“Never Alone” – Dan’s Transformation Story
BY SAVANNAH BRANTLEY
05/17/21
“When I came to Beautiful Minds, I was lost and spiritually dead.” Dan had struggled with depression and anxiety since adolescence. “I remember feeling from a young age that I was different than everyone else.” This led to Dan experiencing harmful and traumatic events as a young child in school that affected him greatly. When the memories of these events resurfaced in his teen years, he turned to alcohol and drugs as a way to escape the emotions that his young mind could not process. Even after accomplishing his childhood dream of his chosen profession, Dan was empty, trapped as a subject to his addictions, and longing to be a good husband and loving father to his family.
Dan has held a special place in every heart at Beautiful Minds, not once, but twice. During his first participation in the Intensive Outpatient Program, Dan acquired the tools that helped to carry him through what would be a very hard and dark year; but he experienced the most healing and transformation during his second time. When asked what made the difference, Dan said, “This time, I opened my mind, I softened my heart…I was able to reprioritize my values.” In his testimony following his second graduation, Dan stated, “applying the concepts I’ve learned has provided me hope for the future…The love and acceptance that I found here gave me the ability to find love and acceptance for myself…I could not have done it without you all.”
“Never Alone” – Dan’s Transformation Story
BY SAVANNAH BRANTLEY
05/17/21
“When I came to Beautiful Minds, I was lost and spiritually dead.” Dan had struggled with depression and anxiety since adolescence. “I remember feeling from a young age that I was different than everyone else.” This led to Dan experiencing harmful and traumatic events as a young child in school that affected him greatly. When the memories of these events resurfaced in his teen years, he turned to alcohol and drugs as a way to escape the emotions that his young mind could not process. Even after accomplishing his childhood dream of his chosen profession, Dan was empty, trapped as a subject to his addictions, and longing to be a good husband and loving father to his family.
Dan has held a special place in every heart at Beautiful Minds, not once, but twice. During his first participation in the Intensive Outpatient Program, Dan acquired the tools that helped to carry him through what would be a very hard and dark year; but he experienced the most healing and transformation during his second time. When asked what made the difference, Dan said, “This time, I opened my mind, I softened my heart…I was able to reprioritize my values.” In his testimony following his second graduation, Dan stated, “applying the concepts I’ve learned has provided me hope for the future…The love and acceptance that I found here gave me the ability to find love and acceptance for myself…I could not have done it without you all.”