"Upon contact with the Center I scheduled an evaluation appointment with Michael Green, MA. Mr. Green and I discussed my experience the night of the arrest and my past drinking history. Mr. Green was extremely understanding of my position in the community as a family law attorney and we discussed the possibility of my attending individual counseling as part of my counseling program. As an attorney, practicing family law throughout the State of Maryland, I appreciated individual counseling as an option.

"Mr. Green and I have met on several occasions. The meetings have been counseling sessions, in which he and I discussed the "event", relationships, my past drinking habits or patterns, life goals, life pressures and life strategies. Each session has been approximately one hour and I have left each session with a sense of accomplishment and a sense of peace.

"Mr. Green has given me several strategies that I have been able to apply in everyday life. One of my new "mantras" is "we should do not try to achieve perfection, but excellence". I have also learned to recognize "patterns" or "dialogues" that occur in my life and mind.

"Without going into too many details of my individual sessions, it is difficult to describe how much this experience has meant to me. While I have not shared my experience regarding my arrest with many people, when I do share, I am able to say that it has been a positive experience because of the Columbia Addictions Center and specifically, Mike Green. I have learned a lot about myself, drinking and the importance of making good decisions.

"Thank you giving me the opportunity to write a bit about my experience. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. I cannot thank Columbia Addictions Center and, specifically, Mr. Green, for having been so supportive and helpful during a very difficult time."

"I wanted to take a moment to write a brief letter to you describing the experience that I had while at the Columbia Addictions Center.

"When I arrived on Friday evening, I wasn't sure what to expect. What would the counselors be like? What about other people in my program? As soon as I walked through the door, I was greeted by the first two counselors that I would be introduced to (Mike). He was very pleasant and very quickly eased some of the anxiety that I was feeling. Friday's session began promptly at 6pm and we quickly got into a number of group discussions (all led by Mike) about alcohol, the reasons we drink (sometimes the excuses we use) and had very open discussions about drinking in general.

"Saturday's session began with an eye opening news story (shown via video) that was hosted by a gentleman who had formally made the poor decision to get behind the wheel and drive after consuming a number of drinks. Unfortunately, the outcome from that decision, much like the outcome of several other segments of the news broadcast, ended with devastating tragedy. Each segment ended with either with a family (or extended family) dealing with the loss of a loved one, or were left dealing with a terrible injury caused by the decision made by the drunk to get behind the wheel. After the news segment, we changed gears and heard a very informative speaker explain his personal experiences with and without alcohol. From there, we were introduced to Eileen, who took over from Mike, and we began to work on our exercises that were designed to make us more aware of the responsibility that comes along with the decision to drink. The day ended with a couple of individual exercises that really made us look at ourselves in a way that we had never really done before.

"Although I have not yet completed the program, I've already declared to myself that I am a better person for going through it. I know that prior to my conviction, and more specifically, prior to this course, I never once considered the possible repercussions of a simple decision like the one I made the night of September 3rd. I know now how lucky I really am to have been stopped without incident and truly hope that this knowledge and wisdom will stay with me for the rest of my life."

"With regards to my thoughts, feelings and attitude on this weekend's experience; summed up all in one word, Amazing.

"Particularly Mike and Eileen's informal presentation, in other words, could be labeled a DWI wake UP call. Clear, concise, and extremely informative, as well as thought provoking. It was absolutely accurate. The selection of films that I viewed were off the hook, straight forward and to the point. In addition, very educational and deeply thought provoking.

"A particular flash back that comes to mind, was the matter of a true evaluation of yourself. Also, what steps to take in order to truly evaluate one's self with respect to alcohol and drugs. Just to mention one important step is to be honest, truly honest with yourself completely and always.

"Mike, nailed that point right on the head. I personally would have kept coming back to the nail and hammering it until the nail head sunk below the surface. And yet, I may have still missed the point and or the message with out it being brought so clearly and directly by Mike.

