Just short of a miracle ... FFS students (l to r) Chris B., Scott M., Matt W., Ted W., Isaac M., and Will H. with skating guru psychiatrist Richard Falzone.
Psychiatrist Richard Falzone Challenges Paradigms
By Liam M.
Dr. Richard Falzone always has a couple of skateboards in the cargo box of his car. He keeps them there in case a good skating opportunity presents itself during his travels.
This may seem out of the norm for a Harvard-trained psychiatrist, but Falzone is all about breaking stigmas.
At McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts, Falzone runs an adolescent dual-diagnosis substance abuse group for young teens who use drugs on top of their psychiatric problems. He teaches clean and sober coping skills to achieve total abstinence.
These coping skills are primarily outlets for teens to develop and unleash their passion for life in healthy ways. For Falzone and many of his patients, skateboarding is a very positive tool in the quest for recovery.
“I had always thought that the skater subculture was too closely affiliated with drug use to be endorsed here, but Falzone effectively convinced me otherwise,” said Rita Argiros, Family Foundation School Administrative Vice President.
Through his own observations, he himself being a sober skater, Falzone has watched the sport grow to become a large part of mainstream culture, which encompasses all kinds of people. He also pointed out that the FFS gym provided for students who enjoy team sports like basketball, but did not currently provide for those who are into solo activities.
Tony and Betty Argiros, founders of The Family School, always had a vision for the school that everything that was fun and not bad for you would be allowed. Remembering that, Argiros decided to give Falzone’s concept a test.
Falzone grabbed the skateboards from his car, and invited the schools’ skaters to ride in the gym. After seeing the amount of joy the skateboards brought, as well as the exercise the boys were getting, Rita Argiros decided to rethink FFS’s skateboarding ban.
“Today I can honestly say that my life at The Family School is complete. Sobriety, skateboarding, family; what more could a man ask for?” said Ted W., one of the skaters.
Falzone was very impressed with the FFS staffs’ open mindedness on the issue. “Skating has taught me and the kids I work with a lot about life, and I appreciate when people are willing to reevaluate their opinions on it as a therapeutic tool.” He hopes that the next time he visits it will be to unveil the outdoor skate-park which he dreamed up with Argiros.
FFS Administration is still deliberating on how they can organize and oversee skateboarding. A few students who are doing well in school and with their programs already have boards being sent up.
