The Insight Program

We sincerely thank the young people and the parents who have shared the following testimonials about their experience with The Insight Program. Please click here if you would like to submit your story to help others who may view this Website in the future.

Our son called us from college and told us that he had been drinking alot and smoking marijuana even though he had promised us that he would and could quit. We had already gotten the name of Insight from a psychiatrist that we knew. In her words -"do you want a posh place in Utah or a tough-love program that will work" - obviously, we wanted a program that would work. Fortunately, our son had reached a bottom on his own, without any legal problems that so many families have had to deal with. We went to Insight and met with Glen. Our son decided to join the program. I have said over the past months that I have my son back - the son I would have had if he had not gotten involved in drugs and alcohol. Insight has made such a difference in his life as well as my husband and mine. We didn't realize just how unhappy we all were. We attend the parent meetings and enjoy helping others as we were helped when we first came. The love and friendships we enjoy being a part of Insight, is something we all cherish.

I was born on May 11 1986 and I lived a normal life. I was a good kid with good grades and I rarely got into any trouble. I started getting high when I was 15. I started smoking bud and drinking a lot right off the bat. I jumped straight into xanax and ecstasy in just a few weeks and did it every weekend. On prom night in tenth grade I tried cocaine for the first time and from the night on my life went downhill. I knew that I was about to have one hell of a ride. From this point forward I snorted and/or smoked coc. everyday for two years. Everynight I wondered why i was doing this to myself. I would come home jacked up and steal some of my dad's beer and drink myself to sleep. On nights that I couldnt get beer I would just drink bottles of Nyquil. My life sucked and I was miserable everyday. My parents split up in November of 2003 and I went even more downhill. I had a close encounter with the cops and that was when things started to come to an abrupt end. I had been up for three days and I was on my way to school when I had enough I guess. I called my dad and told him that I was messed up and I needed help. I came home and we headed to meet a counselor with the Insight Program. I came in expecting a white coat and glasses and I got a really awesome dude that smoked and got to me in a way that no one else could. I was in from day one. I met the group and never looked back. I turned my life around with the help of God and friends. I changed completely and i will forever be grateful to my parents for bringing me here. I also want to tell my outpatient how much I love them because as much as I lied and tried to push them away they never turned there back on me. My O.P. Counselor was/is the best. I now have 2 years sober and lovin life. I Love Yall

It was almost 2 years ago when my brother hit the bottom. After a long time of drug abuse, he wound up in jail at the age of 16. My parents had been struggling with his addiction, what to do about it, and their own denial for quite some time. My dad would spend hours researching what kind of help would be best for him. They had exhausted drug therapists because he wouldn't listen or talk. He had stubbled upon a book called "Along the Yellow Brick Road" and read it, eventually marking certain pages with post-its. At this point, I had thought that my brother and dad's relationship was over. There were no words between them except harsh ones and my mom, trying to be the rock, got the worst of it all. Finally, when my mother refused to bail my brother out of jail immediately, she made the decision to give him a choice; get help or stay in jail. He admitted he had a problem and chose help. The next day my parents and brother went to a Tuesday night meeting. The first month was rough for him but today, almost having 2 years sober, and myself having gone to 2 gratitude meetings, can safely say that my brother has taken the initiative to change his life and helped the lives of others. He would have never seen himself as a role model to others 2 years ago andnow he is mine!

This program changed my life in so many diffrent ways. I was heading down the wrong path using drugs. I started using drugs at 14 teen smokeing weed on and off but when i hit 10th grade i started going to parties and smokeing more and more bud. Then came the pills, there wasent a day that went buy that i dident get high. I could not go to school sober i had to be high or i would leave and get high. at the end of my 11th grade year i started to smoke crack and it sucked me in. all my money went toward crack. with in two months my parents thought something was up with me. i got busted with a stem and that was the lowest part of my life. everything i had was taken from me. i told my mom i needed help and that my cousin was in this program. as soon as i came in to the program i knew this place was for me so far it has been the best thing to ever happen to me and the people here have so much love for one another. my dream is to one day become a counsler. love all you peeps!!!

My son was 19, returning to his apartment from a party, when he hit a concrete mailbox and tumbled down the road like a beachball, crushing his car. It's a miracle he survived uninjured. With great reluctance, he entered the Insight program. For a time, he resisted the love of the group. But the counselors have amazing wisdom and let him find himself within the group. When he began to experience sobriety and having friends who are sober, he began to appreciate and embrace the personal honesty and responsibility that are such core values at Insight. My son has nearly two years sober now. I could not be more proud of him, because I know what he went through. I'm a recovering alcoholic myself.

this program is the only reason my life is worth living today. I used to have so much hate toward everyone i knew, all because of things i'd done. I'd gotten myself into so much trouble. I been expelled, had the cops at my house multiple times, been put in another rehab, and stolen a car and broken into a gas station stealing whatever i could. this program really helped me to live a happy life, it shows people how to lead good lives and stay sober.