"Eileen's message on the Brain was riveting. The key to your car represents your Brain. Amino acids, proteins, vitamins, and herbs, etc., was the subject matter that Eileen spoke on. It put the class over the top to say the least. Surprisingly, it really held my interest and I thought it was great. It put the class, due to the information, and her presentation, over the top. She raised the bar. She tried harder, and made me take a much closer look.

"Eileen took the time out, which made me think about all of the times that I damaged my Brain by my abuse of alcohol and or drugs. I reflected on how I not only endangered my life, but the life of others. The Brain is the key the my car. I took a file and filed down the key to my car, leaving it difficult, if not impossible, to operate properly and or fully.

"Eileen made me think, wow how stupid, how careless, and how thoughtless have I been!!!

"Eileen made me say, and truly mean -- Never again, Never again, Never again!!!

"Eileen and Mike embedded so much information in my head and so deeply and meaningfully, that I could never again not think twice, thrice, etc., before doing damage to my brain and putting my life or anyone else's at risk while driving under the influence ever again!!!"

Comments from the Safe and Sober Intensive Weekend Driving Program:

"I thank you very much for allowing me to take this class on such short notice."

"I really felt like everyone on the staff was sincere. I think it's more helpful and reassuring to have a counselor (Mike G.) who has had problems himself. I enjoyed this weekend."

"The staff was very kind and courteous to us."

"This weekend had a lot of meaning. I think I learned how selfish I was. When I found out I had to come, I was grieving, but instead, I found lots of love. Through the program, we learned about drinking and the dangerous effects of drugs. The videos all got us all thinking that sometimes we act like slugs. We found out some new useful info that the aminos are good for the brain. To use then cannot be sinful because they relieve our pain. In closing, this was all real surreal. I'm glad I was here rather than not. If this did keep me out of jail, I promise I'll never mess up."

PROJECT: What is the first step to alcoholics anonymous? How does it apply or not apply to you? The first step of alcoholics anonymous is, ...admitting you are powerless over alcohol & that your life has become unmanageable. Does it apply to me? Well the first part is easy. No, I am not powerless to alcohol. I can and will abstain for as long as necessary to deal with my DUI, the repercussions, and possibly longer if I still can't be sure I can make good decisions about driving.

The second part of the first step is harder. Has my life become unmanageable? Four to five thousand dollars for Lawyers, fines, alcohol education, Ignition Inter-Lock, and court costs is at best a nuisance and at worst a hardship. But unmanageable it is not. License suspension I can handle. Taxis and arranging transportation to work for forty-five to one hundred and twenty days is something I would rather not deal with, but it doesn't keep me up at night. Nor does the weekly parole meetings or random testing. Even if I lost my job, my car, my house, life would go on. Life is change and if you try to swim up stream, you end up real tired, real quick. Dealing with it is easier than dreading it.

So why is this step so hard to address? As I sat in county lock-up I realized at first, I didn't remember being pulled over. I remember being put in handcuffs and put in the back of police car, but not why I was pulled over. As I ran through all of the worst case scenarios, I began to think of my best friend's son. His name is Quinn and he's nine. We're not related but he's called me uncle Dave most of his life. My buddy jokes that if anything happens to him before Quinn turns 21, its my job to take Quinn to his first strip club. Sort of a nefarious godfather, r guess.

Today, somewhere in the world there is father who is burying his nine year old son. He had to pick out a child sized coffin. It seems so tiny and so unreal as they lower tt into the ground. A few days ago, He went through his son's dresser and closet for the clothes he is wearing inside that little coffin. He held his wife as she cried till her body ached, she's still crying, right now.

A year from now, I will probably be done with my penance for my crime. That father will be putting flowers on his son's grave. Someday he'll wake up the middle of the night and think that he hears his son coughing, like the time his son was 6 and had that bad cold and as that father wakes and his mind clears he will have to relive his son's death again. To think my drinking and driving could have caused that amount of pain is unmanageable. So, do I have a drinking problem? Maybe, but now I have a chance to change and stop being the idiot who's swimming upstream.

David 4/9/06