlfriend got pregnant and he has done more jail time.
But today, their son is 30 years old and doing well. He has celebrated two years of being free from cocaine. He has a job, he is a responsible renter, and provides for his daughter.
Paul and Michelle are forever grateful for the parenting education and support they received through TreeHouse.
“It was life saving.”
Dale and Mary
Dale and Mary are parents of four children in a blended family. They first got involved with TreeHouse when their daughter was picked up for shoplifting. The tension and stress at home was almost unbearable. They were exhausted and full of despair. Their family was falling apart.
The police offered their daughter a place called TreeHouse as an alternative to Juvenile Court. Not only did she attend, but Dale and Mary also began to attend the TreeHouse parent group.
Week after week they would share their parenting choices and struggles, and each week they would leave feeling supported, advised, and hopeful.
TreeHouse had an eternal impact on Dale and Mary, as well as their four children. They have continued to be amazing volunteers at TreeHouse.