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Joyce’s Story (part 1)
–By Catherine Behan
To have a child lost to alcohol or drug addiction is to
suffer a thousand deaths. The more you try to save them
from their addiction the more it burns a hole in your
heart. Watching their light fall away into darkness, you
enter your own world of pain. But while you may feel
stranded by fear and confusion -you are not alone. There
are people out there walking the same path. They are the
ones, the only ones, who really understand because they
are like you, like Joyce. Joyce has a son named Eric, an
educated son with an angelic face and bright future. Yet
by the time he reached his late 20’s Eric was sleeping
under an oleander bush behind a grocery store. He was
homeless, living on the streets, in and out of jail, in and
out of treatment centers, addicted to opiates.
“The hardest thing was watching him make the same
wrong decisions over and over again—and realize I
couldn’t stop him,” Joyce says. “There was absolutely
nothing I could do.” Doing nothing can be difficult for
any parent. But for Joyce, a nurse accustomed to helping
people heal, it was brutal. “I was the kind of mother who
looked up all the treatment places, did everything I
could to get him help,” she says. Until he finally told her
to leave him alone and shut her out completely.
Fortunately Joyce remembered something she’d heard at
a treatment facility called Calvary Addiction Recovery
Center in Phoenix, AZ. “During a family weekend at
Calvary, I learned about a group called PAL, Parents of
Addicted Loved-ones. It was a support group for parents
with a child suffering from addiction, with a counselor
serving as guide,” Joyce says.
“I went and found parents in the same position, parents
further along in the recovery process who wouldn’t
judge me. They understood what I was going through,
how it felt to love someone with a serious addiction.
Other people tried but couldn’t fully understand. You
can’t really relate unless you’ve lived through it.”
See Part 2 (the conclusion) of Joyce’s story and
more information about PAL at: www.palgroup.org.
You can also contact Mike Speakman at: 602-284-1411
or Toll free: 800-239-9127.
Catherine Behan is a U of A, Tucson, Master’s Journalism graduate
with over 20 years of experience as a reporter, columnist, and editor.
PAL
Parents of Addicted Loved-ones
There is Hope
PAL holds weekly meetings providing continuing
education and support, at no charge, for parents
who are trying to save their child from addiction to
alcohol or drugs.
For Spouses Too
PAL can also help spouses who are forced to
act as the parent to their partner, who is abusing
alcohol or drugs. (All other family members and
friends are also welcome to attend our meetings)
March 13, 2015
Eric with his mom, Joyce, on his
Seven year sobriety anniversary.
(See Joyce's story inside)
You Are Not Alone!
By attending our meetings, you will
learn proven ways to help your loved
one gain a permanent recovery from addiction.
You will also be able to give support, and receive
support from others who are facing the very same
challenges you are. No need to register, just show
up at a meeting.
(Groups are facilitated by Trained Volunteer Parents)
PAL Principles
PAL provides knowledge about recovery from
addiction that can be put to use immediately.
Your loved one’s recovery is a journey and it most
often takes longer than we expect.
You are not alone. When you seek help, all the help
you need, will be available to you on this journey.
With new learning, you can reach a point, where no
matter what your loved one does, you will either
know what to do, or where to find out what to do.
Please Check us Out!
More Information at: www.palgroup.org
5/11/15
Phoenix /West Valley Meetings
Monday Evening-Glendale: 7:00-8:30pm
Harvest Church: 8340 W. Northern Ave. Go to
Worship Center Room “A”. Information:
623-334-9482.
Monday Evening-Ahwatukee: 7:00-8:30pm
Mountain Park Comm. Church: 2408 E. Pecos
Rd. (3 miles West of I-10) Phoenix, AZ 85048. Go
to Café in Main Building. Info: 602-759-6200.
Tuesday Evening-North Phoenix: 7:00-8:30pm
St. Paul's Catholic Church: 330 W. Coral Gables
Dr. (S. of Greenway). Take sidewalk on West side
of main building (Chapel) and go thru iron-gate on
your left to Room 3. Information: 602-942-2608.
Tuesday Evening-Glendale: 7:00-8:30pm
Faith Bible Church: 17230 N. 59th Avenue
(Just N. of Bell Rd.). Enter South end Doors by
Playground, Room 111. Info: 602-368-7100.
