Best non 12 step program in the nation! I went through the saint Jude program in April of 2015 and completed in June 2015 and honestly it has completely changed my perspective on life. It is an outstanding program and it WILL give you the tools and knowledge to take on all obstacles that have been lingering or that will arise in the future. Whether it's substance abuse or everyday problems in life, this program without a doubt is the go to program. All of the staff there are all ears and are willing to help you get back on track, set goals, remain focused and be the person everyone loves!

St. Jude put the power of change forever into my life! When I went to Saint Jude I was so broken, so selfish, and so uninformed. Broken paths and relationships everywhere. I thought I was a slave to medicating myself ;and that in order to get sober would mean " white knuckling it" I learned at St. Jude that it's simply a choice! I am responsible for my choices and actions. I learned how to have fun again sober... by doing things sober! My life is full of so much joy being in charge of my decisions! I highly recommend it to anyone that is struggling or that has a family member struggling with addiction.

My time at St Jude Mountain Retreat I cannot say enough about my time at St Jude. When I arrived there, I had made a complete mess of my life... I was doing coke and pills like crazy, stolen from my parents, lied, you name it. This was the first place I had ever gone away to get help from. I got the opportunity to step back, evaluate my life, my choices, my mistakes. Working first with Joe and then with Holly made me take responsibility for things that were going on with me, and figure out what I wanted to do going forward as well as what I didn't. As for the program, I can only give my opinion/observations as like I said, I had never been to a rehab, etc so I have nothing to compare it to- I thought the food was decent, not a hugely great selection for a vegetarian (at the time) there was always a salad bar, but because it didn't get used as much, the stock wasn't circulated, I got bad cheese one time, etc. I enjoyed the interaction with the other guests immensely, but I did not agree with the fact that people could just show up to class when they wanted. Perhaps its the rule-follower deep down inside of me, but I felt it took away from my experience to see others sleeping in and coming to class and being disruptive and asking questions when they missed things they shouldn't have because they were sleeping. Also, I felt there was favoritism amongst the staff, and it killed me to see some of them be manipulated the way they were!!! You would think staff members who are used to dealing with guests who are master manipulators and liars would not be so easily played for a fool. For example, I became close friends with another girl while there, and was only so-so with my roommate. when she and I asked to live together, she was made to live in my room (the smallest double in the house) while my former roommate got to move into one of the largest doubles by herself. I was then asked to move again to accommodate other guests coming in, with less than a week to go in my stay, while my former roommate still got to live by herself, in a huge room, all because she had buddied-up with staff and was going to stay on additional weeks (and continue to pay). I know many factors are involved with the way the program is set up- when you arrive, who arrives when you do, etc- but I know I was in a group that had 4 other people because we all arrived at the same time, while one person that came in by themselves ended up getting individual attention and classes simply because she was the only one that arrived in that particular few days- I feel I could have really benefitted from one-on-one counseling, and I paid the same amount of money as that girl or my former roommate who got a huge double room to herself for 5 of the 6 weeks. On the other hand, both of those individuals are still lost with their lives not together, so maybe in the long run it didn't matter. I loved the outings, the shopping trips, the "beach" being so close by...and some of the people I was there with I still talk to on a nearly daily basis. When I got home, I stayed clean for about a month, then started doing drugs again.... I never really got to the point I had been, but I got pretty bad off. Honestly the biggest change to my life was getting pregnant with my daughter- I got pregnant 9 months after I left St Jude and it completely changed my outlook, my life. I am gainfully employed, pay my bills, and am present with my child... I also really, really like the person I have become, and I have no problem looking at myself in the mirror every morning. Even though I know that becoming a Mommy and responsible for another human was the biggest factor in my life changes, I cant help but know that the education and self awareness I got at St Jude gave me the foundation- not trying to blame my issues on addiction, becoming aware of my own decision making (good and bad) and having to face the consequences of those decisions. I had some amazing conversations with Holly about my childhood and my father and my issues with him and she really helped me to see things in a different light. Overall, my experience was incredibly positive and I hope that St Jude continues to do great work with others.

I am NOT Powerless I had believed that I was an alcoholic for 29 years and would always be an alcoholic. I believed that I had an incurable disease called alcoholism and that my anxiety caused me to drink. Once I took a drink I was powerless over alcohol and unable to stop. I thought only God could “restore me to sanity”. What I learned at St. Judes is that is simply not true. Learning about the true scientifically proven facts of human behavior I have been able to change my way of thinking. My drinking was a behavior that I could change. Once free of being a victim of alcoholism I was able to focus on the true issues that troubled me and impeded me from living my life in true happiness. I have found ways to direct my thoughts and actions towards long term life changes that will support me throughout the rest of my life. Everyone has the power within them to make these changes. One simply has to want to make these changes and then do the work to define and reach long term sustainable goals that support this happiness. The staff at St. Judes provided the environment, information and guidance to make this shift in my thinking. The St. Judes Executive Retreat was a comfortable and safe environment for me to "retreat to" so I could work on myself without the interruptions of daily living (unless I chose to). The environment, the house and the staff were all friendly, caring and supportive of helping me to help myself. St Judes is like no other program available that I am aware of. I experienced a paradigm shift that has changed my life forever. Maybe I would have eventually stumbled upon this change but going to St. Judes sure made it easier.

Mountain Retreat - Inspiring I kind of stumbled upon Saint Jude’s Program during a google search marathon. And consider myself very fortunate to have done so. It was not the non-12 step method that appealed to me, as much as the all-encompassing approach towards life skills improvement. What I most appreciate about the experience was the perspective that my devastatingly destructive behaviors were in fact very logical. Drinking and drugging, as irrational as it seemed (for an extremely longtime I might add), had a purpose. A simple desire for pleasure, regardless of consequence. And, it was my responsibility to choose if that immediate gratification was worth it. Or, if there were more productive ways to spend my time and energy in search for pleasure, more difficult ways, more satisfying ways… Obviously this is easier said than done, and there is nothing revolutionary about instant vs. deferred gratification. But thanks to education on scientific concepts such as neuroplasticity and a thorough self-analysis I was able to gain the insight and perspective that I required to make the necessary effort to change. I’m definitely still a work in progress, and will always be… and that’s a good thing. I will forever be grateful for my experience at SJP. I’m a better person because of it, whatever the future holds. I took the program seriously and got involved with all the educational opportunities offered. Not everyone did, but that was there decision. It is definitely a lot of money to spend for a holiday. I was not an anti-12-step person when I entered SJP, but when I reflect on my using and drinking trajectory, my true ‘rock bottom’ was accepting powerlessness. Once I became ‘diseased’ my habits got exponentially worse. Saint Jude’s Program made it clear to me that I had the power to change my choices, and that it was my responsibility to do so, or not. I truly dodged a bullet by not attending a 12-step program again. The staff and educators were great, as was the food. The accommodations were good, but could use a little tune-up. The location was wonderful, with a lot of nature and tranquility. Highly recommend.