"Mindy is an educational consultant as well as a parent coach. I have known her for a few years and she has a wealth of knowledge, especially as it relates to residential therapeutic programs through the country for kids with mental health issues. She has personally visited a large number of program. I think it would be well worth your effort to meet Mindy."
"We can not thank you enough for the support you have given to us. Getting to this point has been a journey and we have learned so much about what our son needs and the options that are available. I do know our journey is not over and we hope we can use you on an as needed basis."
Your help is so invaluable. You are amazing!"
“You should definitely call Mindy Goodman if you are considering placing your child in a Therapeutic Boarding School, a Residential Treatment Center or a Transition/Independent Living Program - you can't make a mistake by having Mindy on your team! Hiring Mindy as an educational consultant was one of the best decisions we have made through this journey. She put her heart and soul into helping us find a placement that was a good fit for our son. Even though I pride myself on my amazing research skills and I was able to identify many programs on my own, we can honestly say that we never would have found the program my son is at now, if not for Mindy. Her input was invaluable. She was wonderful to deal with, her prices were fair and reasonable, she found a great transitional/independent living program for him that we would never have found on our own and she helped with the transition in so many ways I can't even quantify them. Mindy spends a tremendous amount of time traveling across the country to visit the programs doing her research and her clients are the beneficiaries. She has our highest recommendation.”
Donna and Ricky B, New Jersey
"Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!!!! You are so so so helpful."
"Thank you for ALL the work you did this weekend. You were very calm and had great suggestions. I am so very grateful for you and all you have done for my family (and me!)."
"Thanks so much Mindy, for being such a rock. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that you would be my number one choice if I were going to hire an educational consultant - that you really know your stuff and that you were kind, compassionate, accessible and giving.
The Process of Change: A letter home from a student
How Samoa Changed Me
(names and identifying information has been removed to protect privacy)
I would like to tell you all a story about myself. About how I grew up, and some of the struggles met with. I also want to talk about my journey in Samoa, and how this island has really changed my life. Through this, I hope my actions can help inspire some other young adults who are struggling.
I am 20 years old and I grew up in (suburbia) in the United States. I have lived a life of constant struggles, heartache and trouble. I have been through hell and back and realized that it takes a long time to recognize your mistakes. If you have struggles, if you feel your life is out of control, and still do nothing to help yourself, it is never too late, you can still save yourself.
It is my strong belief that if I didn't change, I would have died. This is my story of how I have worked hard to change myself. If I can do it, you can do it too.
I was adopted at birth. I have been told that my birth mother could not care for me. I believe that she could not have handled me. When I was younger, I went to a clinic for a brain scan. The scan showed that my brain had been exposed to something toxic. It also showed that my pre frontal lobe and temporal lobe were not operating properly. The prefrontal lobe makes my impulses very hard to control. When I was a child, I did whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. This was not because of a lack of parenting. It was simply because no one could tell me otherwise. I know my parents loved me. They did everything they could do to protect me, and parent me. We saw doctors and therapists. They tried to ground me, they lectured me, and nothing worked.
Nothing changed. I began having real problems in school, Middle School, at 13. I was not coming home. It was also my first encounter with the police. A friend and I went into a sports complex with spray paint and painted the bathroom. This did not change my behavior. I continued to do what I wanted to. I was thrown out of Middle School. Over time, my problems at home got worse. By the time I was 16 years old I was doing more illegal things and stealing from family and friends.
I was around all kinds of people I should have never been with. I was arrested again later that year for taking my parents car and driving without a license. But this didn't stop me. I want people to know my story because this was more than about misbehavior. The entire time through my teens I was always into my community giving back. I was an effective fundraiser and volunteered at several organizations.
I had many good things in my life but the problem was it was never good enough. I always wanted something else. I always felt that I had to be one up on the system. I have messed up more times in my life than I have done well. I have ruined relationships that were truly important to me. I lost complete trust within my family.
