From Parents Whose Lives Have Changed

 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 Alison Vliet 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
When our son arrived at Forte Strong, our family was exhausted, overwhelmed, and honestly out of answers. What started as a slow decline over several years had eventually spiraled into depression, anxiety, substance abuse challenges, hospitalizations, and interactions with law enforcement. We had reached the limits of what we could do on our own and knew we needed help.

What we didn’t fully understand at the time was that Forte Strong would not only help our son—it would help our entire family.

Our son is incredibly bright and capable, but he also struggles with autism and ADHD, diagnoses he did not receive until adulthood. Looking back, so many things made sense through that lens, but by the time he arrived at Forte, our family dynamic had become unhealthy in ways we didn’t fully recognize. Forte Strong helped us see that with honesty, compassion, and zero judgment.

One of the greatest gifts Forte gave us was helping us understand that growth requires discomfort, struggle, accountability, and independence—not constant rescuing. They taught us how to separate what feels urgent from what actually is urgent, how to hold boundaries, and how to support our son without unintentionally reinforcing unhealthy patterns.

The staff at Forte Strong are exceptional. They deeply understand young adult men and the challenges they face, and time and time again they were able to predict situations and behaviors with remarkable accuracy. As frustrating as that occasionally was in the moment, it was also incredibly reassuring because it meant our son was in the hands of people who truly knew what they were doing.

The weekly parent webinars and family support were equally life-changing for us. They provided practical guidance, emotional support, and a community of parents who understood this experience in a way few others can. Those calls became one of the most meaningful parts of our week.

Most importantly, Forte Strong helped give our son his life back. His progress has not been linear—there have been setbacks along the way—but he is in a far healthier and more hopeful place than he was before arriving there. He has built friendships, coping strategies, confidence, and independence in ways we honestly once thought might not be possible.

Forte Strong is not a “quick fix,” because there is no quick fix. What they provide is something far more valuable: structure, accountability, support, expertise, and the opportunity for real growth—for both the young men there and their families.

We will always be deeply grateful for the role Forte Strong has played in our son’s life and in ours.
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 carlos johnson 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
What a great program!!! teaches you how to become independent step by step!!! Each step you take builds a great ladder of success as an adult. From budgeting, to managing a vehicle, to finding the perfect job. Are there gonna be some bumps and complications along the way, definitely, but with the support of the staff coaches and your housemates, you can get through it fast. I’ve learned that there are a lot of of great benefits and opportunities that arrive from here. A great example is that I’ve been working at two jobs I enjoy, plus I met my wife during the program. We have been married one year this year!! I hope many of the new faces at forte get to discover this same bonding and companionship that I had.
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 Jake Pincus 
 
 
 
