Testimonials

“Because of his young age and unique learning challenges, we could not navigate the nuances and complexity alone.

We encountered so many mixed messages from the various experts working with us that it took a lot of work to feel like we were making the right decisions. DeAnna gave us so much hope. She helped us find resources matching his needs and providing the care and respect he needed to build his confidence and skills. She stayed side by side with us for more than two years.

We are overjoyed with the choices we made. Our son successfully completed a comprehensive program that changed our family dynamics and brought us so much joy. She then helped us plan our next transition. Every professional in this process who interacted with DeAnna as our consultant told us how impressive and thorough she was. DeAnna’s expertise, caring, consistent communication, and availability have significantly supported our family. We are so grateful.

We are more than willing to share our positive experiences with any prospective families. Please don’t hesitate to provide us with our name and number as a reference. We would be pleased to speak to them about your exceptional services.”

Warm regards and heartfelt thanks,
~ Jeannine”

“I am so thankful for everything you’ve done over the past 2 ½ years. My son would never have made this if it wasn’t for your help and guidance. He always trusted you to help him. Thank you for all your help putting my family back together.” ~ CS (Mom)

“It was September 2022 when we were introduced to Gail, who had walked through fire and celebrated the rainbows for our son. I was so mad, heartbroken, and lost with where we were at that I snapped at Gail in our first meeting. By the grace of God, she didn’t hang up the phone on me. She has become a lifeline of support, guided us through thick and thin, and has become an extension of our family. ~ RJW & PW” (Parents)

Working with Gail was a wonderful experience. The maze of residential/therapeutic boarding schools is overwhelming, and Gail simplifies it for the family. Gail takes the time to get to know the client — the family and the individual who would be going to the school. She researches placement options and presents the top possibilities for discussion with the family. She shares all the tools a family needs to make a decision — she helps the family clarify their goals for a placement; provides questions to use when phone screening the schools and what to look for on site visits; and she coaches the family on how to deal with your child being gone. Gail follows up with the placement once your child is there to ensure the goals are being worked. Gail has an extensive network of fellow Educational Consultant professionals, with whom she partners to ensure she finds the best placement options for your child.

Gail Curran is my inspiration. What she has done for me and hundreds of others just like me, I want to do from others. Jess L. Jess is now a college student studying psychology. She hopes to help children with developmental traumas such as adoption, abuse, and neglect.
A former Client

I highly recommend Gail! I was referred to Gail because my teenage son was out of control and I was completely overwhelmed as a mother. My son was completely resistant to outpatient therapy and I knew he needed some type of inpatient situation. Gail got to know a lot about the situation and the issues he was struggling with , and that we were struggling with as a family. She is very knowledgeable about different programs and their strengths and weaknesses and made excellent recommendations for a wilderness program and later a therapeutic boarding school followed by a step down program. When issues came up during treatment, it was extremely helpful to have her support in navigating the situation. I feel like she truly cares about my son and our family and she was great at providing emotional support to me as the parent when necessary. Also, I really trust Gail’s judgement about different programs. My son is now doing well and I’m thankful to have gotten him the support he needed.
K

Gail was always available to talk with whenever we had a question. She also had a connection with our daughter that made communication with a teenager much easier. When we needed guidance as to what the next step should be, she knew what the options were and helped us evaluate them.

Hiring an educational and therapeutic consultant was the best move we ever made in dealing with our daughter’s behavioral/educational problems. With the knowledge and experience they have compiled over time, these professionals are able to guide you in the right direction and help your children achieve successful results. One valuable point in selecting a consultant is to look for a personable person who will be able to connect with your teen – not everyone can do that!

We feel very strongly that our daughter would never have been able to achieve the results she did without the guidance and experience of Gail Curran. Gail was so resourceful and never hesitated to search for appropriate solutions to our daughter’s situation. She always went the extra mile, once even driving to help us in a shopping mall parking lot when our daughter was having a meltdown! We feel blessed to have had Gail on our side …

Dear Gail & Matt, 

We can’t thank you enough for everything that you and Matt have done for our son this past year. Through your amazing research and “toolbox” of therapists, you led us to Laurie, who has been a godsend for our son (and for us). You and Matt took our son under your wing and treated him like your own son, providing comfort, support and a voice on the other end of the phone when he felt like he had nowhere to go. It takes a village and because of that village, our son is heading in the right direction and has come such a long way from where he was a year ago sitting in his apartment alone and lost. 