I never thought we would be telling our story here. We are a normal loving family, church oriented, always involving our kids in everything we do. We try hard to be good role models. So when our oldest son got a bit wild in college we talked with him and hoped he would grow out of it, remembering we were a little wild then too. But our son didn't grow out of it. He eventually moved into a house with college friends and started a downward spiral which, over a couple of years, ended with him being arrested twice, for DUI and then public drunk.There were many red flags and warning signs during that time, some of which we acted on and some we ignored.It didn't seem possible that our golden child could be in so much trouble. Finally we couldn't ignore it. The second arrest left no doubt in anyone's mind that he needed HELP, and FAST. Our youth pastor knew about the Insight program from some other families in our church and he immediately recommended it . We did an "intervention" after practicing all day and night, and our son was more than ready to get help. He had been afraid for a long time that he wasn't going to make it much longer. We secretly had had the same fears. We met with Glen and our son saw the people at the "shop" and decided that day he needed to be in this place. He had been reluctant to go into a program recommended by a church person, didn't want a cult of do-gooders, but what he saw during his first visit convinced him he would fit right in. And he did. I saw the unconditional love and sense of community , of helping the new guy because the other group members helped you when you were new. He understood the rules, very simple and straightforward. This 12 step adapted program has turned our whole family's world around. Our son has embraced the concept and doesn't look back. He is still our beautiful golden boy, sweet, and with all his original quirks! Only now, he is making so many right decisions with the help of the counselors and "winners" in the program with him. We for the first time in years are starting to let our emotions of love and hope come back awake, after so long of keeping them dormant. We realize this is a lifelong thing for him and for us and we are so grateful to this program for showing him and us how to turn things around.

I discovered Insight by reading a chapter from "Beyond the Yellow Brick Road". One of my son's psychologist had copied a chapter and gave it to me to read. After reading that chapter, I went on the internet and located the book. I read the entire book and noticed at the end of the book there was a phone number to call if you were interested in knowing more about the program. When I realized that there was a location about four miles from my house, I felt that God had answered by prayers. I called Glen and set up a meeting with him. I told my son and his father about the program, however, my prayers were not to be answered so quickly. My son had not yet reached his bottom, and it was not until one year later, and two arrest, did my eighteen year old son decide that he needed help. He met Glen and immediately joined Insight that night at the Monday Night Meeting. He has been sober for exactly one year, two months, and twenty days. Yesterday was Mother's Day. He called me and said that he had something for me. He joined our family at a Mother's Day Cookout and gave me the most wonderful gift a mother could receive. It was a card that said, "Thank you for all the support you've given me. I love you more than you will ever know." I have my son back. Thanks to God and Insight.

After a 7 years of using drugs and alcohol, several shrinks, counselors, treatments, warrants for my arrest, probation offices, mandated A.A. meetings and getting kicked out of school for beating up a teacher (to name a few), My parents had had it. They took me to the final shrink, and long story short told me to get sober or change my last name. I did not get sober. Several months later, I found myself in an A.A. meeting, writing a letter, addressed To Whom It May Concern; because I had no one left. The letter was a suicide letter. I had lost all hope and had truly given up on life. I believed at that point that God was laughing at me. For some reason, I had a moment of clarity. I remembered someone from Insight speaking at my high school. They told a story that was very familiar to me. The basically "read my mail." I believed that maybe the people at insight could help me. I went to my parents and asked them for help. I was at insight on Monday. I was so scared. I remember talking with Clint Stonebraker on my first day. He some how helped me to believe that I was worth getting sober. That I was worth loving. That I could get sober, and my life would get better. I believed that man, and I didn�t know why. I began using the tools that I learned in treatment. I struggled a little between 3 & 4 weeks sober because I was having so many feelings. After that my life has never been better. I have 13 years sober. I not only am alive, I love my life. The steps work. I am eternally grateful to the Insight Program, the staff, the steps and for the Enthusiastic Approach- which is why I remembered Insight in the first place. I still go to A.A. meetings, work the steps, and use ALL of the tools that Insight gave me. They provided the foundation and the support that I needed so that I could have my life today. For that I will always be grateful, and ALWAYS tell every kid struggling with drugs and alcohol and every parent who wants help to go to Insight. Thanks for everything.

