"Thug Life"

Most people won't get why this page is called "Thug Life" but you know and that's why you clicked. A lot of people think THUG means criminal or bad person and for a while I did too. Until "Trooper", a kid in detention, with a hella lot of potential told me I was wrong. He said, "Nah, Ms. Adrienne, being a Thug means you're strong, you survived some hard shit in your life. Ms. Adrienne, you're a Thug".  For him it meant growing up in "the hood, overcoming obstacles, and being a survivor". For me, it was surviving all the crap in my life. For me, earning the title "Thug" meant PRIDE, getting it from "Trooper", was RESPECT!

So, you're a thug.  You know what it's like growing up in "the hood", scrounging for food, sleeping where you can. knowing you are never truly safe. Maybe you're doing what you have to help your moms feed your brothers/sisters or to give your moms money because you were tired of seeing her work her ass off for food and rent.  You bang because they got your back or it's family and your dad was never around. Or your moms man was smacking her when you were little and you hid in the closet so he didn't come after you. The power or water keeps getting shut off, bouncing from one crib to another, someones always in and out of detention or worse; just can't stay in the free. Yeah, I know...been there done that. Yeah, me. I don't look like I know but real talk....Locked up, 4 years, juvie and then on the run for another 4. Running the streets of south side of Chicago (what you see on the Chi is where I was, 63rd street) and LA. I wasn't playin, did some stupid shit, just like you probably have and are. No high school diploma, no nothin. But then I pulled my shit together; ended up right back behind those bars and heavy ass metal doors, you know the ones, behind the sallies. But this time, I was working there, as a counselor, helping people like you and me because I wanted to be able to help people get to where I got myself.

That's my story, no cappin, just keeping it 100 with you. May not be the exact same story as you but I know what shit feels like. 

Don't  trust people, you don't let them in

Jump at sudden/loud sounds

Don't turn your back to people, don't like people behind you

Don't  like people touching you.

The anger issues, I bet you have huge anger issues and don't know why. or opposite, sad.

Have a lot of problems in school

Everything goes away and is better when you smoke, drink, bars, ?????

The sleep problems. The dark shadows and you can't move, the flashbacks. You feel me don't you?

You feel like nothing is every going to go right for you and you don't even see a future for yourself

Tell me I am wrong......better yet, call or email me and tell me I'm wrong; give me the chance to prove to you that things can change. Ive done this with so many people just like you and helped them change their lives, kept them out the pen and the ground. 

I have confidentiality rules which means what you tell me stays with me, unless you tell me you're going to hurt yourself or someone is being abused, a kid, old person, something like that. Let's be real, I have to try to help them. Other than that, what you tell me, stays between us, for real......yeah, I know, you don't trust anyone. But give me a chance, the way I wish someone would have for me. I had to do this shit on my own and it was a bitch, but it's possible and I got you. You just gotta want it.

I can help you try to get a high school diploma, GED,  place to live, legal help, whatever you need but you have to try. Life don't have to stay this fuckin hard. For real, it don't.

NOTE: 

If you are between 16 - 18 and want to see me  but are doing this alone....call/email me. Most times you don't have to  have parental consent for therapy.