We will be forever grateful for your kindness and support. 

L & J

The B Family

Dear Gail, Thank you seems too small a phrase to communicate how I truly feel about all you have done for our family. You have helped us to hope again and see positive possibilities for our future as a safe and happy family. The depth of my gratitude is immeasurable! You are a treasure.

Julia, mom

Thank you, Gail! Thanks to your support and guidance, our daughter is on her way to a healthy and happy year ahead! Having you by our side throughout this journey has kept us sane and made us brave and vocal when our daughter needed us to be. 

L & M

Thank you so much for all of your help with my niece.  The great therapeutic destinations for her literally helped save her life.  Your help finding first, the right wilderness and then a therapeutic boarding school helped her grow her self esteem and she graduated and went on to college.  These are great accomplishments which resulted from her hard work, but your ability to find places that matched my niece’s very specific needs was instrumental in her turn around.  (I also appreciated your follow up even after she started back in school – your work didn’t seem to end with just the placement.)

I am happy to strongly endorse your excellent work.

Gus

Dear Gail,
We are very appreciative of all you’ve done to bring our family back together.

The past year and a half have been quite the journey and we’re grateful to have had your guidance along the way. Thanks for all you do! Our daughter is doing awesome. She even decided to go back to dance! Our prodigal has returned!

Thanks very much! Love, the E Family

Moving to Arizona from New York with a child with Autism was overwhelming. Gail was literally my life line and took exceptionally great care of all the details, big and small. She was very well prepared for us when we came to visit and check out various schools and stayed on top of the process as we moved out here. There is no way we could have done it without her! And I attribute our son’s wonderful transition and ultimate success to having Gail on our team!

Felecia R., mom

“I highly recommend Gail Curran. We retained her, and she was extremely valuable in our process. She met with our daughter, my ex-wife, and me, and then, based on how she was doing and what issues we were having, she recommended several options for a higher level of care. She ultimately recommended a Wilderness program and two other short-term residential programs.

My ex was very difficult to deal with but Gail did a magnificent job with her. I would highly recommend her to any parents that are considering higher level of care for their teens.”
~ Parent

Enrolling my child in a residential treatment center is the most difficult decision that I have ever had to make. While I am an educated, skilled researcher, there were important elements that I would not have been able to find without Gail’s help and expertise. In our time of crisis, Gail listened to our needs and wants and helped us find an RTC that was a good fit for us. On RTC websites, I can see program descriptions, modalities, services provided, and campus photos. Gail can tell me firsthand, from current experiences, about the culture and strengths and weaknesses of different programs. She was able to introduce me to some programs that I had not found in my research. She is professional, timely, intelligent, and a strong communicator. She cares about her family and advocates for and follows through with them. We felt validated in our needs and never felt pressured. She has a strong moral compass and went above and beyond for our family. I would normally not seek the services of an educational consultant, but in this case, I am glad that I did. It made the process go much smoother, my decisions were much more informed, and the experience more positive. I highly recommend Gail Curran and am very grateful for her assistance during this season in our lives.

She cares, she shares her experience and knowledge, she advocates for her families and she follows through. She was a direct communicator, which I appreciated.

Gail took time to listen to what we needed. While I am a big researcher, Gail had first-hand knowledge of the RTCs. She was able to help us find an RTC close to home that had the modalities, program, and environment that we were looking for. She gave us a resource where we could apply for a scholarship. She acted as an advocate for my daughter and our family. She truly cares about and works hard for her family.

Gail has been invaluable in guiding me to getting my son the help that he, and our family, desperately needed. She has been, and always is, available for all my questions and concerns and willing to help in any way possible. In fact, she has stayed in continual contact with me, and my son’s therapist, throughout this very difficult road. I can’t express enough how grateful I am to her for all her support, compassion and professionalism.

