Below are excerpts from statements of some of our clients:
“… if not for the sincere effort of CCJ’s Cheri DeGroot, I would not have had the confidence to face my addiction. She built hope for recovery in me. She helped me set small goals and get them accomplished. She helped me believe I was worth it and for that reason it has given me great Joy to pass those hopes on to others struggling.
Today, I am giving back. I am currently a live in, Resident Advisor for a program that teaches men how to be self-sufficient. I have a great job and do work that helps the community. I am rebuilding the broken relationships in my life. I have gained a level of self-respect that I didn’t know was possible. All in all, my experience with CCJ was one of the most important experiences in my adult life.”
“I have been on probation for almost a year now with CCJ. Doug seems really interested in how I view things about my situation and where I want to go after probation. I really appreciate that he is willing to listen to me about the changes I have made since I got my 2nd OWI. I am trying to get this past me and be the true me, SOBER me. I have taken a great deal from this terrible choice I decided to make, but I believe that I’ve come a long way in life; from drinking every weekend, excessive amounts of alcohol, to now being completely sober and free from the drug that has caused me so much pain, stress, and trouble over the years. I was just mainly in a state of denial and not seeing the broader picture of it almost ruining my life. I have learned that your true friends are the ones who support every move and choice you make in life that doesn’t involve alcohol. The road ahead of me looks bright as I am keeping true to my word of being sober and keeping my life that way.”
“I have learned a lot from my probation officer, Christy, at CCJ. She has taught me the importance of being organized. At first probation was a little rocky, but she stressed how important this situation was on my future. I had made some poor choices in the past, and even with it being that long ago, I have to deal with the consequences now. I know I cannot change the past, but I can learn from my mistakes and take it with me in my journey through life. I have two young children, and I hope that I can give them the knowledge I learned from this experience. I have also helped a few of my family and friends by expressing how important it is to make better decisions, and really how easy it is to say no. I have cut out the friends that where bringing me down, and brought in the ones that really want to help me succeed in life and that honestly care. I’ve learned from this experience and I have learned the tools to go on with making better decisions now. Once again, thank you for this.”
“Supervision with CCJ has had a positive impact in my school work. I have boosted my GPA up with each semester and have obtained my first two 3.0 GPA semesters at Iowa State. I found it very helpful speaking to Mark Kubik on a monthly bases because he would give me the reassurance that I am smart and I have so many opportunities that don’t need to be jeopardized by fighting and abusing alcohol. I think that he has given me extreme confidence to succeed in life and his guidance has helped me become a better man.”
“I have been able to reflect on the things I had done which lead to me getting in trouble. Meeting with Christy once a month allowed me to discuss the things that had me struggling in school and the wrong decisions I had make in my life. As you know I was charged with drug paraphernalia, I looked at marijuana as a stress reliever when really it was the cause of my stress. At the time I got in trouble I was failing calculus II and was wondering if I would graduate from Iowa State University. Now that I am no longer dependent of marijuana, I have been doing better in school. I passed calculus II and managed a 3.33 GPA last semester putting me back on track to graduation. I don’t regret getting caught, for if I hadn’t got caught I would have never been able to fix these things about me without being afraid of getting in even more trouble. Now that I have completed my probation I know I won’t ever go back to the way I used to be. I took this as a lesson, which has made me mature and discovered what I don’t want to be in life.”
“I have enjoyed my experience going through CCJ. I really liked the program and the way that they handle their clients. They are very personable and help you to realize what you have done wrong and how to make the correct decisions in the future. Carolyn made me feel comfortable and was sure to let me know that what I had done was not acceptable. She was always very welcoming and accepting but definitely kept me on track to finishing my probationary period in an efficient time period. She was always on top of things and let me know what I still needed to have done. Every month we set new goals and I was expected to achieve them by our next meeting.”
“Throughout this process, I have gained the strength to lead a substance free and more responsible life with the help of those closest to me. I have completely changed my perspective on drugs and alcohol, which in turn helped me to be more successful in my personal, professional and academic life. I have grown to be a goal oriented person, working towards these goals on a daily basis.”