"This program has reinforced within me the importance of not only being forgiving but attempting to immediately address my wrongs and try to correct them, for both myself and my loved ones. One of the main teachings of the program I have taken to heart is to be more receptive of the needs and feelings of my family."

"The best thing about this program is the Relationship Sequence and I like the fact that you have to grieve and let those bad pains and memories go to move on in life. I now know why I act the way I do. I have a whole new way of being a parent. I can help my sons learn not to follow in that destructive path that I did."

"My relationship with my daughter has dramatically changed and my father and I are on speaking terms."

"Recently I had a visit with my son whom I have not seen in six and one-half years. Through the skills I have acquired from the program in which Mr. Hahesy gives, I have learned some key things to help with my visit with my son. Now we are working on our relationship via telephone calls and letters. Thanks to this program now I have a better way to communicate with my children and build a better relationship. This program truly is something that can help inmates and their children and there should be more programs like this to really help rehabilitate inmates."

I am an inmate serving a two and one-half to seven year sentence. I took this program hoping to be a better father. I got so much more out of this. I learned so much about myself, I learned why I act the way I do and now have ways to deal with my anger. I learned how my actions affected my children and my family and every one around me. This is the only class I took in here that really had some meaning to it. Miss Roarabaugh is one of the best people I ever spoke with in my life. Thank you for letting me take your class!"

"The best thing about this program was being able to listen and learn from others experiences, and being able to share difference of opinions about roles needed in being a good parent. This knowledge will help me in so many ways:

"The relationship with my family members/children before the program was no communication or talk. Now it is better then ever. We now talk and listen and give advice to each other. No more arguments."

"The best thing about this program was seeing how my incarceration caused a ripple effect to all of my loved ones."

"The relationship with my family has been better after the programs. It taught me how to listen to them and how to share with them, how to talk to them in a way they can have that trust with me; also how to be a child with them because sometimes they need that love and affection from adults. It has gotten us closer together. Thank you for the class."

“I believe this program should be part of the family court (system) and require the parents and children to be counseled by the parenting (instructors).”

“I now have a productive, active relationship with a daughter I haven’t known for 12 years.”

“This program should be instructed in schools around the world for adults and young adults.”

“The program took me into a depth that I try to reach on my own, but didn’t have the right tools to repair the damage…”

“…shown me that all the hate that I had inside of me was causing me to have bad relationships with my family and kids.”

"This class has encouraged me to speak about feelings that I've kept buried inside of me for years. I can now talk to my mother about things that I wouldn't have years ago."

“The personal change acquired from the Parenting Program is and has been monumental. When I first started this class, I had dreams of the growth that would take place and never fathomed it would be so far!”

“I also can give testimony to the positive change through what I have learned, using the tools I have been taught, to the tremendous growth of my family. The love, understanding, caring, strength between my son, immediate and extended family, has grown beyond my wildest dreams.”

"It has helped me forgive people who have caused me harm in the past."

"The best thing about the program was…"learning how to communicate with my victims. How to explain why things happened the way they did. How to let out my emotions to the people who hurt me. Having a better relationship with my family and children."

"It made me realize how far off the healthy relationship track I was, and how to get back on the track. It will help me be there emotionally for my daughter as well as financially and physically."

"I've learned how to reconcile with my victims, which before I thought I didn't have any victims."

"It let me know that I couldn't be a good parent unless I let go of (certain) issues and forgave my offenders. At one point in my life I wouldn't cry in front of my children, now I do."

This model has been featured on several national prime time television documentaries including ABC World News Sunday and BAD DADS (produced by Arnold Shapiro Productions and narrated by George Foreman).

For more information on Bethesda Family Services Foundation, feel free to e-mail us today or call (570) 523-0605.