My Mom had to stop working so she could be there to make sure I came home at night. I lived with an overwhelming feeling of guilt and resentment towards myself. But, I did not quit or give up even though I tried.
My turning point started when I was 17 years old. I went out with a friend and I ended up stealing his car. It was there and I could not tell my mind to say NO. After that incident, my parents did not know what to do to help. They had to make very hard decisions to set my life straight. They sent me to a Wilderness Therapy program in Utah.
Even there I did not accept that I had things I had to change. When I turned 18 at the program, I signed myself out. My parents would not allow me to come home. They believed that I was not really better. So, I agreed to a less restrictive Young Adult Program. At the Young Adult Program I was arrested again.
This time I was facing multiple felony charges. When I was in jail, I was willing to give a therapy program another try. My parents worked hard to get the judge to agree to allow me to go to another program. My parents wanted to send me to the South Pacific, to really begin a new life. This is where I have been shown one of the the most rewarding times of my life.
For the past 18 months I have been studying at Coral Reef Academy, in Vaitele. Coral Reef Academy is a school designed to help young men take life back into their own hands.
Coral Reef has taught me the difference between my dreams and my reality. Samoa has taught me the true meaning of family, and the utmost meaning of respect. Samoa has given me life long lasting memories.
Before Samoa, my family was torn apart. I had no idea where I was going in life, and really didn't care all that much. I had no more friends, I only had buddies to cause trouble with. However, Samoa changed that.
Samoa is about respect for those around you. It is about respect and love for your family.
I have met Samoans who know only bad things about who and what I was, but they took me in, and, have helped me figure out who I am. Samoa didn't care who I was back then, they cared who I am now.
Samoa offered me a second chance at life, and I will be forever grateful to the South Pacific for that. Samoa has really inspired me to help others who are going through tough times. I had so much support but I did not want to listen to it. Nowadays, support is sometimes the only thing that really stops me from going back to my old life. I want to reach out to those who need it, in Samoa, and back home.
Samoa has give a rewarding lifestyle and before I leave the island I intend to pay back the Samoan community. I have gained confidence in myself that I never thought I would have again. I want to help others who struggle like I have. I want to lead by example. I am changing my life for the better and hope that I will always have the overwhelming urge to keep doing better.
Now, I am working for a newspaper known all over Samoa. I am competing in international sporting events as well as working on my love for rugby. My family is working together towards a new life. We are not fighting; we are not angry at one another. I have been able to make amends with people that I have hurt and really truly mean it when I say I am sorry. Without Samoa and Coral Reef Academy, I don't know where I would be today. But, I do know without those two things, I would not be who I am today.
At some point, I know I will be returning home. Samoa will not only be forever on my arm with my new tattoo, the Samoan culture and the Samoan people will forever be in my heart. Samoa might be a small island but it is a giant family.
I am not going to lie; the struggles back have not been easy. I hit a brick wall many times and you will hit a brick wall too. Keep going. You are truly in charge of your life. You can honestly be whatever you want to be. I was facing possible prison time. If I can do it, you can do it. Never stop working towards something you want. Make a goal and stay determined to reach it. Break the larger goal into smaller goals, likes rungs on a ladder, because it is important to live in the moment so you are not overwhelmed.
No matter what your problems are, no matter how bad you think life is, there is always something worse. Your life was given to you because you mean something. You have a mission to accomplish. Go out in the world and accomplish your mission. No one is saying that it is easy or quick. Stay with it, reach out to others for help. If you don't give up on yourself, no one will ever give up on you.
I am currently still learning about myself. It may take years to fully understand what is going on in my mind. I am completely willing to fight the battle so that whatever the illness, or the way that I am wired, I will no longer allow it to overwhelm me or kill me.
However I know today, my life has a different meaning. Continue fighting for what you believe in. Because you never know where life will take you.
