Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre

I was 17 when my mom placed me in AARC. I was angry and didn't want to be there because I didn't think I had a problem with drugs. AARC helped me to recognize how I had been using drugs to cope with pain from my past. They helped me deal with this pain, and I realized I didn't need to keep using to escape reality. I am now over 10 years sober, and just finished my 3rd year of a Child Studies degree. AARC may not be for everyone, but I am forever grateful that it saved my life.

My son was using drugs and suicidal. I tried counselling for the family as well as individually. I tried tough love and even got the police involved. Nothing worked. This organization saved all our lives. My relationship with my family and my co workers was healthier and more honest. I have a great support group now and so do the rest of my family. I highly recommend this treatment centre. It saves lives.

AARC saved my son's life, but only his life, but my family's life as well. Addiction is the unsung destroyer of families and it has become its own pandemic, AARC has given us a second chance.

AARC saved us all from a life of misery. Our family was being torn up and our 15yr old son was out of control. Daily life was full of crazy events that stem from addiction. AARC taught us that recovery is all about progress, not perfection, and gave us the tools to live a better life. Thank you AARC, we are so grateful.

Our family graduated from the AARC program in 1995. A difficult yet rewarding experience that has brought our immediate family much closer. We all benefited from this experience. Well worth the sacrifices we had to make for our 9 1/2 month journey.

For a year I watched helplessly as my 14 year old daughter spiralled into drug addiction. By the time we got to AARC in 2007,I had exhausted every possible avenue available to me and I was literally at the end of the rope. I was welcomed with open arms by families who knew exactly what I was going through. It was probably the hardest, but most rewarding year of my life. My daughter learned the solution and was given the tools she needed to live in Recovery and I was given a new way of living through AlAnon. I am forever grateful, and continue to support an organization where Miracles do happen!

AARC was recommended to us by our psychologist (from an intervention consulting firm we hired to help our beautiful child who was get sicker and sicker with the illness of addiction).It was the last play we had - our child had been in and out of several treatment centres and attempts to get well (one lasting several months in California and yet, sadly our child quickly relapsed).We were terrified and truly exhausted.AARC saved our child without a doubt.It took a commitment of time, grit and emotion but here we are now - six and a half years later with a sober child, attending school, working full time, living independently and giving back to a community of kids who are struggling in a very similar way.To say we are grateful would be the biggest understatement we could give.To those parents reading posts on how to help your kid suffering from addiction; I say, CALL AARC and ask to speak with an intake specialist and then ask to speak with a few parents who went through the program alongside their child and ask them about their experience at AARC.It will make you feel heard and understood.No one wants to live in fear of losing a dear child to drugs. No one.Reach out and speak with other parents who understand your pain and fear.Not a day goes by that we don’t remember how precious it is to be living alongside our happy, sober child.

I am forever grateful and indebted to AARC for the life-saving work they did for my son. Words cannot express the immense gratitude I feel towards this organization. Our journey with AARC has been nothing short of remarkable, and I wholeheartedly give them a well-deserved 5-star rating.AARC provided the caring and support that we couldn't find elsewhere. The entire community at AARC is simply amazing. From the dedicated staff members to the incredible miracles witnessed in the lives of countless kids, AARC has created a truly transformative environment.The commitment shown by the families and the exceptional network of support make AARC stand out. Everyone involved is fully dedicated to the recovery process, and it is evident that this commitment is integral to the success stories that emerge from AARC. The level of care and support my son received surpassed all expectations.Choosing AARC was the best decision we made. I have absolutely no regrets, and if given the chance, I would make the same decision all over again. I wholeheartedly recommend AARC to anyone in need. They are a beacon of hope and healing for those struggling with addiction.From the bottom of my heart, I want to express my deepest gratitude to AARC. The work they do is truly life-changing, and I consider us incredibly lucky to have found such an exceptional program. I sincerely wish that more options like AARC become available across Canada.Thank you, AARC, for everything you have done for my son and our family. You have my highest recommendation.

I am so grateful for AARC. I finally found a place that could help my son struggling with addiction and provide much-needed support for me and the rest of my family. The staff were so professional and supportive. At AARC, I met other parents in the same boat as me. They could relate to me without judgement, and we could support each other. When I found AARC, I had already placed my 16-year-old son into PChAD three times and into an AHS residential treatment program. I was lost and exhausted. AARC introduced my family to the 12-step model of Alcoholics Anonymous. I had no idea what it was. But while my son was in treatment, I, too, started to feel better. I began to understand how his addiction had hurt the whole family and that we needed to heal too. AARC helped us do that. It has been a difficult journey, but one that I have not taken alone—the clinical staff, the AARC alums and other parents in treatment have been there for us every step of the way. Thank you, AARC, for showing us how to live in recovery.