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I recently left Forte Strong and am currently residing in St. George. I have a great job now and a chance to move up in my company by going to graduate school. Forte Strong was very tough in the beginning and to be completely honest, I actually hated it. I felt like everyone was against me, including the director. I thought they were just trying to make me jump through meaningless hoops. I was tired, depressed, anxious, and had very little self confidence. In a fit of frustration, I vented to one of my housemates the director wasn’t helping and was actually making it worse. The guy said the director’s methods will all make sense in the end. Obviously, at the time, I blew that off as utter nonsense. A month or so later, I was having a lot of anxiety and the director supported me in my time of need in a way that was quite unfamiliar to me at the time. I was shocked. He did care and not only that, he believed in my strength and resilience. My opinions of him changed almost immediately. He became my biggest mentor in the program. I went to him for problems I may have had, how I could have handled this situation differently, how I could have a better relationship with my parents, etc. He was there for me and I was ready to listen. In a matter of 5 and half months, my relationship with one of my parents changed drastically, a feat I thought was near impossible and hopeless when I entered the program. My resilience increased, my self confidence increased because I was doing well at work, and I had more trust in my abilities. Everything was changing for the better. I was going to be fine. I also made countless friends along the way, people that I will still keep in contact with for a while. I have also dealt with challenging people in the program, people who I really didn’t care for and who didn’t really align with my values. The program director mentored me through dealing with difficult people. It was an uphill battle, but it is all about learning. Now, I’m not going to say that this program is for everyone. It definitely is not. There is a stark contrast between the people who actually want to be there and to work on themselves and the people who feel forced by their parents. I was fortunately the former. And as I sit in my new apartment in St. George on a bright Saturday morning, I want to say thank you Brook for all you have done for me.
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 barbra katz 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
It is not an experience that is right for everyone but it has made a big difference for a family member.  My thoughts:  If you are looking for traditional heavy therapy environment focused on diagnosis and medication management this is not for your family member.  Forte has therapy and medication management but it is not the core of what they do.  It is a small piece of it and one that I think has opportunity to be improved upon.  That being said, not why you come here.  If you have a young man who cannot move forward to adulthood responsibilities regardless of the cause this may be for your family.  I say may because there is really no way to predict if this formula is the right one.  For our family member, routine, coaching, basic skills for healthy living and independence were that formula.  A real differentiator here is the obligation to work during the program.  It is not just an obligation but central to success.   That, plus the independence gained riding and owning a motor scooter  ( something I could never have imagined) made a huge impact.  The coaches are kind, empathetic but tough and direct and the same time.  They are practical and this coupled with the simplicity of life in St. George are also very helpful.  My family member has chosen to remain in St. George and is is moving out on his own, has a nice job and is on the road to a professional career that feels more in line with his interests.  His stress is vastly improved, as is depression and he has better interactions with his family than before.   Opportunities exist with the therapy and communication with parents.  It is not perfect but the Director is amazing and open to feedback.  At the end of the day they genuinely care and work hard purely in the interests of these young men.  It is expensive but if the behavior I see now sustains itself - well worth it.
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 Rich County Rat Rods JROD 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
Outstanding
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 Reba Meyer 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
I came across this website as I was desperately trying to find help for my son. We've been worried for quite some time and just lost, he had zero desire to engage in conversation with anyone, lived in his room and would only leave his room in the middle of the night to eat when the rest of the house was asleep. He barely left the house and was without a job for over a year. At our wits end we tried to kick him out but didn't have the tools or plan in place to follow through. We reached out to Forte Strong and had a consultation. We gained a lot of insight about how they operate and how they push the young men to succeed as an individual and not as a dependent both relying on parents while being an adult. With the help of the consultation and many check ins afterwards, my son applied for, interviewed, got a job with good pay and benefits and is going to work on his own. Buying and preparing his own food, leaving the confines of his room, and contributing financially to the household and paying his own bills.  Although my son did not attend the program, without the support and basic principles of Forte Strong, we would still be in dispare and lost on what to do. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and I know if we take a step back or go down a path to old habits, I know this program will be the next... and final step for our son to keep moving forward.
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 Mary Beth Kloiber 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
We are very thankful that we found Forte Strong for our son. Forte taught our son the skills to grow and develop so that he could become independent. Prior to FS, our son was not gaining these skills on his own at home or at college. The structure, discipline and accountability, combined with coaching and therapy, created an environment where he could grow and gain confidence. While we as parents had to step back and allow our son to rely on himself and the program support, by the time he graduated our relationship was much healthier. A weekly webinar for the parents is a key component of the program. Brook (program director) does an incredible job providing insightful and valuable parent education. He connects with the parents and helps them understand the underlying principles and processes of the program. We are grateful for the dedicated staff at Forte Strong and what they are doing for the students they serve.
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 Barbara 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
The care Will gave to us, the understanding of our situation, and advice has turned our son around.  We can't thank Will at Forte Strong enough.  Every situation is different, and with Will's help, he gave us the working tools to help our son get back on track.  We are forever grateful to Forte Strong.  I know that if you have a son who is struggling, Forte Strong is the solution.
  
 
  
 
 
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