SEPTEMBER 2014

"We are all grateful for the progress Conor has made during his time at Turning Point and for all the guidance and support from all the staff. Thank you very much!"

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In This Issue

Recreation & Lifestyle - Camping Trip

Anniversaries

September's Activities Calendar

Clinician's Corner

Resident Profile - Sean M.

Unsung Heroes - Wade Miller

Alumni Life - Bill D.

The Turning Point camping trip planned by Support Staff Manager Casey Olayos was a big hit amongst the TP residents. "I planned this trip with a few things in mind," said Casey. "First off, I glanced back to my own personal experience as a resident here at TP and I remembered that I was only in my first few days as a resident and that everyone was going on a camping trip. As nervous as I was about being in a new place all I could think about was being alone in the woods for a few days with 40 strangers. To my surprise I had a great time and learned so much about myself." Drawing on that experience he was hoping that as a staff member now at TP he could help facilitate the experience he had amongst the current residents. "I really tried and hoped that most of these guys would have a similar experience to mine."

Tommy arrived at Turning Point the day before. "I came via an intervention by Mom, Dad and a hired interventionist," Tommy said. "I felt that I didn't belong here at first, but during the trip I slowly began to see the similarities I had with all these other kids my age. I was eager to get involved and I threw myself at the mercy of the camping trip and I had a great time. I got to know several of my peers on a level that wouldn't have necessarily happened at the residence. We allowed ourselves to become more vulnerable, which led to many personal stories about life and addiction."

Nathan, who also arrived, the day before the camping trip said, "I was still not feeling very good physically from the residuals of my alcohol abuse," said Nathan. Being nervous about that, "[he] went grudgingly." To his surprise he found that, "the more I inserted myself into the fray with all of my peers, the more I got involved in the activities and conversations and the better I felt. I experienced a sense of relief that he hadn't felt in a long time."

RECENT TURNING

POINT GRADUATES:

JOSEPH M.
SCOTT F.
TYLER E.
JOSH F.
JP H.
CONNOR L.

15 Months

JOSH F.
BRIAN M.
MICHAEL R.
ETHAN E.

14 MONTHS

BRANDON T.

13 MONTHS

SHANE F.
TYLER E.
MARK S.
ALEX C.
JOE P.

ONE YEAR

CHRIS H.
CONNOR L.
JP H.
DEMETRI A.
JESSE S.


11 MONTHS CAMERON B. SEAN M. 10 MONTHS SAM R. NICK J. PETER Z. DIMITRI H. 9 MONTHS ANDREW A. MICAH P. BAXTER D. 8 MONTHS CRAIG B. ISAAC F. RYAN R. TJ K. DOMENIC M. ANDREW G. 7 MONTHS JOHN K. JEFF S. MATTHEW L. COLEMAN F. CLAYTON S. 6 MONTHS PAUL A. AMORY B. JAMES B. JORDAN B. OREN O. MATTHEW M. ALLAN P. THOMAS R. KYLE D. JAMES D.	5 MONTHS CARTER A. JOHN C. JONATHAN H. KODY M. GABE T. QUIN F. SAHIL G. CONNOR M. EVAN R. BRENDON K. 4 MONTHS JACK R. ANDREW B. WILLIAM P. 3 MONTHS JASON P. CHRIS C. COOPER S. LUCAS S. ANDREW P. JONATHAN V. THOMAS B. TED R. ANDREW B. BEN M. HENTRY T.

The Importance of
Family Education

Many families will continue to struggle with co-dependency long after their loved one has completed treatment. For example, families will try to take on the role of "fixing" someone without realizing that it is in the addict's best interest to maintain personal responsibility for their own recovery. Transference and co-dependency often create stressors that are distractions to recovery.

Families may also confuse their reason for offering to help someone. They believe they are making a sincere effort to help someone "get better", but what they are really doing is something to help them feel better. Understanding the difference between helping and enabling is vital to their own healing, and aids in their loved one's recovery. Families are well served by taking advantage of support groups as well as seeking counseling from trained clinicians who understand the disease of addiction. Most treatment centers will offer family supports, even family programming to support loved ones through the journey of recovery. ALANON, the 12 step support group for loved ones of addicts, has a saying "You didn't Cause it, You can't Cure, and you can't Control it". This method is called the three C's.

Family members, understandably, want to give their loved one the benefit of the doubt, but due to the illogical nature of addiction, are vulnerable to manipulation, resulting in a loss of quality of life and peace of mind. Addiction is a disease that affects the entire family; therefore, the entire family needs to learn how to heal. In short, people tend to do better when they know better.

Individuals with family members battling the addiction process have a role to play. If you are a family member or have a loved one that is suffering from addiction, seek help. If not for the loved one, for yourself.

