Breaking the Rehab Cycle

Prior to enlisting the services of Bodin, our family was in shambles. We had a two month-old infant at home, along with our 18-year old son D who unbeknownst to us was using and selling cocaine. At this point he had dropped out of two high schools, been fired from several jobs and was stealing cash, credit cards, jewelry and prescription medications from us and our extended family. Following an earlier stint at a local recovery center where he was sent for marijuana abuse, we welcomed him home. Within weeks the cycle started over again and exploded from there. Our handsome, charming son would look us in the eye when confronted and lie unflinchingly and convincingly. We were continually hiding and re-hiding money, medications and other items of value to the point where we could no longer keep track of our belongings or our sanity.

With the failure of the rehab program to affect lasting change, we realized we were in over our heads. We were in desperate need of professional help, for the sake of D, ourselves, and our new baby. Upon referral we contacted Bodin. Almost immediately our lives began to improve. The Bodin team was able to help us develop a clear plan to reclaim our lives. Under their guidance we found the strength to kick D out of our home, ultimately prompting his decision to re-enter rehab. Bodin et al. worked with us to develop a two-pronged program. Phase One focused on detoxification. Phase Two centered around a residential aftercare program. They also helped us to recognize the ways in which we were contributing to D’s addiction by enabling him, while under the delusion that we were helping him. We were simultaneously encouraged to seek the proper help in our own recovery.

Early in Phase One, a six-week detoxification program in the Utah wilderness, D decided to quit the program by walking out of the desert. Bodin skillfully steered us through this frightening episode, advising us to lovingly disallow D back into our lives unless he completed this critical step toward recovery. After many hours, D decided to return to the program and saw it through to graduation.

Phase Two included sending D directly to an aftercare program. As we had learned from previous experience, detox alone was not enough to ensure recovery: D would have to learn a whole new sober lifestyle.

After two years in a sober living community, first as a client, then as a staff member, D moved to a small city to begin life on his own. Within months he was using again. The difference was that now, with his acquired sober living skills as a reference—and the help of A.A.—he was able to choose sobriety.

D is now twenty-five years old. He has been sober for almost four years, and is a pre-med honor student at Loyola University in Chicago. He has found the internal strength to choose a different path and the external support to stay on that path. We are so proud of him.

We are keenly aware that this may never have happened without the expert guidance and support of Bodin.