My son was 14 years old when he entered treatment at Family Center for Recovery. He had suicidal thoughts, hallucinations and delusions, and desperately needed a proper medication regime and accurate diagnoses. We had been trying to determine what was wrong for almost a decade already. We were depleted and discouraged from all of the previous attempts, even from highly regarded doctors and hospitals.
FCFR was the beginning of a journey for our entire family, not just for our son. He did, indeed, receive the diagnoses, medications and therapy that he so desperately needed, and became stable and healthy. Along the way, we were supported by hundreds of other families, provided with resources to learn all we could about our son’s illness, and treated as family by the psychiatrist and everyone on the treatment team. We were advised to seek our own personal therapy, and taught about how every family member is affected by and responsible for contributing to the recovery of the patient.
I believe it was no coincidence that this particular treatment program was successful with our son where others had failed. Part of it is the family education and support mentioned above. Another critical difference is that the psychiatrist who owns and operates FCFR is quadruple-certified in his field. This is rare. It is also rare to find a program that does not rush patients through, but instead realizes that they must all heal at their own pace. Determining an accurate diagnosis along with the most effective medications where needed, takes time and careful monitoring. If this process is rushed or cut short, treatment is compromised. Perhaps the most important difference in this program is that it operates under evidence-based treatment methods, which exponentially improves the odds of success for patients who are willing to fully participate in their treatment.
Sadly, the vast majority of treatment centers in Florida are not operated by qualified psychiatrists like Dr. Moran, but by people with no medical training whatsoever. The “treatment” being provided is ineffective at best and dangerous at worst. So many well-meaning families have been fooled by slick advertising, only to find that their loved one is not receiving appropriate treatment in any way.
A year after my son was admitted, he was thriving as an outpatient. In fact, he was in remission from any psychiatric symptoms, something we had never thought possible. That’s when things fell apart for me quite suddenly and completely unexpectedly. I did not have a history of mental illness, although I did carry a genetic predisposition and had undergone chronic stress for years in a variety of areas of my life.
I was 54 years old, I had advanced degrees and a successful professional career. I had taught as a college professor and owned my own editing business. But none of that mattered at all. I had developed a late-onset major psychiatric disorder that I would now carry with me for the rest of my life. That’s when I learned that mental illness does not play favorites. It can happen at any time, and when it did, we knew exactly where to look for help. I became a patient at FCFR, and I shudder to think what could have happened to me had we not already known and trusted this program and this doctor.
I surrendered to the program immediately, following every medication protocol, attending every therapy session, and working cooperatively with the treatment team in our mutual goal of restoring my mental health. My husband and children were involved in my journey along the way. This was almost three years ago, and I am living a healthy life, free of symptoms. It’s a lifelong journey for those of us who have psychiatric illnesses, but when treated by the experts – FCFR – that journey can be one of joy and fulfillment.
FCFR has my eternal gratitude, and that’s why I can honestly recommend this program as being heads and shoulders above any other. There’s just no comparison.