Chad Smalls once an addict himself is now using his experience to reach out and help high school boys who are in danger of heading down the same path he once was on. In Midland there are stories of heartache and drug abuse around every corner, just like anywhere else. The only difference here is the development of a program called “XY Zone.” It’s a program that has been around for a few years but is now being offered to a broader group of individuals, all school aged individuals. What seems to be the biggest success of this program is having Chad Smalls apart of it, his been there and done that disposition seems to help these boys that are headed down the dark path of addiction. He realizes that people don’t tend to realize just how bad they are until it’s too late, after having repeated suicidal thoughts and the feeling of giving up, he entered himself into a 12 step program. The effects from his drug use are permanent and he feels as though it’s vital to show these kids what drug use looks like and how it affects you in the long run.

Smalls says, “By the time they’ve gone through the court system or they’ve gotten in trouble with the family or whatever they come here, a lot of times they’ve already got their story and have all these defensive walls put up.” So what Smalls does is pushes right through the walls. He goes into the schools and ambushes the kids. By dragging them out of class; being one on one gives them a chance to be in their natural environment, away from any causes that would have them putting up their walls of defense. This method has helped hundreds of kids in just his 3 years on the job. He comments that the best part of his job is actually seeing the lights turn on in these kids’ eyes, when it suddenly clicks for them.

It has been a mission at Seabrook to help give individuals the attention and information needed to live a sober life. We strive ourselves on using the 12 steps along with Brain spotting to help heal these individuals and help them realize recovery is the answer. For more information please visit: www.seabrook.org to learn more about our services and campus.