GLENN J. FUGE - CAC, AS/DARC

Primary Therapist

Glenn has been a substance abuse counselor since 2002. He is certified in Connecticut by the Department of Public health as well as by the Connecticut Certification Board. He is nationally and internationally certified by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

He has worked in all levels of treatment including residential, intensive outpatient, and outpatient well as having worked as a supervisor for intensive outpatient programs. Glenn is certified as a Connecticut D.U.I. and Drug Education instructor and has worked in these programs since 2005. He is an approved service provider for Connecticut Department of Children and Families and has over ten years' experience working with couples, families, businesses, school systems and municipalities in the field of addiction.

Dedicated and experienced, Glenn brings a supportive and understanding perspective to the field of addiction and has worked with both male and female clients of all ages.

Sean M. grew up in south jersey and is
24 years old.

"I always considered myself a partier but never thought I had a problem," Sean said. About 2 years ago, "I experienced the sudden passing of my father." Sean took this tragic event very hard. "I began to isolate myself from family and friends. Through the isolation and depression my partying began escalating into addictive patterns that were beginning to affect those around me. My mom was really scared."

At his family's request he sought treatment. "I knew I needed a place that would give me the best shot at sustained sobriety as well as give me the opportunity to develop life skills," Sean said. He found Turning Point and headed to
New Haven, CT.

"I found some guys that I felt I could relate to," Sean said. "I built my sober network out in the local 12 step community and also began making friends outside of Turning Point. I got a 12 step sponsor and began my journey
through the 12 steps."

Over the course of his stay, Sean began noticing changes in himself. "I no longer craved Heroin or any other substances for that matter," said Sean. "I began stepping up and meeting responsibilities and commitments in my life. I was beginning to develop a life that I was proud of, one that I would go to
any length to protect."

Sean transitioned through all the phases and is currently in Phase III. "Now that I'm nearing the end of my stay, I am looking to transition to West Virginia," Sean said. "I've been going down regularly so I can begin to develop my sober network in anticipation of my move."

Sean reflected, "I am forever grateful for my experience at Turning Point and I know that it has helped not only save my life but it has also helped give me a life."

Wade Miller is Turning Point's Unsung Hero for the month of September. Wade has been serving with Turning Point for over 18 months as an invaluable member of the Support Staff team. As a Turning Point graduate with over 2.5 years of recovery, Wade is uniquely qualified to use his personal experience to aid in his overall mission of helping current TP clients realize their potential.

As a senior member of Support Staff, Wade is responsible for ensuring the overall safety of the Phase II environment. Some of his duties include providing transportation, planning activities, and ensuring medication compliance. Wade consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty, and can often be found chatting one-on-one with a client who is in need of additional guidance and support.

According to Wade, the most rewarding part of his role as a Turning Point staff member is helping clients to understand the value of honesty and vulnerability. "My favorite part about my job is when I get to have a conversation that really opens someone up," Wade said. "Those are the days I leave work really feeling good, like I'm really making a difference."

Bill D. is a recent successful graduate of Turning Point's extended care program.

Prior to his residency at Turning Point, Bill's attempts at abstinence were largely unsuccessful, never continuously spanning more than a month. Since entering (and subsequently completing) the Turning Point program, Bill has maintained his sobriety for nearly a year and is currently well on his way to completing a law degree at Villanova University.

Like many, Bill's drinking and using career began in his teenage years. However, by the time he had reached young adulthood his substance misuse had progressed to a daily occurrence, quickly transforming from a luxury to a perceived necessity. Despite the progressing nature of his drinking, Bill was able to mask his symptoms through continued success in the area of academics, only serving to prolong the misery of his addiction. This cycle persisted until finally "[he] didn't have the energy to do it [his] own way anymore."

"I was done," Bill said. "I was just physically and completely broken down. Emotionally there was nothing left." Bill then decided to enter primary treatment at a program in Waverly, PA. As he was nearing the end of his 28-day stay, his parents presented him with one option -- attend Turning Point.

"I absolutely flipped out at first," said Bill. "But I really didn't have any other option, to be honest. I had nowhere to live and no money, so I figured I'd give it a shot."

At Turning Point, Bill found the structure and environment that he needed. "I got there and there were great guys I was living with, and there was a schedule every day," Bill said. "I didn't have time to sit around and think about how bad things were. I was busy focusing on positive things. My family was very excited that I liked where I was and I was enjoying myself."

As Bill forged his way through Turning Point's three phases, he developed strong friendships with the other residents; friendships based not on a mutual interest in drug or alcohol, but on a genuine desire to support one another on the road to recovery. Since graduating Turning Point, Bill has continued to use the recovery tools he developed at Turning Point in maintaining his sobriety while pursuing a law degree at Villanova University in Pennsylvania.

"I'm just excited for each day," said Bill. "I go to school Monday through Thursday night and I go to a couple meeting out here by Villanova. I still head up to New Haven on the weekends and visit [Turning Point] to see the guys that I was there with."

"I'm able to wake up every day without using anything, and even feel happiness on top of that," Bill said. "It's still a learning experience; things surprise me every day. Anything can be dealt with. When things go wrong, I don't have to use over it. I can face it, and move past it, and it gets easier every time. [Turning Point] has given me all the tools to be out and about, to be back in law school, to face challenges on a daily basis, and to help others."