Patrick is the founder and Executive Director of In Balance Continuum of Care including four recovery-based programs. He is a noted psychotherapist with over 25 years of extensive training and experience in adolescent and adult substance abuse and mental health treatment. He is the "heart and soul" of the In Balance Continuum of Care programs. His dedication, direction and personal commitment to helping adults, adolescents and their families is demonstrated in all aspects of treatment. His extensive experience makes him a frequent presenter at both local and national conferences. He has presented at the U.S. Journal Training National conferences, the FACES, Family and Addiction Conferences and Educational Seminars on a variety of treatment topics including the challenges of overcoming the culture of adolescent substance abuse. He belongs to the NATSAP Board and is the liaison to the Best Practice Committee extending treatment solutions throughout the US. Patrick also serves on the Pima County Commission on Addiction, Prevention & Treatment to improve services in his local community for individuals who have drug and alcohol issues and cannot afford treatment. Patrick is continuously striving to make an impact on those he serves each and every day.

Betsy Barrasso is the co-owner and Admissions Director for In Balance Continuum of Care. She has been married to Patrick for 37 years, has three grown children who all work with In Balance and 6 adorable grandchildren. Betsy never tires of talking to parents about the help In Balance can provide, providing hope for a better future for their family.

Carolyn Janisch lives in the Seattle area. She and her husband, John, have three sons. Her family is her priority. She loves spending time with her husband and sons, extended family, and friends…preferably enjoying the outdoors.  While raising her sons, she was a stay at home mom who found ways to volunteer to serve families through the programs they enjoyed. She served as the Board President and Newsletter editor for the local Community College Parent Education program, Registrar and Parent Liaison for the local Little League, Cubmaster of the community Cub Scout group and was involved in event planning and fundraising as a PTSA volunteer. 

Carolyn began her career with the Boeing company as a buyer, then worked as a business and marketing consultant for The Little Gym International. Carolyn now owns a Cloth diaper laundry and delivery service with her husband. She specializes in marketing, customer service and strategic partnerships and is excited to apply these skills to her role as President of Fundraising and Community Outreach for the FreshStart Making Futures Possible One Step at a Time Foundation.   

One of the most difficult challenges she has faced was dealing with and navigating her son struggling with substance abuse and all the stress, chaos and destruction that came with that to her son, herself, and her family.  One of the most rewarding experiences she has experienced is participating in the journey of recovery parallel with her son, her husband, and her family, which has led to healing, strength, and hope. She is grateful they were led to In Balance Academy for their treatment and is thankful for the Family Recovery Model.  It has been hard work, but well worth it. The impact In Balance Academy and the entire journey has had on her son and her family has led to a desire to be of service to other families who are facing similar challenges.  She is blessed to be of service to families through the In Balance Academy Parent Mentor program and FreshStart Making Futures Possible One Step at a Time as a Board Member.

Joe was the youngest of 10 children raised outside of Buffalo NY, the son of a railroader. The product of Catholic schools Joe participated in varsity sports, theatre and general chicanery. Joe was invited to leave two mediocre universities due to a series of misunderstandings and his behavior. He honed his skills in dodging all responsibility and reeling in the slack the family provided, until he was blessed with the gift of sobriety in 1985 at the age of 28.

A dues paying member of Alcoholics Anonymous ($1 per meeting), Joe attends meetings on Chicago’s North Shore (la de da). Joe has just celebrated 25 years of marriage to his amazing spouse Sally who is also in recovery. Joe is the father of three beautiful children, Chris 22(who is now with his Heavenly Father) Mary Caroline 20 & William 16. Through the grace of God and the 12 steps of A.A. his kids have never seen him take a drink.

Joe has shared his experience strength and hope at meetings all around Chicago, and other parts of the US. In 2009 Joe was asked to speak on the 1st three steps at a men’s conference California.(it must have gone well as nobody asked for their money back, and was invited to speak again)
He continues his journey serving AA his family and God , with an occasional round of golf thrown in.
He does is as prescribed… ONE DAY AT A TIME

Lisa was born and raised (the eldest of 2 girls) in the South Bay in Southern California. She attended college and worked for many years at TRW Space & Defense as a Program Administrator (bean counter) for various government and military projects. During that time she met (in traffic school) and married her wonderful husband of 27 years, Brent, and became a proud mom to her oldest son Matt (25). In 1993, she and Brent had the opportunity to relocate to Arizona where she could be a full time mom, which she loved. In 1995, she had her youngest son Kevin (20), and was involved in all things kids, school, and sports.