When I reached out to Gail, our lives were completely upside down, full of stress and with an overwhelming feeling of loss of control. In other words, things were pretty bad with our son and we knew we needed professional help. I was fortunate because I’d been carrying around a list of resources for several months (given to me by my son’s therapist) and it included names of wilderness programs, RTCs, and Educational Consultants. I had no idea where to start and was absolutely sure I had no clue what I was doing. My sister helped me make the calls and reached out to the four consultants named on the list. Meanwhile, I was trying to do some research on my own. Then my sister called me and told me she had spoken to Gail and thought she was the best of the best. I immediately called Gail and knew that we clicked. When I spoke to Gail she talked through with me all the possibilities/options; she wanted to understand my son and what his challenges were and she, in particular, wanted to meet him. She came over to our house and met me and my son. We talked for some time and I immediately felt relief because my instincts told me she knew what to do and how to advise us. It was not easy but Gail kept telling me to “trust the process.” Gail helped us find the perfect wilderness treatment program for our son with a therapist who specialized in adoption and attachment issues (my son is adopted). It was the right fit for my son, who made extraordinary process in wilderness. And when it was time to move to a treatment center, Gail helped us find the best place for our son. As I write this, my son is ready to be discharged in about two weeks to come home. Gail is pragmatic, insightful, and very thorough. She listened to our requests and, most importantly, to the needs of our son. It made all the difference. We could not have done this and be where we are today without Gail. She was a shining light who truly helped navigate us through a difficult time and found a way to make this a seamless process that bears hope and happiness. We are eternally grateful.
The Duke Family

When you have experienced and pursued all of your options for your struggling child, it feels like you are out of resources to get the help you need. It happens to all kinds of parents, and they find hope with the support of educational consultants that can help families find the help their child needs. Wilderness therapy is a unique and profoundly effective process not only for the child but the family as a whole. Gail Curran provided a thorough evaluation of our child to ensure the program selected was the best fit for his needs. Gail was supportive in the entire process, from decision making, program evaluations, program selection, communication to us as parents, visiting our son while he was in his wilderness program, consistent communication with his therapist to ensure he was getting the help he needed and progress, and of course, emotionally supporting me, the mom along the way.

It is unnerving having your child many states away, location unknown. However, with Gail’s support, I was able to trust the process that sincerely had the best interest of my child in mind. The wilderness program was a stepping stone for my son, and Gail assisted in finding the best step for him, in continuing on his path to growth. He completed his wilderness as well as a therapeutic boarding school and is now back home. Gail was a part of every step of the process for my son, and our family.

The K Family

 

Thank you, seems too small a phrase to communicate how I feel about all you have done for our family. You have helped us to hope again and see positive possibilities for our future as a safe and happy family. The depth of my gratitude is immeasurable! You are a treasure.

You thoroughly listened to my concerns, respected the delicacy of two parents not on the same page and worked around the challenges that existed due to joint custody. You were beyond patient through the entire process and even became my voice when it wasn’t heard.

While our daughter was in the treatment program, you continued to monitor her progress, worked with her therapist and fielded calls and questions while trying to fill communication gaps.

Rebecca

Gail,

Thank you so much for the incredible work and insight you provided to greatly benefit our son.

Parents

Parents

Dear Gail,

Before you were recommended to us by our family therapist, our lives were in shambles. Our daughter’s behavior had become so risk-seeking and dangerous that both our family therapist and I were afraid that she would end up killing herself or someone else if drastic measures were not taken immediately. You called me right back and went straight to work. When we met the next afternoon my stress level was so high. You remained very calm and reassuring. Your experience, including knowledge of mental health issues, behavior problems, and possible treatment centers, enabled us to get our daughter immediately into a residential treatment center. Our daughter is now doing well and we have you to thank.

We were very pleased with the levels of service offered and choose the level appropriate to our needs. You provided very quick responses and expertise that helped us choose the best option for a wilderness program in just one day’s time.

Helping Familes
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Free 30 Minute Consultation

Schedule a Consultation

Fax: 877.563.5774
Office Hours:
9:00 am – 6:00 pm,
Monday-Friday

Saturday and Sunday appointments are available upon request for your convenience.