I stumbled upon Insight when was 14, more interested in a couple of girls I knew that went there than sobriety. I was doing a lot of acid, drinking daily, and very angry at just about everything. For a few years of my life, the only way I felt happiness (relief) was when I was drunk. I had been seeing several psychiatrists, and was on a few different prescriptions. People seemed to think that if I understood the dangers of drugs, the people I was hurting, the potential I was throwing away, that it would motivate me to change. I couldn�t care less. I think people being shocked at the things I was doing just triggered more rebellion rather than �scaring me straight�. There were some sober moments where I hated myself for hurting my family, but could quickly go back to being angry with them. The thing I found at Insight was that I was talked to like a person rather than a 14 year old that didn�t know what he was talking about and needed to listen to his parents. I could trust the other kids there that used to get high like I did, and they all seemed to enjoy being sober and trust these counselors � so I tried it. The staff actually listened to me (when I would talk) and seemed to care what I had to say rather than cut me off to tell me how wrong I was, or how stupid what I was doing was. Up until that point that had been my experience with adults. It wasn�t until I felt listened to that I realized how much I had to say. There was a lot I needed to talk out. I was connected to hope. It�s easy not to care what happens when you don�t have any, and at that point I started to care. I never thought I would actually want to be sober because it was better. Insight introduced me to 12-step recovery in maybe the only way I would have listened. I still use a 12-step support group today to maintain my recovery. I will have 12 years sober this month. I am married, have a career, and still have fun being sober. My family healed as well. My parents went to the parent meetings the whole time I was involved, and our relationship healed and the love in our family was restored. We still have a great relationship and spend time together often. I will always be grateful for my experience in Insight.

Insight saved our son�s life. We had tried every conventional means of treatment and were continuing the downward spiral of despair. He tried to stop the drugs and self destruction but wasn�t able to. And the doctors, counselors, medications and hospitalizations didn�t help for long. We came to Insight broken and hopeless. Our first conversation with Will gave us a little hope and our son related to the other kids. They had all been in the similar situations when they arrived. We went to our first parent support meeting and met parents with the same desire to help their children. They told stories that sounded very familiar and comforting in knowing their children had overcome the effects of drugs. They opened their hearts to our whole family. I called to talk, cry and ask advice anytime of the day or night. And the advice came from their experiences and most importantly from the love for their own child. We learned to work the program ourselves. It has given us our son back in a relationship I didn�t think was possible with a teenager. We are amazed at the dedication of the counselors. We meet with the counselors weekly for 9 months and called 3-4 times weekly. Will or Shannon always called back and helped us through the crisis. Will is on call 24/7 for the kids and parents. Insight has given our son tools he will use throughout his life. The 12 steps are specific for teenagers. Before Insight family meals were strained and short. Now our family dinners and get togethers are pleasant and frequent. We have always loved our son and now we love our times together.

My son had been in the Insight program for less than two weeks when we attended a "gratitude" meeting in November 2003, which takes place the night before Thanksgiving. At this meeting, anyone who wished could voice what they were thankful for. I was a little overwhelmed at this point in my life, so I didn't speak at the meeting. Every day (especially at this time) I had been praying for God to surrround my son with angels, to put people in his path that would show him a better way to live. People that would embrace him and love him. People that he could have a great time with, without getting "high". As I looked around the room, at all the young people with tattoos and crazy hair, I realized that my prayers had been answered. Those kids were not the "angels" that I had envisioned, but it goes to show that God works in mysterious ways. Now, over 18 months later, my son is clean and sober thanks to all the "angels" in his life at Insight. Oh, and at last year's Gratitude meeting, I did speak as I had much to be grateful for.

I could never have imagined last year that I would have a good job, a relationship with my folks, and friends that care about me and not the drugs I did. Not to mention, I never thought I'd be happy. A year ago, I needed a meth/pill/beer/beam/bong to wake up and feel decent. I was trashed constantly, and I didn't know how to stop. When I got a D.U.I., I shrugged it off because half of my friends had already gone through it and it appeared typical in the lineage of drunken mishaps I had come to accept as my destiny. I realize now and every day since I came to insight, that this instance was God stomping his foot and sending a message. My will carried me through one more drunken debachle, which landed me in jail one last time. This was it, surely I could give up the drink, or the drugs, surely I could settle for one or the this time. But just as soon as I pulled into the driveway of my mountain home, I was smoking pot, and I killed a bottle of Jim Beam. This time, I was scared that I was out of control, and I was. My folks called me twice, and Dad left the message this time, so I knew they found out about the incarceration earlier in the week. I went home to hear them yell, and they offered me a way out. It was everything I'd secretly been yearning for. When I met Glen, it was all I could do not to notice the happiness that radiated from his presence. He was freakin happy to see me, and that was in my mind, abnormal as hell. He led me into the shop, and I was hooked on this place. I was important, I belonged. I needed to stay there, and I just felt it, like you feel when you know something is right, you just feel o.k. I hadn't felt that way in so long, and that was just the beginning. I have come to love myself, and my friends more than the drugs I used to cherish. I am constantly consumed by an enthusiasm I never knew I could possess, and for that matter show to anyone, and so are the folks at insight. They showed my time after time that the principles of love and honesty in their daily lives allowed them peace of mind, serenity, and sobriety. These principles brought me out of the pitts of despair and back to the life I was meant to live. I got a second chance to do things the right way. I have never felt better, and I will always be grateful for the things I have learned and continue to learn in the insight program.