This past month, several clients and staff in Phase III of the Women’s Program headed up to Mount Snow in Southern Vermont for a full day of skiing and snowboarding in the picturesque Green Mountains. Vermont has some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the world and Mount Snow is a favorite destination of Turnbridge clients due to its varied terrain, which is suitable for all skill levels. Many clients are trying skiing or snowboarding for the first time, while others who are more experienced are placed in a leadership role.

“We all had a blast,” said Jessica Giunta, Women’s Support Staff Manager. “Between Emma ripping up the slopes and Alyssa tumbling down them, we all had a great time and we were able to really bond.”

“Ski trips are something I personally look forward to every year and they never disappoint,” said a Phase III client.

Charlie M., a Phase III client in the Turnbridge Men’s Program, grew up in a loving family alongside his older brother and twin sister.

He was raised on the west coast, but later moved east to Connecticut. Though Charlie was blessed with a supportive family system and many natural gifts, he is no stranger to adversity.

“I first started smoking weed and drinking when I was 13,” said Charlie. “And I loved it right away. It was just a good time. At that time, I was good at sports and was a pretty good student. I was having a lot of fun, but also knew what I needed to do in order to be able to keep having fun.” Despite Charlie’s understanding that fun “in moderation” was vital to continued social and academic success, he began to struggle more and more with tempering his substance use.

“It slowly got worse,” said Charlie. “I kept getting into more and more trouble and falling in and out of depression. A few years ago my mother passed away and that hit really hard. At that point, I was using to self-medicate my depression.”

“I had successfully gotten into college, but I eventually fell into a full mental breakdown,” said Charlie. “I was drinking every day heavily and got into multiple car accidents. The crazy thing was that I was not concerned about my drinking. I was more concerned with getting into trouble with my family.”

“Eventually I sought out help,” said Charlie. “I went to an inpatient program for my drinking and mental health. They recommended Turnbridge for continuing care, which I was very excited about. I was nervous at first. Coming to a new place and learning a new way of life sounded great on paper, but doing it is a whole different story.”

“Phase I was pretty simple,” reflected Charlie. “I used therapy, and the ability to start creating an outside sober network, to help cope with things I was going through. The whole staff - case managers, support staff, and even the kitchen staff - helped me get over certain fears or get through the anxiety I was experiencing.”

“Beginning in Phase II, I started volunteering and enrolled in college classes,” said Charlie. “I started going deeper into my recovery and mending relationships. The relationship with my family is incredible now and I owe my experience here and the work I’ve been doing to Turnbridge.”

Charlie is now enrolled at Fairfield University and is finishing up his undergraduate degree. He plans to remain in the area after discharging from Turnbridge to continue his growth with his sober network in New Haven. Charlie has taken on the role of leadership in the Phase III community. He reaches out to newer Phase I clients and drives them to twelve step meetings frequently.

“It gets better,” said Charlie. “I found being honest with how I am feeling and what is going on is the best way to move forward to lead a productive, happy life.”

Turnbridge Alumni, Bobby B. grew up in Wayne, Pennsylvania with his mother, father, and two sisters.

Bobby excelled in school and played multiple sports. “I always loved math and science and baseball,” said Bobby. “In high school, I started wrestling and rowing crew as well. The summer before sophomore year is when I started drinking and smoking weed. I loved the feeling. I remember feeling like I liked it a little too much.”

“Throughout middle school, I was bullied and made fun of,” said Bobby. “As a result, I had a ton of anxiety growing up. When I started drinking and smoking, the social anxiety was gone. Using substances made me feel different and happy.”

“I switched schools twice and ended up at Saint Joe’s Prep in Philadelphia, which I liked a lot,” said Bobby. “But, I had struggles wherever I went. During my junior year I really started struggling with depression and I started using a lot of psychedelics, like mushrooms and LSD.

“I went off to University of Vermont,” said Bobby. “I had more freedom and less responsibility and accountability. My addiction started getting worse and the mental health and depression became unbearable. Every day at UVM I smoked and drank, and I started to lose friends. My parents started to realize there was a problem.”

“When I came back home for winter break and I was so out of it,” said Bobby. “I couldn’t hold a conversation. Nothing I said made sense and I was losing my sense of reality. I ended up going to Caron for 30 days of treatment.”

“Caron recommended I continue my treatment at Turnbridge,” said Bobby. “I didn’t know if I really wanted to go, but I was willing to try it out. There was definitely a lot of back and forth, but I told myself, let’s just see how this goes.”

“When I came to Turnbridge, I thought it was amazing,” said Bobby. “I made a lot of friends with clients and staff. I started feeling gratitude for the recovery community around me and started realizing how lucky I was to have the life I have.”

“My therapist helped me slowly deal with the passing of my younger sister,” said Bobby. “She passed away when she was 2 years old, but with support I realized I could make it through anything. My case managers helped me get into the recovery process and create a life worth living, even with mental illness. I needed a network, and my peers and staff helped me put a plan in place, establish a routine, and eventually get back into school.”

“Phase II was a good reality check that not everything in my life is going to be given to me on a silver platter,” said Bobby. “I eventually was able to get a job and start taking classes again, while volunteering at a soup kitchen. This experience opened my eyes to what I can do and that there are no limits as long as I maintain balance in everything.”

“I was seeing things through for the first time in my life,” said Bobby. “I always did things half-assed, but I started finishing what I started and my word meant more than it used to. I always have to remember to stay open minded and trust the process. It eventually all works out if I can remain honest.”

After completing the Turnbridge program, Bobby moved back to Philadelphia where he continues to work and go to school. He has created a sober network using the tools he learned at Turnbridge. “My parents and I have learned to talk to each other and support one another through this process and it has been a wild but eye-opening journey,” said Bobby. “I wouldn’t have changed anything I did to get to where I am today. Everyone at Turnbridge has helped my life progress immensely and I will be forever grateful.”