Written by a student at Coral Reef Academy towards the end of his treatment stay
Shared generously with his permission
Serving families throughout Baltimore, Maryland, the Mid-Atlantic, and nationwide
11620 Reisterstown Road #935
Reisterstown, Maryland 21136
443-506-1662
"We can not thank you enough for the support you have given to us. Getting to this point has been a journey and we have learned so much about what our son needs and the options that are available. I do know our journey is not over and we hope we can use you on an as needed basis."
Your help is so invaluable. You are amazing!"
“You should definitely call Mindy Goodman if you are considering placing your child in a Therapeutic Boarding School, a Residential Treatment Center or a Transition/Independent Living Program - you can't make a mistake by having Mindy on your team! Hiring Mindy as an educational consultant was one of the best decisions we have made through this journey. She put her heart and soul into helping us find a placement that was a good fit for our son. Even though I pride myself on my amazing research skills and I was able to identify many programs on my own, we can honestly say that we never would have found the program my son is at now, if not for Mindy. Her input was invaluable. She was wonderful to deal with, her prices were fair and reasonable, she found a great transitional/independent living program for him that we would never have found on our own and she helped with the transition in so many ways I can't even quantify them. Mindy spends a tremendous amount of time traveling across the country to visit the programs doing her research and her clients are the beneficiaries. She has our highest recommendation.”
Donna and Ricky B, New Jersey
"Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!!!! You are so so so helpful."
"Thank you for ALL the work you did this weekend. You were very calm and had great suggestions. I am so very grateful for you and all you have done for my family (and me!)."
"Thanks so much Mindy, for being such a rock. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that you would be my number one choice if I were going to hire an educational consultant - that you really know your stuff and that you were kind, compassionate, accessible and giving.
The Process of Change: A letter home from a student
How Samoa Changed Me
(names and identifying information has been removed to protect privacy)
I would like to tell you all a story about myself. About how I grew up, and some of the struggles met with. I also want to talk about my journey in Samoa, and how this island has really changed my life. Through this, I hope my actions can help inspire some other young adults who are struggling.
I am 20 years old and I grew up in (suburbia) in the United States. I have lived a life of constant struggles, heartache and trouble. I have been through hell and back and realized that it takes a long time to recognize your mistakes. If you have struggles, if you feel your life is out of control, and still do nothing to help yourself, it is never too late, you can still save yourself.
It is my strong belief that if I didn't change, I would have died. This is my story of how I have worked hard to change myself. If I can do it, you can do it too.
I was adopted at birth. I have been told that my birth mother could not care for me. I believe that she could not have handled me. When I was younger, I went to a clinic for a brain scan. The scan showed that my brain had been exposed to something toxic. It also showed that my pre frontal lobe and temporal lobe were not operating properly. The prefrontal lobe makes my impulses very hard to control. When I was a child, I did whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. This was not because of a lack of parenting. It was simply because no one could tell me otherwise. I know my parents loved me. They did everything they could do to protect me, and parent me. We saw doctors and therapists. They tried to ground me, they lectured me, and nothing worked.
Nothing changed. I began having real problems in school, Middle School, at 13. I was not coming home. It was also my first encounter with the police. A friend and I went into a sports complex with spray paint and painted the bathroom. This did not change my behavior. I continued to do what I wanted to. I was thrown out of Middle School. Over time, my problems at home got worse. By the time I was 16 years old I was doing more illegal things and stealing from family and friends.
I was around all kinds of people I should have never been with. I was arrested again later that year for taking my parents car and driving without a license. But this didn't stop me. I want people to know my story because this was more than about misbehavior. The entire time through my teens I was always into my community giving back. I was an effective fundraiser and volunteered at several organizations.
I had many good things in my life but the problem was it was never good enough. I always wanted something else. I always felt that I had to be one up on the system. I have messed up more times in my life than I have done well. I have ruined relationships that were truly important to me. I lost complete trust within my family.
My Mom had to stop working so she could be there to make sure I came home at night. I lived with an overwhelming feeling of guilt and resentment towards myself. But, I did not quit or give up even though I tried.
