Below is a story that was sent to one of our member programs from a former student:
Success Story
When I felt like everything was falling apart and that there were no answers, and no one understood me, my life seemed impossible. Prior to arriving at the Chrysalis school, this was a constant struggle and a reality. The most frustrating part was that I felt that my good days felt shorter and less frequent than the bad ones, that I was in so deep that there was no turning back. An intervention in the form of a massive therapeutic overhaul was needed to show me something important. And that thing was not all my faults, in fact, it was that I was strong enough to overcome my mistakes and move forward.
What I realize now is that desperation makes us feel helpless, and in that state of mind there are indeed very few ways to change. Once I owned my fear and my failures and the imperfection of my process, I could accept the help of others and treat myself with compassion. Through various experiences at Chrysalis, I grew into the young woman I am today.
I am a hiker, biker, musician, friend, cook, student, and a human being. I discovered through the course of my treatment that all of these things and more are true about me, and that I can share them with the world. Now, I can inspire and change the world because I have found a way of living that allows me to enjoy my time on this earth. And that, not my problems, makes me who I am.
The two years I spent at a therapeutic boarding school were about my experience in the classroom, my outdoor and extracurricular activities, and my friends. Those things were building blocks, but the true alterations to my thought processes and the nurturing of my spirit came from within me.
Chrysalis was the school I attended. It was my home, and it guided me in the correct direction as I moved through my journey. Treatment doesn’t change you, which is a common misconception. It is simply a platform to build upon.
We as humans need others to help us to look at the hard things that are happening, to support and to teach us, to love us. Chrysalis provided that because I needed more than what my family and friends could provide. Now I am a success. Be brave, and step forward into healing.
NATSAP 