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“I cannot say enough about what Gail does for families; she is knowledgeable, helpful, empathetic, and kind. I’m always in awe.” ~ Jennifer Kupiszewski, Esq

“Thank you for everything, Gail; you have been my son’s and my lifeline these last nine months!” ~ RJ (mom)

Dear Matt,

Thank you so much for all the help & support you have provided these past few years. It has been a pleasure working with you on solving various financial issues and personal problems. I really felt like you were there for me and had my back. Your personality & sense of humor will be missed, but most importantly, your skills and abilities that got me through some tough times cannot be replaced. I will miss you being my “go-to” guy.

Rachel

Young Adult

Gail has been invaluable in helping me solve the behavioral and educational problems I have been facing with my boys. She is an expert on the resources available and how to choose programs and schools to meet the specific needs of individual teens. Edie S.

Edie

Dear Nancy,

You have been the behind the scenes guardian

Your intervention throughout all the steps that I’ve taken so far, with Nicholas have blessed us and secured us.  I fall short of words.  I know that you also had something to do with this.

It has lifted an amazing concern off my shoulders and now I can continue to plow through my other challenges.  Nancy, thank you so much.  I just can’t say enough.  You have been Nick’s behind the scenes guardian and you are always in my prayers.

Dear Gail,

We were very pleased with the services you provided as an educational consultant to our family. We were first thrilled to discover that there was such a profession that could actually provide professional guidance to the tough decisions regarding school choice. We were equally thrilled to find someone, such as yourself, in town that came with such high recommendations.

M.C.

 

It has been great working with you on this case Nancy. Your attention to detail and compassion for student’s and the clientele you work with is evident. I hope we get to work together soon.

Attorney

Dear Gail,

I was trying to find the best way for my son to get on track with the schooling he needed. I was bewildered by the array of choices. You met with my family on short notice as time was running out. My son felt so comfortable and trusting with you. You presented to us a number of school choices we were not aware of. A visit to a school you recommended revealed the power of your school knowledge. Thank you for helping us overcome our confusion and find a clear path that was just right for our son.

D.C., parent

We are very happy and are quite fortunate that we have a program navigator such as Gail. We had a huge dilemma in trying to help our son with several behavior health issues and a life that was unraveling.

We became aware after John had a battery of evaluations, and therapeutic and group sessions that he would need very specialized care. Fortunately, that is when we were able to contact Gail. John’s mother was able to research Gail’s information and we decided she would be the “unique resource” we needed. We appreciated her expertise when we were grasping at straws for his care. She really helped us stop our indecision and to make decisions and find a proactive path. We were first able to meet quickly with Gail in person. It seemed easy to talk with Gail. We felt assured that she could be a great sounding board and resource. Later, we concluded she could help us gather information and allow us to make tough decisions in getting our son’s immediate help. Gail shared her very valuable knowledge and experience with different organizations and treatment that could really help. Gail has a unique way of being attuned with our wishes and our family while really looking and researching information to find the best situation and individualized care for John. When we had questions, she was very responsive getting back with reliable and relevant information.

The best way to describe this is to discuss our son’s journey. After meeting with Gail, we had useful information. We could see clear choice. This helped and assured we would find a way to meet John’s needs and provide for the potential costs. This required a huge financial commitment to provide the services. There was strain emotionally and mentally to decide that he could and should live outside of family home. We were able to sift through possible choices and quickly meet with Behavioral Health Treatment Center representatives. We were able to visit the site and make our decision. This is where Gail’s unique navigation skills helped; she could see different type of needs he may need and what type of therapy, school, house environment and interaction that treatment centers offer and could offer (it is nice to know you can ask for more.) We also appreciated her hands-on approach where she visits the sites to get to know the staff better and services offered. She also visits with the clients – she takes a total approach.

In conclusion, Gail’s services have been quite valuable to us. We can definitely use and rely on her “common sense” and good judgement during this path. It has not been a smooth journey, John has had several setbacks going from BH Treatment to Wilderness Camp and then to another BH Treatment Center in the last 14 months. Along the way, there has been setbacks but there has been more growth, independence, emotion connection and love. With each of setback and growth spurts, Gail has been quite helpful. She continues to provide quality updates, information, “wonderful” suggestions and overall care to aid him and his family. She can provide “realistic views” but her feedback gives us a good deal of hope (it is process).

John