Patrick is the founder and Executive Director of In Balance Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program, and the In Balance Academy. 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 programs. His dedication, direction and personal commitment to helping 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, and the FACES, Family and Addiction Conferences and Educational Seminars on a variety of adolescent treatment topics including the challenges of overcoming the culture of adolescent substance abuse.

​

"The Positive Peer Culture (PPC) model, a pillar of In Balance Academy, is consistent with the philosophy we have used since the inception of In Balance services for youth starting in 1996. This philosophy involves guiding young people to help each other. This is the basis of the positive peer culture. Young people will start to heal the shame that contributed to the mess in their lives by helping each other with day to day difficulties. It is an interesting and difficult process to watch these youth struggle, but it is in these challenging times that true growth takes place. The other night I sat through a community meeting and witnessed two young people try to sort out a conflict with each other. There were several points when I wanted to intervene but I let it play out. They did an amazing job of bringing it to a productive resolution. You see, the heart of our philosophy is that young people can sort out most of their own difficulties with the proper support and guidance. In each step we take with these young men at the Academy the message is clear and consistent: “You are capable.”

​

It is this message that is reinforced in all aspects of our program, whether it be in an equine experience, a community meeting led by the leadership council or fifteen-mile hike, we continually go back to the idea that they are capable and we treat them as such.

Often drugs, alcohol and other self-defeating behavior leave an individual's self-esteem in serious jeopardy and diminish their ability to problem-solve. This is typical of many young men that enter the Academy. After being at the Academy for a period of time, it is a rare occurrence that our students are told what to do; instead, they are guided to solutions that they feel ownership of. It takes a lot of time, faith, patience and fortitude to graduate from In Balance Academy. Those that do graduate, often have a new belief system about the endless limitations of their capabilities. This belief system keeps our graduates successful long after their ranch experience is over and is a credit to the positive peer culture, under the careful watch and guidance of our dedicated and competent staff. When I was in my crazy teenage years, (yes, they were crazier than most youth we treat) a coach from my junior high reached in and helped to re-direct my life. His words were not profound but his message was. He had a constant belief that I was capable of a different life than what I had created for myself. I often wished he had just given me the answers to solve all my problems. Instead, he simply guided me through my problems until the solutions became known to me. It was his influence that helped launch Patrick, the counselor. My senior year in high school marked the beginning of the transformation in my life.

I began to believe I was capable and once I had a new belief system, people started to seek me out to help them. This process started to reinforce that I was a good person who could contribute something positive to my community. Once this shift took place, I also realized that I had to give up my negative peer subculture and surround myself with a positive one. One of those peers is my wife, now of 27 years. This model that we use has changed the lives of thousands of young people across this world, including my own. Even though that coach had no idea what a positive peer culture was, he helped me believe in myself and encouraged me to help others. This is what we do every day at the Ranch, we help young people believe in themselves and in turn help each other."

Along with her husband, Patrick Barrasso, Betsy has been instrumental in the founding and operation of the existing In Balance operation. Betsy brought to In Balance her experience of over 10 years as a legal assistant and office administrator. She still helps oversee communications, contracts, document preparation, and has contact with clients and referrals; additionally, she supervises all administrative and accounting staff and consultants. She retired from her position as the Academy’s Admissions Director in 2023 and has lovingly passed the torch to Tiffany Gallego.

Anthony has quite the eclectic background, he graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor's in Philosophy in 2004 and then again in 2006 with a Master's in Public Administration and Policy.  After which he continued his education at Sandra D'Oconnor Law school where he received a Master's in Legal Studies. Anthony's relevant work experiences includes: 7th&8th grade boys and girls basketball coach, Wilderness Staff for Aspen Achievement Academy and Intern for the Department of Defense in the Office of Force Transformation. Anthony's relevant life experience includes: Journey of Hope, a 4,000 mile cross country bicycle trek to raise money and awareness for people with disabilities; 3 months study abroad program in Urbino, Italy; and 22-day excursion to South Africa with 14 In Balance students. Anthony is functionally important to In Balance in that he has set up systems of accountability that have allowed the Academy to reach levels of efficiency that is unusual among "mom and pop" businesses, enabling In Balance to be more competitive in an increasingly corporate environment.  However, this is not where Anthony's real passion lies.  When he participated on the Journey of Hope he experienced a summer that changed him forever.  He realized the importance and impact of true service, it is this gift that he hopes to share with the rest of the students of In Balance.  Anthony will be transforming the wilderness program into a more service oriented direction.  So far he has planned and participated in two trips to South Africa, one trip to Kenya/Tanzania, one trip to Nepal, and most recently a 22 day trip to Peru. In Peru the boys of In Balance had the chance to trek to 15,000 feet, watch the clouds roll over the cliffs of Machu Picchu, take a canoe ride in the Amazon, celebrate service at two orphanages that service kids with special needs, and build a school in a town that otherwise had no access to education.t and links, or connect data from your collection.

