George E. Leary

Mr. George E. Leary Jr. worked with troubled youth for nearly 24 years before retiring to start a second career working with addicts who have an accompanying mental health diagnosis. For the past nineteen years he has been involved with this population, working on a mobile crisis intervention team, providing crisis mental health services at an inner city ER, and for the past decade has working in a clinic where he provides mental health services to addicts in treatment as well as those with HIV.

Mr. Leary is also a parent who watched helplessly as drugs invaded and nearly destroyed his family. He personally experienced the wide range of negative emotions that accompany living with a kid using drugs. He was without support and unable to find information that would help him as a parent. It was only when his family enrolled into a family centered, adolescent drug treatment program that he learned what addiction was, the importance of changing his behaviors, and found a support system to uphold him.

During the 18 months that his family was involved in drug treatment, Mr. Leary realized that he would like to work with addicts. Upon his retirement he made this dream a reality. After years of working with addicts he decided to take advantage of his experience and expertise to develop a book for parents with substance abusing sons and daughters – something he desperately needed during those dark days when drugs invaded his family. The result of that longing is the practical, straightforward guide for parents entitled, “What’s Wrong with My Kid? When Drugs or Alcohol Might Be a Problem and What To Do about It.”