I’m clean 4 years thanks to Retorno. I never believed anyone could help me. The staff at Retorno never gave up on me, even after I gave up on myself.
– Anonymous, Brooklyn
I personally went through the retorno program for about 6 months. Literally reborn. Retorno has first of all made me realise that i am an addict and have an illness called addiction. The actual abstinence of using already opened up my eyes to see the horrible reality i was living in. Total denial, complete insanity. Slowly i started taking in the program which is the 12 steps and drank it like water. The first time in my life i was surrounded by total acceptance of who i am. I could relate and understand all the other addicts about our misery and pain we went through. I felt belonging and comfortable to share anything. Finally a place that doesnt judge me for how i behave, dress, pray or achievements. Retorno has taught me tools that i carry and will carry with me for the rest of my life-one day at a time. One of the most important ones is gratitude. I am extremely grateful to Retorno for giving me new life.
– Shlomo, London
Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if my daughter had not gone to Retorno. Most likely she’d have continued the self destructive and self loathing cycle she was caught up in. Every day she spent in Retorno, I thanked G-d that she was there, safe and getting help, not chas vechallila sleeping in the street somewhere or even worse – dead.
My daughter stayed in the teenage program at Retorno for 2 years! I can honestly say that I have never met such dedicated and professional people in my life. The unconditional love combined with firm boundaries not only helped her but my entire family. Retorno became our home!
It wasn’t always easy. There were many struggles along the way but the staff were always there with their support. They were there to pick her up when she fell, to lift her up afterwards and help her fly.
There will always be a special place in my heart for all of the incredible people we met throughout our journey, both the professionals and fellow families in the program. Thank you Retorno, for helping my child to live again!!!!
– Batya, Israel
Our son was addicted to Heroin. He had been in several rehabs in the US, yet the morning after he returned home from months in rehab, I found him gray and not breathing. Hatzalah came and told me that he was saved literally minutes before it was too late. It was at that point that we sent him to Retorno. We bought a one-way ticket on a non-stop flight and they picked him up on the other side. In his 6 months at Retorno, he was able to kick the habit. It has been several years and, to the best of my knowledge, he has not used narcotics once.
Retorno was in contact with me at all stages, and my wife and I flew to Israel for Family Therapy after 6 months, which opened our eyes to our son’s inner feelings and what drove him to addiction.
Our son decided to make Aliyah and today he has a job and lives a meaningful life. We have much appreciation to all the people at Retorno who saved his life.
– A Rabbi
I have lived 39 miserable years of my life until i made the right decision, my only right decision ever: to admit myself into Retorno. I have not regretted since. Retorno opened my eyes to many aspect of my inner self that I wasnt aware of before. Their amazing staff has helped me in every step of my life since. I learned all: the very basics of awareness and honesty and many lifesaving tools. I wish just I would have done this 20 years before. Thank you Retorno for I celebrate my real birthday the day I took the plane to come to you!!
– M.Y.
What did I gain from Retorno? In a real sense, I gained the reins to my life. Just as a horse rider’s reins allow him to more maneuver through an obstacle-laden course, so too, by using the reins I received at Retorno, I am avoiding major pitfalls that used to ensnare me.
Stable owners keep a variety of reins for different situations. At Retorno, I developed an array of tools and tactics to keep my life on track in the face of a myriad of circumstances. Some of the most treasured implements in my kit are: a tight organizational framework, strict adherence to a code of ethics, an affinity for drawing birds and plants, an acute awareness of my emotional state, and a genuine passion for life.
The proof is in the pudding. While in the Hostel program I achieved a higher level in my career path than I had before at any point in my life. Striving for balance, I carve time out to study Torah every day. On top of that, I engage in hobbies that give my life a unique flavor, maintain relationships with friends and family, and go to therapy/NA groups.
What helped me be successful at Retorno? The first step was to take to heart that my disease will kill me if left untreated. Every day became (and still is) a literal fight for my life. I accustomed myself to waking up an hour before everyone else to do yoga, meditation, and hitbodedut (a form of Jewish prayer). During cigarette breaks I would memorize Hebrew words from lists that I kept handy in my pocket. When given time to rest or nap I would work-out or volunteer to do something for the community.
I took a leap forward in my treatment when I built up the courage to start asking people for help. Especially with translation. The eagerness my friends exhibited in helping me both surprised and delighted me. Noticing I didn’t have this enthusiasm, I resolved to build this trait within myself. I began by doing at least one act of kindness each day and writing about it at night. I believe that small incremental progress each day can do great things. As a result, I cultivated a variety of positive character traits and disposed of a slew of negative ones.
Another powerful mantra I adopted was getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. No matter the activity, I forced myself to be an active participant. Especially if it was difficult or embarrassing. Whether we were rebuking others for making us angry, confessing to the rules we broke, or just opening up about our feelings, I thrust myself into these uncomfortable situations with a religious zeal. It didn’t make me the most popular person in the group, but it did build me up.
And after being out of the program almost 6 months, how do I feel about Retorno? I feel the way one feels about their parents who didn’t spoil them when they were a child. And now, upon realizing for the first time that they did not turn out to be a brat, is eternally grateful. Every day I see the lessons learned in Retorno come into play. Far from being perfect, I don’t always win the battles. Still, more often than not, I am fighting on familiar territory.
I have noticed a fundamental shift in the way I think, the kind of change in basic nature that people don’t believe can occur, especially in an addict. In a real sense, I owe the fact that I can wake up and face the difficult days that I face to my experience at Retorno. Words cannot express the gratitude I have for the place and the love I have for the people who saved my life and save the lives of others there day in and day out. I just hope that I can do justice to the gift they have given me and give some of it back to those in need of help.
– James