Tuesday Evening-NW Phoenix: 6:00-7:30pm
Note: This is an English/Spanish bi-lingual meeting
Bethany Medical Clinic: 2040 W. Bethany Home
Rd, # 103 (At N.E. Corner of 21st Ave.). Information,
Raul: 602-791-9588.
Wednesday Evening-N. Phoenix: 7:00-8:30pm
Desert Springs Bible Church: 16215 N. Tatum
Blvd. (At Paradise Lane). Go upstairs, Room 221
in tan, 2- story building in middle of the property.
For information, call church: 602-996-9000.
Thursday Evening- Phoenix: 6:00-8:00pm
Calvary Addiction Recovery Center:
720 E. Montebello Ave. (S. of Bethany Home Rd.).
Go to Family Building at rear of property.
Information: 602-279-1468.
Thursday Evening-Glendale: 7:00-8:30pm
Calvary Community Church (NW Campus)
6060 W. Bell Rd. (At West end of Shop. Center
on N.W. Corner of 59th Ave.). Enter East side of
Building, Room 20. Info, Church: 602-973-4768.
Thursday Evening-N.E. Phoenix: 7:00-8:30pm
Calvary Chapel North Phoenix: 14201 N. 32nd
St. (N. of Thunderbird Rd.) Go to bldg. on N.W.
side of property. Info: Church: 602-992-6922.
Scottsdale & East Valley Meetings
Tucson Area Meetings
Tuesday Evening-Tucson: 7:00-8:30pm
New Life Bible Fellowship: 4900 W. Cortaro
Farms Rd. Take Cortaro to Camino De Oeste
(2 miles East of I-10). Go North on Camino De
Oeste, make first right turn and follow road to
Parking Lot. Enter Main Building. Information:
520-887-6447, or Judy: 602-524-2456.
Outside Arizona Meetings
Sunday Afternoon- Scottsdale: 3:30-5:00pm
Scottsdale Bible Church: 7601 East Shea Blvd.
Rear Parking Lot, Middle Building “D” West
Side, Room D-113. Info: 480-824-7239.
Monday Evening-Georgetown, KY: 7:00-8:30pm
Northside Christian Church 117 E. Jefferson Street.
Park in back and enter on Broadway side. For
information contact: [email protected].
Monday Evening-Mesa: 7:00-8:30pm
City of Grace Church: 655 E. University Dr.
Park in South parking lot off Hobson St.
Room 201. Information: Richard, 602-757-4376.
Thursday Evening-Avon, IN: 6:30-8:00pm
White Lick Presbyterian Church: 2300 N, 600 E
Avon, IN 46123 (near Indianapolis). Take 267 from
Brownsburg, turn W. on 350N, go ½ mile to 600E.
Left on 600E for 1 mile. Church is on the right at
top of hill. Meeting in the Fellowship Hall. Info:
317- 852-2840. Also: www.whitelickpcusa.org.
Monday Evening-Chandler/Gilbert: 7-8:30pm
The Grove Church: 2777 S. Gilbert Rd. (Just
North of Queen Creek Rd.) Go to N. side of
Property Building "B". Info: 480-338-3306.
Tuesday Evening-Gilbert: 7:00-8:30pm
Sun Valley Church: 456 E. Ray Rd. (E. of Gilbert
Rd.). Bldg. “A” Room 116A Info: 480-632-8920.
Thursday Evening-East Mesa: 7:00-8:30pm
Broadway Christian Church: 7335 E. Broadway
Rd. (E. of Power Rd.). In West Lobby Classroom.
Park on N.W. End of Property. Info: Mike Werner at
Telephone Meetings
We hold Telephone Meetings the 4th Mon. each
month 7pm East. Time. More info, or to register,
contact Karen: [email protected]. Also,
the 3rd Thursday of each month at 6:30pm East.
Time Contact Diane: [email protected].
480-510-3180 or [email protected].
Saturday Morning-Scottsdale: 10-11:30am
City of Grace Church: 9610 E. Cactus Rd. Go to
Cafe in Admin. Bldg. (On Cactus Rd.). More
Information: 480-464-3974.
Up-to-date Meeting Information at:
www.palgroup.org
5/11/15