Parent References and Testimonials

For a list of Parents who have had children in the Heartlight program, please contact Melissa Nelson-Director of Admissions-at the Heartlight Office at (903) 668-2173 and a listing will be faxed or e-mailed to you.

Parent Comments

‘‘I’m convinced that if it had not been for heartlight, our daughter would not be alive today. Thery not only taught our daughter how to live upright, but they also taught my wife and me the skills we needed for change within our home.” Kevin Harrell – Glen Ellyn, IL

.“When no one else on earth seemed to understand what parents are going through. Heartlight conveys in earnest that they are willing to walk with you, and there is hope.” Mike Kimbrell – Tulsa, OK

“What makes Heartlight different than the other specialists who tried to help our son is Mark's practical experience, love, commitment, and most importantly, his years of living and  working with sad, struggling with kids who have needs beyond the capabilities of their parents. He has a God-given gift to see into the hearts of kids who are hurting.” Cindy Strain – Abilene, TX

“Heartlight's logical approach to behavioral issues made addressing and correcting them rewarding and relatively simple.” Ryan Hurley – Costa Mesa, CA

“Heartlght provided healing and hope for our daughter and our entire family when despair appeared to be all that was left,” Jim Samis – Fort Worth, TX

“For over 30 years, Mark Gregston has ‘got it’ when it comes to understanding teens. Teens love Mark. I’ve seen it in hundreds of teen faces. They know he understands who they are, where they hurt. I can’t think of a better person to help me understand my own teenagers.”  Elliott Snuggs – Los Angeles, CA

“Heartlight was the light in the midst of darkness for our struggling teen daughter, giving us hope when we were hopeless.” Bill & Elise Daniel  – Oklahoma City, OK

“Mark has the God-given talent of probing the heart of a teenager, identifying their struggle and offering a common sense biblical perspective on living through it.  I experienced Mark’s gift first-hand and am now attempting to pass it down to my kids.” James Brookhart – Bentonville, AR

“My teen was committed to a path of self-destruction, full of sex, drugs, anger, and brokenness. Heartlight helped her choose another path full of happiness, hope and joy.  Not only do they help teens, they helps parents realize what they can do to create a better family.” Anne Northington – Raleigh. NC

When Did You Know It Was Time To Send Your Child To Heartlight?

“We knew it was time because everything got crazy. We received the cell phone bill that listed daily phone calls from 1-3 am and her only response was 'so what?' She started running away and sneak back in late at night. She was out of control....and we were helpless.”

“I knew it was time…when I looked into his big brown eyes and the spark that had always been there was gone. All I saw was a look of hopelessness and darkness, a silent cry for help.”

‘‘Our entire family was being controlled by her behavior. My marriage was failing; my relationship with my older daughter was suffering. I wasn’t eating, sleeping, or able to perform well at work. I was beginning to withdraw from social settings as well and felt as if my family was falling apart. Every option I tried had failed.”

“I knew my child was spinning out of control when she stopped smiling and refused to get up and go to school.”

“Her attitude changed upon starting public school, after being in a private Christian school. She was arguing more; she was more defiant and began hanging out with a different group of kids.  I later found out they were experimenting with drugs and alcohol.”

“Our daughter just couldn’t get on the other side of her dad’s death.  Her depression was out of control. She wanted help more than I wanted it for her and begged us to find a place where she could get it.”

“My daughter was a sad little girl. She was meeting with a therapist and a variety of people - her youth minister, Sunday school teacher, school counselor, other school personnel, and family members - that were all taking extra time with her and poured their lives into her. Yet all of these interventions weren’t effective. One night she came right out and said, ‘I need help. I have no more desire to live now than I did before everyone started helping me. I just want to die and I don’t like feeling this way.'"

“We were calling the police several times a week. We never knew whom she was with, where she was, or when she was coming home. The police told us to do something now or things would only get worse.”

“She showed a continual disrespect towards us that was manifested in several ways. Nearly every sentence out of her mouth was a lie. I discovered she was having casual sex and she did not think that it was wrong or show any remorse.”

“When my daughter looked me in the eye and said 'I’m going to do whatever I want and there isn’t a %$#@ thing you can do about it.'”

“When she started cutting herself and continued to skip school, even in the face of probation from the D.A.’s office.”

“Our son was arrested three times in three months for possession of marijuana, and he chose to go to juvenile detention center rather than come home under house arrest. He had violated the rules we had set in place and communicated, and he knew if he defied me again, he was going to have to leave. The situation was tough, but the decision was easy, since he made it for me.”

“When my son looked at my wife and said, '“If you don’t shut your mouth, I’ll shut it for you.'”

“We knew our son was not responding to our efforts to help him when he ran away from home for the second time and was brought home by the local police. Our efforts at changing schools and participating in family counseling for the previous four months weren’t helping, and our counselor recommended we find a different place for him to live.”

“When my daughter came into the bedroom late one night and said, 'Mom and Dad, I need help.'”

“She made no effort to cover up her poor choices, didn’t care about consequences, and thought everything revolved around her. After having enjoyed success at most anything I put my mind to, I felt like an utter failure for the first time.”

If any of these comments from parents sound familiar to you, or reflect your current situation, we would suggest that you strongly consider getting further help for your child.

The actions you take now may make all the difference in the life of your teen. Click here or call Melissa Nelson, our Admissions Coordinator, at 903.668.2173 ext. 32.  She’ll be happy to provide you an information packet and answer any questions you may have.