From former clients of Life Management Serenity at the Quarry, interns and trainees from Colombo Drug Advisory Program, as well as classmates and colleagues in the field of counseling and substance use disorder since 1993, here is what they say about our substance use disorder recovery and treatment training program:

 

Junjun Abella was the Program Director at LMFI when I was doing my internship in 2004. I was impressed at the way he related to the clients because he exuded authority and yet was also very personally connected with them. I think having such a balance is very important for an addiction counselor. Junjun showed passion for his work and a knack for challenging people to be their best. I observed this while he facilitated the group sessions and also as he pushed me to try new assignments at the center. I pray that Junjun will continue his great work at helping more people recover from addiction.

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Junjun was my teacher. He is a an excellent master trainer who have me develop and deepen my knowledge of addiction. I want to become an addiction professional and he is my model. He is good to be with and has a lot of knowledge to learn from. He is a great person.

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Clemente Abella (aka Junjun) my Program Director in Serenity at the Quarry. The first time I met him was during the meeting at MOA way back 2010 (after my first treatment), and from the very first meeting I don’t know why but I always thought of him as a person with a big heart. 2012, I hit my bottom again, and this time he was the only person that came in my mind to ask help for. Right after I asked help from him, he didn’t even had the second thought of helping me… He accepted me as a scholar in his facility at Baguio for almost 7months. The first thing that I learned in his facility is Acceptance (the hardest part). But the good thing with Junjun’s way of dealing with clients, he doesn’t push the thing that I need to learn but because he always want me to practice it in my everyday living, I now manage to learn how to accept things, event, situation and people that I cannot change. 2nd, he is always gentle in dealing with clients who has traumatic experience like mine. I didn’t felt being judge when I put down my deepest secret on the table. He is a type of person whom you can trust. Not to mention he loves doing service work to people who needs help (Bagyong Ondoy, Pablo etc). Dito mo ma experience ang spiritual growth sa pagtulong sa iba ng walang kapalit. Sa kanya ko rin natutunan kung pano magtiwala sa Diyos. Step 3, and most of the time IT WORKS! Hindi ko namamalayan pero sa kaka remind nya to trust my Higher Power, nagagawa ko na rin sya by my own. Ang galling!( TERRIFIC!)

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It was more than a decade ago when I met Junjun in a treatment facility called Life Foundation. I remember how excellent he is in managing and helping everyone to recover and ultimately be a better person again. Personally, I am very grateful to Junjun for bringing me back to where I truly belong. Through the years I feel very proud sharing to my friends and other aspiring addicts the experience and life philosophy I learned from Junjun.

Too late to give my thanks but I know that you’re the best and I wish to see you live a very long life. The world had only a few species left in your category.

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i was with LIFE MANAGEMENT last 2002,,,i was an addict before,,,,but i decided to seek professionals help because i want to live with serenity…..then,,with the help of life management and junjun everything’s changed….he helped me during my program…..i never forget it…..now,,i’m 11 years sober….happily living with my new family……thanks to my higher power for guiding me in my new way of life……..junjun is GREAT!!!!

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