Indianapolis Comprehensive Treatment Center is filled with arguably the most caring and compassionate staff members of any medical facility I’ve ever had the pleasure of dealing with.
From the moment you reach out, you’re met with a level of care that makes you feel comfortable and genuinely human—which, if we’re being honest, is something many of us haven’t felt in a long, long time.
I moved here from the Northeast and had some apprehensions. I didn’t know what to expect and assumed I’d be treated with basic respect, but what came next was a pleasant surprise, to say the least.
My first point of contact was a man named Antonio. His demeanor made me assume he was a substance abuse counselor who just happened to answer the phone—maybe filling in for someone who had called out. The clinic I came from in New England had similar situations, and my counselor there (a great guy named John) would occasionally step into that role. But no—Antonio wasn’t a counselor. He simply possessed that same level of empathy and compassion. From the moment we spoke, he made me feel completely at ease. If I’m remembering correctly, I found out he wasn’t a counselor because I actually asked if I could request him as my counselor 🙂.
Antonio, along with another staff member, reached out to me multiple times before my intake even took place to make sure I was taken care of. Here I was—moving from the Northeast, my nervous system on high alert—and because of the compassion I was shown, those fears practically left my body. I can’t stress enough how important that was for my mental health. I’ve lived in the same city and state my entire life, and moving was incredibly difficult.
Now, as I finish my first two weeks at ICTC, I’m doing quite well. I can’t think of anything I need at the moment, but just in case I did, a Clinical Supervisor named Denise Sloan reached out to me less than an hour ago. I mean—seriously? They care enough to personally check in on my well-being? Anyone who struggles with addiction can relate to that feeling of low self-worth—the voice telling you that you’re not important enough to be “checked on” or “taken care of.” Having someone from the clinic reach out makes you feel like more than just a client. Feeling cared about is more important than, well… anything.
I’m not sure if I’m being overly dramatic, but the entire experience has been a huge stress reliever. I’m not speaking poorly of the place I came from—I won’t do that—but ignoring the contrast would feel dishonest. The staff here genuinely care, and they deserve recognition for that. This isn’t an easy job, especially dealing with people like me. We can be big babies 🙂.