🍁 Small GROUP COACHING program starting October 6th & 7th, 2026 🍁 How to Influence Change: Small-group program for parents of struggling teens & young adults. Sign up or learn more over at www.bethhillmancoaching.com/groups I hope to see you there! What happens when your teen leaves treatment, goes to college, and suddenly has more freedom than they’ve had in years? For Harrison Paletta, the answer wasn’t a straight line, and his story is an important reminder that relapse after treatment doesn’t mean everything has been lost. In Part 2 of Harrison’s story, he takes us through the college years that followed residential treatment. In a way, college gave him exactly what he had been missing: close friendships, a sense of belonging, independence, good grades, and a life that felt exciting and normal again. But that freedom also came with drinking, smoking weed, experimentation with other substances, and eventually two arrests and a suspension from school. For parents, it can be hard to make sense of this kind of journey. Your teen may be doing well in some areas while struggling significantly in others. They may make progress, then make choices that scare you. They may relapse after treatment and still go on to build a meaningful, successful life. Harrison’s story offers a candid look at what relapse after treatment can actually look like and why a setback doesn't necessarily mean your teen is back where they started. He also shares what happened next: how his parents responded, the natural consequences he experienced, how he eventually returned to college, and why he ultimately decided he needed a completely different environment after graduation. Today, Harrison uses his own experience to mentor young people coming out of treatment and preparing for the challenges of college and adulthood. For parents, there’s an important message woven throughout his story: your teen’s progress may not be linear, and your job isn’t to keep your hands on the wheel forever. Sometimes, it’s about knowing when to step back, setting appropriate boundaries, and allowing your young adult to experience the consequences of their choices. In this episode on relapse after treatment, we discuss: What happened when Harrison went to college after residential treatmentHow freedom, friendships, and college culture influenced his substance useWhy relapse after treatment doesn't always look the way parents expectThe surprising ways Harrison's friends supported him despite also partying with himHow his parents approached him when they learned about his substance useHarrison's experience with two arrests and being suspended from collegeThe natural consequences his parents set after he had to come homeWhy Harrison chose to return to college after his setbackHow his relationship with his parents changed as they learned to take their hands off the wheelWhat eventually led Harrison to leave New York and return to the treatment community that had helped himWhy he now believes young people need support and mentorship after treatment. Not just while they're in itWhat parents can realistically expect from their teen's journey after treatment More about Harrison Paletta Around the age of 14, I began experimenting with weed and alcohol. By the age of 16, experimentation turned into daily use, and my behavior became completely unhinged. At 17, I was transported to a wilderness therapy program. Afterwards I was sent to a residential treatment center. Nine months later I went home and soon began falling into my old habits. Although my drug use escalated, I managed to get accepted into college. Things got worse there, and eventually I was arrested and suspended from school. After spending some time back home, I wanted to make a change and moved to Utah to pursue a healthy lifestyle. After making a major shift and embracing healthy living, I went back to work in the same residential treatment center I had been to as a kid. I returned to school to finish my undergrad studies and began my pursuing a master's degree in Social Work. Now, I share my story with the hope of uplifting the next generation of youth who are experiencing similar struggles. You can contact Harrison for teen mentoring at harrison@lifestrategiesmentors.com or by calling him at 914-648-0504. Learn more about Life Strategy Mentors here. Looking for support? 🗺️Need help setting healthy boundaries with your teen AND following through? My free guide will help you do so by creating your own Parent Home Plan! 🧘Learn how to respond in hard moments, without losing your cool, the relationship, or yourself, inside my 6-week Boundaries Masterclass. 🤍Influence lasting change in yourself and your struggling teen with my private coaching or parent group program specifically created for parents of struggling teens. Have a question or need support? You can email me at beth@bethhillmancoaching.com You can support the show by: → Leaving a review → Subscribing to the show → Sharing it with another parent! And remember parents, the change begins with us. 🍁 Small GROUP COACHING program starting October 6th & 7th, 2026 🍁 How to Influence Change: Small-group program for parents of struggling teens & young adults. Sign up or learn more over at www.bethhillmancoaching.com/groups I hope to see you there!
