Testimonials

Student Testimonials

• I think I have changed how I used to take my mom, home, and friends for granted. Like I always expected them to be there and I used to always expect to get things. Now I know I need to earn them.
• I've grown, matured, and taken responsibility.
• I see how my past life hurt me and everyone around me. It helped me change these ways.
• I think I have learned to deal with my problems and communicate with my parents better.
• I have become self-reliant, clear, responsible, happy, and sober.
• I believe I have boosted my self-esteem, learned ways to cope with anger, and learned to communicate better in hard situations.
• I don't have an interest in doing drugs anymore, and I'm actually feeling my emotions.
• I think I can express my feelings and deal with them more openly, and I also look at life more positively.
• I feel that I am physically and emotionally stronger, and have higher self-esteem and better communication skills with family.
• I have become more confident, secure, and mature while here.
• I admit to my faults and insecurities now. I feel less defensive and more helpful, understanding and open.
• I am more open-minded and honest. I have less trouble sharing experiences and feelings.
• I truly know myself and am willing to receive feedback. It has helped me with having to deal with drugs and negative influences.
• More willing to follow my heart. Have gained more confidence and am now looking forward to the future. I am more clear-minded and I know how to communicate better.
• I have found myself and learned to control my anger.
• I have rethought what my goals are for the future. I am now off drugs, and plan to stay straight the rest of my life.
• I changed my attitude toward life and what I want to do when I'm older.
• I am more mature and have better communication skills.
• I'm going to respect my mom and quit doing drugs.
• I think I am more open to constructive criticism, and I believe that being able to communicate with parents, especially my mom, has improved.
• I think that I have learned to control my behaviors and old attitudes.
• I've grown to accept the things I cannot change.
• I have learned a better way of communicating with the "I feel" statements.
• I have matured and learned different skills, which helped me grow.
• I think I have become more set on what I want for my life, and I have grown more in touch with my emotions and how to express them.
• I have become more open-minded and have found other positive ways to enjoy myself.
• I have changed the way I handle my issues and my overall thoughts on life.
• Stronger emotionally, mentally, physically.
• I've realized my past actions were destroying me and my family.
• I love my parents and myself more. I am drug-free, I started a new life, and solved a lot of problems.
• I am open to feedback. I am ready for real life.
• I now have respect for myself and others. I appreciate life more now.
• I have changed in the way I look at things, and my priorities have changed.

Parent Testimonials

• We couldn't ask for anything better!
• The "I feel" statement works well and I will use it with [my child] from now on.
• I think it's great!
• Overwhelming, impressive, informative.
• Wonderful for our family, and a very important part of the process of coming to Aspen and preparing for going home.
• Well organized, wonderfully executed. Excellent re-bonding experience.
• Well thought out, caring, respectful, yet emotional.
• The wonderful letters we received let me know that our child was receiving the right kind of help.
• Improvement in child's attitude and behavior.
• Incredibly supportive and sensitive handling of family pain at graduation. Helps high-risk kids to begin to get to know who they really are and to find and develop strengths they thought they didn't have.
• The caring, supportive manner of the staff.
• Caring, concern, and competence of staff/teaching program excellent.
• The genuine caring combined with a very knowledgeable staff – sensitive to our feelings as well as our child's.
• The relationship between the kids and all of the staff.
• The overall philosophy of using nature, hiking, etc. to provide "lessons of life" and character building.
• I enjoyed all the groups as well as the challenges.
• Overall I was really impressed with the concern and care of the counselors for the children. I think the kids really felt this, and it made a big difference.
• Our child's positive change in attitude and growth in self-confidence and understanding of the reasons that led us to Aspen.
• The professionalism and care the staff gave each of the children. The philosophy of the program.
• Communication with therapist and family good. Communication with family therapist at home and with Aspen good. We picked Aspen due to family involvement.
• What we hoped for, but seemed impossible, but you did it!
• My child's personal growth.