TESTIMONIAL BY DENISE A.

Compassion and Support

My story of our family and treating specialists interaction with Safe Harbor is one of extraordinary success. We will always owe them a deep debt of gratitude.

My daughter who suffers from serious concurrent disorders including medical, psychiatric and substance abuse problems was literally given a second chance at life by Safe Harbor. All other treatment specialists, therapies and programs had failed and we were desperate. My daughter arrived at Safe Harbor following Wilderness Therapy (at 2nd Nature, Utah, an impoartant first step and critical starting place that I would stongly recommend). In California, we were picked up from the airport by a wonderful professional, warm and healthy looking female Safe Harbor staff. We would never have guessed that she had ever had any of the problems my daughter was suffering from. When she candidly shared her recovery story, this first very important interaction, showed us right off that recovery, health, happiness and productivity was possible This was our new beginning at this very scarry time.

Safe Harbor was recommended by numerous reputable sources including senior treating specialists in Canada and the United States, an educational consultant and the wilderness therapy program. It was one of only two options for someone with the complexity of my daughter’s issues. The Safe Harbor Program Director supervised and guided every aspect of my daughter’s care. She consulted with my daughter, myself and our family therapist and kept us informed and closely involved in every struggle, care delivery decision, and helped us all to understand and cope with relapse and progress. I developed unfailing confidence in Safe Harbor’s commitent, compassion and ability to support my daughter’s slow, complicated and most importantly successful recovery journey. Safe Harbor proved very connected to resoures in the therapuetic community and was able find additional services by excellent therapists to meet some of my daughter’s unique needs.

My daughter benefited substantially and would not have recovered without the insight, compassion, and support of Safe Harbor staff. She required and received 24/7 therapeutic support. The Program DIrector has selected and trained excellent staff, who having experienced recovery, have first hand knowledge, specific targeted training for the client base, and accordingly the ability to interact, recognize the needs, fears, self-denial and self-defeating behaviours of clients that we as parents and family members cannot know, cope with or help our loved ones. My daughter has grown to love these people. They formed the foundation beneath her feet when she felt she had no place to land and they helped her build a path forward sometimes minute by minute, hour by hour and day by day. She would never have stayed in the treatement she so badly needed without their demonstrated caring and conviction.

Safe Harbor’s culinary program is extraordinary.I mention this because self-care including healthy eating are often distorted and life threatenting challenges. Safe Harbor spares no expensense at emphasizing and encouraging healthy eating. The chef is remarkable. While always demonstrating healthy boundaries which was important to my daughter in itself, he noticed the things she liked, presented the food beautifully and helped her rediscover an appetite and interest in healthy eating. Regular and communcal eating is montored and supported as are alll eating behaviours..

The varied therpeutic programs and staff therapists provided critical support of my daughter for trauma and other major disorders. On site visits with therapists and from a psychiarist and dietician also supported her progress in the comfort and familiarity of the Capella premises. The facilities look and feel like home with lovely spacious cottages and gorgeous gardens.

The location perfectly supports graduated independence. My daughter arrived unable to leave her room. As she developed, she was supported to move farther from the main building to the attractive cottages that are attached. This was visible to her as progress. She was accompanied to the many local activities including gym, yoga, AA, NA, grocery, pharmacy, movie theatre which are all nearby and in walking distance. As she progressed she could venture to these places with other people in the program. This also was progress. She eventually was able to move to sober living with continuing therapeutic supports. Her progress has entirely been owed to her own efforts to work hard with the many staff and treating specialists who have been involved in her care and in particular to the caring, specialized knowledge, attention and customized treatment at Safe Harbor. I thank all of them!