My turning point started when I was 17 years old. I went out with a friend and I ended up stealing his car. It was there and I could not tell my mind to say NO. After that incident, my parents did not know what to do to help. They had to make very hard decisions to set my life straight. They sent me to a Wilderness Therapy program in Utah.
Even there I did not accept that I had things I had to change. When I turned 18 at the program, I signed myself out. My parents would not allow me to come home. They believed that I was not really better. So, I agreed to a less restrictive Young Adult Program. At the Young Adult Program I was arrested again.
This time I was facing multiple felony charges. When I was in jail, I was willing to give a therapy program another try. My parents worked hard to get the judge to agree to allow me to go to another program. My parents wanted to send me to the South Pacific, to really begin a new life. This is where I have been shown one of the the most rewarding times of my life.
For the past 18 months I have been studying at Coral Reef Academy, in Vaitele. Coral Reef Academy is a school designed to help young men take life back into their own hands.
Coral Reef has taught me the difference between my dreams and my reality. Samoa has taught me the true meaning of family, and the utmost meaning of respect. Samoa has given me life long lasting memories.
Before Samoa, my family was torn apart. I had no idea where I was going in life, and really didn't care all that much. I had no more friends, I only had buddies to cause trouble with. However, Samoa changed that.
Samoa is about respect for those around you. It is about respect and love for your family.
I have met Samoans who know only bad things about who and what I was, but they took me in, and, have helped me figure out who I am. Samoa didn't care who I was back then, they cared who I am now.
Samoa offered me a second chance at life, and I will be forever grateful to the South Pacific for that. Samoa has really inspired me to help others who are going through tough times. I had so much support but I did not want to listen to it. Nowadays, support is sometimes the only thing that really stops me from going back to my old life. I want to reach out to those who need it, in Samoa, and back home.
Samoa has give a rewarding lifestyle and before I leave the island I intend to pay back the Samoan community. I have gained confidence in myself that I never thought I would have again. I want to help others who struggle like I have. I want to lead by example. I am changing my life for the better and hope that I will always have the overwhelming urge to keep doing better.
Now, I am working for a newspaper known all over Samoa. I am competing in international sporting events as well as working on my love for rugby. My family is working together towards a new life. We are not fighting; we are not angry at one another. I have been able to make amends with people that I have hurt and really truly mean it when I say I am sorry. Without Samoa and Coral Reef Academy, I don't know where I would be today. But, I do know without those two things, I would not be who I am today.
At some point, I know I will be returning home. Samoa will not only be forever on my arm with my new tattoo, the Samoan culture and the Samoan people will forever be in my heart. Samoa might be a small island but it is a giant family.
I am not going to lie; the struggles back have not been easy. I hit a brick wall many times and you will hit a brick wall too. Keep going. You are truly in charge of your life. You can honestly be whatever you want to be. I was facing possible prison time. If I can do it, you can do it. Never stop working towards something you want. Make a goal and stay determined to reach it. Break the larger goal into smaller goals, likes rungs on a ladder, because it is important to live in the moment so you are not overwhelmed.
No matter what your problems are, no matter how bad you think life is, there is always something worse. Your life was given to you because you mean something. You have a mission to accomplish. Go out in the world and accomplish your mission. No one is saying that it is easy or quick. Stay with it, reach out to others for help. If you don't give up on yourself, no one will ever give up on you.
I am currently still learning about myself. It may take years to fully understand what is going on in my mind. I am completely willing to fight the battle so that whatever the illness, or the way that I am wired, I will no longer allow it to overwhelm me or kill me.
However I know today, my life has a different meaning. Continue fighting for what you believe in. Because you never know where life will take you.
Written by a student at Coral Reef Academy towards the end of his treatment stay
Shared generously with his permission
Serving families throughout Baltimore, Maryland, the Mid-Atlantic, and nationwide
11620 Reisterstown Road #935
Reisterstown, Maryland 21136
443-506-1662
