Customer Reviews

Beyond The Yellow Brick Road: Revised

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For over 24 years I have worked in the field of drug addiction as a counselor. I know Bob Meehan very well. I worked for one of Meehan's programs many years ago. I have seen him prey on the hopeless parents and twist the minds of vulnerable young people on drugs.

Today I am appalled by the things I have witnessed and been involved in. At the time of my involvement I started out a young, single mother hopelessly lost and on drugs. While the program helped me to get off drugs and start a new life I became a prisoner to the cult, bound by my own fear of loosing my new friends and life; of using drugs again if I went to another 12 step program, because they would not understand me.

Today I am happily married, I have raised 3 children of my own and I am a respected member of my community. All of these things go totally against what Meehan and his staff teach. I was told that I should leave my family and be a "winner" in the program. That my parents were not fit and they were my problem.

In a well founded 12 step program I have found true freedom from drugs, alcohol and the Meehan cult. I have a wonderful relationship with my parents now and I understand the importance of love and family.

If you are considering this book or putting your child in one of Meehan's program, please reconsider. There are some true professionals that can help you with your child or your drug problem.

There is a reason that he has been called the "Pied Piper"

In the first four sentences of this book Meehan says, "I am a drug addict. I am an alcoholic. I am a burglar. I am a thief."

You now know everything you need to know about Bob Meehan.

I have met three kinds of people as related to Meehan:
1.) Those who don't know Meehan and therefore, have no opinion of him;
2.) Those who are in his programs and think he's the Messiah, and;
3.) Those who have escaped or been thrown out of his programs and HATE him for what he has done to them.

In the years since I escaped Meehan's hell, I have never found a single person--not even one--who, after having left the program, still believes this second rate con-artist has the answers.

If your working for Pathway, Crossroads, Insight, or Cornerstone, you may have been thinking about leaving for a long time. You may have realized that after all Meehan's years of "working with kids," no one from the old days is still around. Go ahead and leave. You'll lose all your friends in the program, but you'll be okay. You'll make new friends. You won't die. You won't be spiritually bankrupt. You'll no longer live in a state of dread. You can be free from your constant fear. Here's to your last Friday night Staff Purpose. Good luck.

Remember, In Meehan's groups...There are no volunteers--only victims

Can you guess who wrote this Bob?

Check out www.ontheemmis.com for more information about Meehan and his books.

You will find the truth, just as others have.

Solid Advice, I'm not sure where you get your "success rate" figures, but it seems Meehan couldnt back those up when asked by Dan Rather on 60 Minutes... Please read

RATHER: Does the program work? Do the kids get off drugs and stay off? Meehan and his colleagues have repeatedly said that they are 75 to 80 percent successful-but when they are pressed, they day that those figures refer only to the percentage of kids who stay straight for 30 days and get their monkey fist. And when Meehan is pressed further, even that doesn't hold up too well.

MEEHAN: What is success? What are we going to use as a definition for success?

To me, it's one who has become a dues-paying member of society, has returned to school, no longer has a chemical problem-okay?-is moving on to enjoy life to its fullest, and being part of what you and I consider society. In that area, we are more successful than anybody I know of. What about the bottom line dry statistics? Fine. Mr. Rather, 60 MINUTES, if you care to give me $75,000 to do that kind of study and hire the statisticians necessary to do it, I will.

RATHER: Are you saying to me that you don't have any data to back up your claim that you're 75 to 80 percent successful?

MEEHAN: We have- the data we have is quite different from data anybody else has. And see, we don't keep records on people. You- if- if your children came to us, they don't have to give us their right name. They want help, they stay. They don't, they leave.

RATHER: But- pardon me for interrupting-but that- that's part of the problem.

MEEHAN: No stats, yes. We-

RATHER: Again, you see, I find that an absolutely astonishing thing, that you would say, "Mr. Rather, I don't even know the names of most people who come into our place."

MEEHAN: That's right. We're not here for names. We're here to show people a better way to live.

RATHER: Okay, but-

MEEHAN: If you want it, stay. You don't, leave.

RATHER: You can't give me a figure: these are the numbers of people that we had come through our doors nationwide?

MEEHAN: No, we don't have time. We get 400 calls a day from all over the world.

RATHER: Okay. But you don't know how many are coming through the door.

MEEHAN: No.

RATHER: So, how can you day you're 75 to 80 percent successful?

MEEHAN: Because of the times that I ran groups, I knew, when I knew the kids in the group, when I saw how many came in-when I was running a group myself-I saw how many came in, and I knew what it was.

RATHER: Mr. Meehan, I don't doubt for a moment that you did that. But when you boil it down, what you've got is a guess.

MEEHAN: Oh, definitely. Oh, you're right. Definitely, a guess.

RATHER: Okay, so when you say you're 75 to 80 percent effective, you're guessing.