Lisa became a grateful member of Al-Anon on August 8th 2006, when her oldest was struggling and their therapist at In Balance recommended that she and Brent take care of themselves and find recovery of their own. Finding “self-care” a foreign concept, they went to see what they could do to help him get better, and stayed because THEY actually got better. Working the 12-Steps with the help of her Al-Anon sponsor, Lisa learned to focus on what she could change (herself), let others be responsible for themselves, accept “life on life’s terms”, and be happy and grateful for all of the experiences and lessons that came her way. Through In Balance and Al-Anon, she became passionate about helping others learn that family recovery IS possible, and has embraced being of service by supporting all of her In Balance families (past and present), sponsoring others, and spreading the message by speaking at schools, church groups, and treatment centers.

Today, Lisa is extremely proud and thankful for the close relationship she has with her family, and the journey they took to get there – her favorite quote sums it up: "...human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives."
William James

Patty Dann is the author of six books, both fiction and non-fiction. She has served as a judge for the Scholastic Young Writers Awards. She has an MFA in Writing from Columbia University and a B.A. from the University of Oregon. Dann currently teaches writing workshops in NYC.

Mark was born and raised in Cincinnati Ohio. He attended the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and the University of Cincinnati College of Design, architecture, art and planning where he received a bachelor of science in design. The University of Cincinnati is the number one rated industrial design program in the nation. Upon graduation, Mr. Faulconer took a position at U.S. divers company in Santa Ana, ca. Mr. Faulconer held the position director of design (1980-1990). U.S. divers, the largest scuba diving company had subsidiaries around the world. Mr. Faulconer was responsible for all design and brand imaging he also traveled throughout Europe and Asia sourcing product for US Divers Co. In 1990 Mr. Faulconer resigned from U.S. divers to form Faulconer design/development. Faulconer design/development is an industrial design consulting firm located in Newport Beach, California. Professionally, Mark has more than thirty five years of experience in design and engineering. He has worked both as a corporate design director and as a design consultant. Mark is currently a principal of Faulconer design/development with offices located in Newport Beach California. Mr. Faulconer is also a former member of the faculty at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena California. Art center is the number two rated industrial design program in the nation. Mr. Faulconer was an advance product design instructor while at Art Center College of Design. 

Mark and Sandra Faulconer, have been married for twenty six years. They have two amazing children, Cristina 22, and Steven 18. The family resides in Newport beach California. Cristina attended FIDM and is currently managing two hi-end western apparel retail stores. Steven attend the In Balance ranch academy program, may 2013-december 2014. Steven graduated the In Balance program, continued with the Newport Academy program and continues his recover today as does the Faulconer family. Steven will begin college this fall...he is planning a career in the recovery field as a therapist helping young people. The Faulconer family continues to be closely involved with the In Balance program and the Newport academy program and have attended many many work shops both as parents and as mentors.

Karen was born in California and raised in Lake Tahoe where her love for the mountains and all things outdoors blossomed. As the oldest of two girls, she is a typical first-born: over-achiever, bossy, and competitive. With a passion for school and learning, Karen attended Santa Clara University where she met her husband, Kevin. They will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary this September. Kevin and Karen have two sons; Brady, 21, and Garrett, 19.

The Hein family resided in Folsom, California from 2001 - 2013, where they planted a Christian church, volunteered and worked in homeless ministry, and homeschooled the boys. Brady and Garrett were active in soccer, baseball, and football and also volunteered to serve the homeless. Upon transitioning into high school, the boys took a turn and began a journey into alcohol and drug abuse. Aware that his life was in peril, Brady checked himself into rehab. Through this experience, and learning more details of the boys’ addiction issues, Kevin and Karen made the decision to seek help for Garrett. In October of 2013, Garrett was escorted to wilderness in Utah. In December, he was transitioned to In Balance Ranch Academy.

Because Karen is a teacher and Kevin works for a non-profit, funding the programs was a huge financial burden. Kevin and Karen made the decision to sell their California home and move to Colorado in order to fund the boys’ recovery. Forever grateful for God’s sovereignty, Karen was thrilled to be back in the mountains. She is passionate about helping families find a way to help their children find recovery when finances are not available. Today, both boys are living lives without addiction. The family is forever grateful to In Balance for all they did to support their entire family throughout the recovery process.