St. Joseph Institute for Addiction

To make a long story short: SJI saved my life. To make a short story long: I came to SJI ~1 year after a suicide attempt left me in the hospital and ~2 weeks after I formulated a more elaborate plan to end my life that absolutely would have succeeded if external factors hadn't sabotaged it. I was at the absolute end of my rope. I've struggled with my mental health and depression for 26 years, attempting to strangle myself when I was just 7 years old. Despite having all the boxes in life checked and on paper everything to live for, I was drowning in a pit of despair. I no longer cared who I would destroy if I ended it all, I just wanted out and the pain to end. I didn't realize it at the time, but I was drowning myself in alcohol to numb the pain and barely keeping my head above water. I came to SJI a husk of a person but determined to work the program, if not for myself than the people I loved. What I found here was an opportunity to learn to love myself for perhaps the first time. The beautiful, secluded campus offered me plenty of time to untwist in nature, get to know an amazing group of people that I am still in contact with, and receive help from some wonderful counselors, RAs, and nurses. I got the opportunity to meditate daily and experience a sound bath for the first time, two practices I've brought home and continue to this day. Despite having years of therapy under my belt, both the large and small groups helped me get in touch with my issues and learn some better coping skills in a new way, though I definitely preferred the small groups with my counselor and her other clients. The psychiatrist re-balanced my medication to a better treatment and listened when I needed adjusting. I won't say it's all sunshine and rainbows, there's always room for improvement and there are some members of the staff that could definitely benefit from some additional training and organization. Mindset definitely plays a big part of recovery, though, and because I was willing to put everything I had into working the program I absolutely got a new lease on life. I'm writing this 4 months after discharge. I am 5 months sober. I am 4.5 months free of suicidal thinking. I still have bad days, I'm human, but they no longer pull me down into the dark pits they used to. I have a new, amazing group of friends that _get it_ and I know that when I'm having a bad day that I'm not alone. I want to specifically thank my counselor, Carol, the RAs Joe, Summer, Mike, Lenny, Dave and Tommy, the nurses Amy, Tanya, Jordan and Bridgette, and the alumni coordinator Melissa. Everyone I crossed paths with played a huge part in saving my life, but you all especially stand out in my heart.

St. Joes is an absolute paradise! Such a beautiful place to go and work on yourself. The staff are amazing and the treatment is so productive. They're pulling strings you may not realize to help you!! Thanks to St. Joes I've found me again. He was lost for a long time in the fog of a deep depression, masking that with substance use, I thought he was gone forever. Thank you guys so much for an opportunity to live again, not just exist. If you are struggling and need help, give them a call. They will pick you up and mark will call you everyday until they do to ask how you are doing! I've never been to a more beautiful place that helps you as a whole being, mind, body, and soul! Chuck Rose

My final 2 rehab stays were at St. Joes. Even though I wasn't able to remain sober after leaving 😕 it was my experience at St. Joes that I firmly believe got me on the path I'm on today. When I relapsed after my 1st stay there was no doubt where I would go after detox. Silver Pines was the only other rebab that came close to offering a true experience that could lead to recovery from addiction. The many others I went to prior only offered a 30 day separation from my drug of choice...alcohol 🍸. St. Joes offered real therapy with fantastic therapist's. The groups that not only were led by therapist's many were led by the RA's...a awesome group of people who I believe are the backbone of St. Joes. I would hope St.Joes and the upper echelon realize how much they contribute to everyone's recovery. I would be remiss to not add the nursing staff to my comments. I could on and on talking about them and the doc. All were professional, caring, thoughtful and more...much more. The housekeeping staff were up there with the rest and I can't leave out the kitchen staff and the head honcho. I'm deliberately not mentioning specific people as I wouldn't want anyone to think they weren't part of my recovery, because everyone was and still is. Naturally I had my favorites 😌 and I'm sure they know who they are. I see a few smiles 😃 Also maintenance....specifically the guys that would retrieve the newspaper from the front gate...meant alot to me. My only issue is St. Joes wouldn't be the incredible rehab it is without the staff I talked about and the ones I hope I didn't fail to mention. One way of retaining staff would naturally be increasing pay and benefits. A no brainer. I know most are in recovery and this is a stepping stone to hopefully bigger and better things. Some that left went to other careers but some went to other recovery jobs. Pay was usually the #1 issue. I would hope when I and others come back to visit some of the staff who were very instrumental in my recovery would still be around. It would be a major disappointment not seeing at least some of staff who helped me get to the place I'm at. I plan on going to the Pittsburgh Zoo next weekend and hope to not only see Shaina but other staff. Last time I was unable to go as I was at a PHP then a 3/4 house before returning 🏡 Well I'm long winded so it's time to be quiet. Thanks doesn't even begin to show my gratitude but THANKS SO VERY MUCH. DON A. Greenock, Pgh.PA. THE VERY BEST TO YOU ALL......