MEEHAN: I'd like to say 70.

RATHER: All right, let's say 70. Let's- let's take a conservative figure. Do you consider that to be conservative?

MEEHAN: No. Conservative, 65 to 70.

RATHER: All right, 65 to 70.

MEEHAN: Okay.

RATHER: I note that we're already down from 75 to 80 percent down to 65 to 70.

MEEHAN: I- do- you haven't talked to me.

RATHER: All right, you- you say 65 to 70. But I say, is that your guess as to how effective you are?

MEEHAN: That's my guess.

I love this book. This book is about teenage drug abuse and

recovery. First I would like to say, I believe it is the best

book out there on the subject. It addresses some specific

issues in a very direct way. I was not looking for a "candy

coated" solution. I was looking for real answers. Something

that I could physically do. Not all children "just say no" and

what do you do if your says yes? This book helps explain

solutions. I took from this book, and was able to apply to my
life. The author has "been there done that" and comes from

both the perspective of a parent and an addict. I found hope

and inspiration from this book. I also found serenity after

reading this book, which is something that I had not had in a
long time. I know that this book gave me validation and the

courage to apply the solutions. Which is a big deal. I hope

that anyone who has a child with a drug or alcohol problem

reads this and begins the recovery process.

I found this book on the kitchen table, so I picked it up and started reading it. I could not put it down. And I really don't like reading much. I never even thought about pot being so dangerous. I thought well it does nothing wrong, it feels good and its natural, right? I never knew anyone to die of an overdose for smoking to much dope. I did know of people overdosing on other stuff.
The problem is I never thought about what pot did to my head. All that I know is that this book really made me think. I think that thinking is good for people. This book is worth reading. Oh in case you were wondering, Yes I did stop using.

This book is a must read. The information in this book is really helpful to any family looking for hope and solutions. The marijuanna chapter is the best perspective on pot that I have ever read. Also the Parent chapter is great. The entire book is a must read.

This book is a must read. I have read a lot of books on both

recovery and parenting. Never have I read something so real.

I believe that this book was a God send. The information in

the book spoke to my family. It helped us in ways that we

desperately needed. I found hope, that teenagers can and do

recover. I found courage to do the right thing. If your child

is doing drugs or alcohol or you think that they might, please

read this book. The answers that you have been looking for can
be found in this book. God Bless and May you find the recovery

that my family has found.

This book is a must read for any family who is suffering from the effects of alcohol and or substance abuse. It brings a message of hope, and understanding. If you have a child that you are concerned about, this book is a must read.

This book is great, as long as you want to be spoken to as a person with no intellect, or you're a 2nd-grader. Honestly, on a writing level, this is one of the WORST-written books I've read.
Fortunately, one of the great gifts that education has given me is the freedom from participation in fallacies and the false worlds of logic perpetrated by the likes of Mr. Meehan. I can think and research for myself, and I prefer evidence-based, peer-reviewed studies to "this is what we see...." and "just look at me (and x number of people I know)! I am evidence that this works!". First, M.T. Lynskey and colleagues performed a longitudinal study discrediting the notion that all marijuana use leads to further abuse - only early-onset use does (age 13 or prior). Additionally, before you accept that this is largely a parent problem, please read the genetic x environmental NIH-funded, peer-reviewed, research conducted by A.C. Heath and colleagues. These people aren't quacks - they're internationally-renowned addiction researchers. Other references: Martin, NG and colleagues, Queensland Institute for Medical Research; Waldron, M., Indiana University - these are all longitundinal studies, following people over 20 or more years, some of which are a heavy-alcohol use population. Not a single one of them credits a long-term, isolated treatment program as effective.

Second, this book is almost impossible to read if you've got an education beyond high school. It is truly... painful.
They'll sit around in meetings touting this book as a marvel of modern innovation - the very idea that Bob Meehan invented FUN that doesn't include mind-altering substances is to be lauded, because that is the cure for addiction - FUN! Up to FIVE years of fun! At your parents' expense. Fun! I mean, no teenager would choose 3pm - 3am fun, game playing, hanging out, parent-funded activities and trips instead of a job or school, or other responsibilities, unless they had a serious problem, right?
The book and the program will advise that a child will be full-time in the program for 20-ish months, but this will turn into years and years of shelter from any dealings with the real world - no school, no job, very little contact with family - because any or all of that will greatly jeopardize their sobriety. Trust me. Trust Bob. Google Bob Meehan, and his investigation & undercover videos. What will greatly jeopardize your child is the lost family relationship that this book and program advocate - you are asked to "let go, let us." The result is no one will be able to tell you where your child is at any time (with other addicts, duh?), or when they'll be home (when they need money, duh?)

Please leave now, while all you may have lost is money, rather than your dignity, sense of self, or your relationship with your child. I don't care how much money you've spent and the investment that gives you in the program... think for yourself.