The mother of a recent graduate of Mountain Valley’s Enhanced Academic Phase recently wrote to Don, expressing gratitude for the success her daughter is now experiencing.  With permission, we share a slightly edited version of her email.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Dear Don:

I received an email from Carl a week or so ago and that got me thinking about Mountain Valley again as I so often do. It occurred to me that you may want to know how, and what, your graduates are doing.  To that end, I thought I’d share with you that our daughter has completed her first semester at college, has received all A’s, and has signed up for next semester.  The much bigger win for her, and for us, is that despite her anxiety and occasional illness, she didn’t miss a single class!  She is learning what works for her and how better to manage things.  What a tremendous success.

This would never have been possible without Mountain Valley and, especially, your Enhanced Academic Phase program (https://mountainvalleytreatment.org/academics/enhanced-academic-phase/) – which I hope is continuing to expand and becoming even more robust. I believe it is a desperately needed and integral part of future success for kids going through your program.  It’s my observation that anxiety for these kids so centrally impacts school, which in turn impacts their lives.  When our daughter attended MV the first time, there was no EAP.  She returned better than when she went to you, but was still unable to attend a main stream school. The second time, with the EAP program beginning, she was able to attain her goal of high school graduation and attend a “real” school, (college no less), which is something she hadn’t been able to do in four years.

All of the Knower personnel were professional and helpful and we are grateful to all, but I specifically wish to acknowledge JoAnn

Marchant for being instrumental in our daughter being on the path she is now. Her school here at home was problematic on many levels.   Once JoAnn appeared on the scene, she was able to streamline the overly cumbersome and delayed work exchange, diplomatically handle an extremely difficult situation at the home school, and help our daughter realize her goal of a May graduation.  I sincerely believe that without JoAnn, her May graduation goal would not have been realized and, consequently, it is very likely that she would have given up on high school and higher education entirely.  JoAnn is an asset to be treasured!

Our daughter talks often of her times at Mountain Valley and the special people she met there, especially you, Don, Carl, Jay, Jon, Ryan and JoAnn. Ryan, you worked with her extremely well, and did fantastic work!   As this New Year is beginning, I’m reaching out to you in gratitude and hoping that you are able continue the good things that you make happen there.