Daniel Barrasso joined In Balance with a Bachelor's in Psychology from the University of Arizona and a Master of Social Work degree through Arizona State University in 2010. He comes to the team with plenty of relevant life and work experience. He previously worked at In Balance during its early stages, for 6 years, as a life coach at In Balance Academy, a group facilitator at In Balance Intensive Outpatient and as a life coach for In Balance Transitional Living circa 2006. He decided to take a three year hiatus in which he worked for a nationally recognized leader in adult residential treatment, where he proved to be a vital member of their team. After becoming lead of their Intake department and garnering extensive professional experience he decided to come back to In Balance to further his career and passions. Daniel has had many roles with In Balance including: Life Coach, Marketing Director, Intake and Admissions, Primary therapist and now is the Program Director of our In Balance Young Adult Programs  and continues to be the "face" of In Balance as our Outreach Director. "I grew up with an intense passion to help others, whether that meant volunteering at the Children's Hospital, staying overnight at a homeless shelter every Thanksgiving or helping a stranger on the side of the road. I've always known that I wanted to make a significant impact on young peoples' lives specifically; I just didn't know how I wanted to do it. I started off my college career looking to get a degree in education, become a teacher and have the ability to make a positive change in my students. My career path took an unexpected turn when I was asked to come work at In Balance one summer in 2006. From the second I came into contact with the population we serve and the dream that is In Balance I absolutely, positively knew that I could not see myself doing anything other than this. I believe full heartedly in the vision of In Balance and am thrilled to be part of the team again." Daniel has two young kids, a wife, 2 dogs and loves to be active, play basketball, work out, draw and bring the fun wherever he goes. 

Tiffany Barrasso-Gallego has worked at In Balance since its' inception in various roles, she has been a life coach, a In Balance Academy primary therapist, the program director, and a therapist at In Balance Young Adult; she is now the Admissions Director of In Balance Academy and the Clinical Director of all of In Balance programs.

​

In her dual role as Academy Admissions Director and Clinical Director, Tiffany is able to become intimately familiar with all incoming Academy clients and families prior to their arrival.  This helps ensure that each client has the appropriate therapist assignment, and that the In Balance Academy operations, clinical, academic, and milieu teams are best prepared to support the young men from the moment they arrive.  Tiffany will have a connection with each family from the beginning of their process through their son’s graduation.  She is assisted by the incredible Crystal Duran who is the admissions coordinator.  As the Clinical Director, she supervises and supports the various clinicians and helps steer the clinical care of all In Balance Continuum clients.

Tiffany started at the In Balance Intensive Outpatient Program in 1997. From there she helped with the planning and opening of In Balance Academy in 2004, serving as a milieu manager and primary therapist at the Academy. She received her Bachelor's in Special Education from the University of Arizona and Master's in Social Work from Arizona State University.

n 2006, Tiffany then helped to develop the In Balance Transitional Living program. Tiffany and Patrick Barrasso, owner of In Balance, realized how difficult it was for young adults coming out of treatment to be thrown back into the same environment that got them into treatment in the first place. Often they would stumble in their recovery. It was Tiffany and Patrick's belief that this stumble was unnecessary. Transitional Living was the answer; it would provide a safe and recovery living environment that would allow residents to acclimate back into society at a manageable pace. They would be introduced to young people in recovery in the Tucson area, helping them to realize that their community of support goes far beyond anything they first realized. They could enroll in college classes, find a sponsor that would become essential to their growth, learn how to attain, maintain and succeed at a job. These individuals will achieve success and will take these accomplishments with them as they continue off on their life path. Tiffany is a skilled and wise clinician and brings her many years of clinical experience to the clients every single day.