September 8, 2010


Dr. Harold C. Erschell, III, M.D., M.M.A.
Chief Executive Officer and Founder,
Erschell Recovery Science Institute
One Preston Place
8222 Douglas Avenue
Dallas, TX, 75225


Dear Dr. Erschell,

My name is Paul Norris. I wanted to let you know how much I admire your work. I especially applaud your efforts to educate our nation on the disease concept of alcoholism. A daunting task it is. I did one time have the privilege of shaking your hand and introducing myself.

I have a story to tell you that I think you will be glad and grateful to hear.

I have for years suffered from acute chronic alcoholism. I was a patient of Dr..Gromov in your office. I had not been willing to go to a thirty day rehabilitation program. In early March of 2008, I finally decided that it was time for me to get the help that I needed beginning with a thirty day treatment program. I did not drink over a weekend. I was not sure where to go or what to do. I decided to go to your office and ask for advice from the experts. First thing Monday morning, I went into your office. By that time I was in bad shape. I was shaking so much that Dr. Gromov called 911. I was taken to Presbyterian Hospital. After five days in the hospital, I was released. My brother, Jim, came to the hospital to bring me home on Friday afternoon. Since I had left my car at your office the previous Monday, Jim took me to your office to pick up my car. While we were there, we decided to come into your office and ask for advice from the experts on where to go next for effective treatment

We were introduced to Denny. Denny suggested that I participate in their program that utilizes the Cooper Institute. The program is a thirty day program which normally cost $75, 000. However, she proposed that I participate and it would only cost me $25, 000. The program was described to me as an approach that heals the body, soul and spirit. I agreed.

I was very disappointed and shocked at the manner I was treated.

Any professional in your industry knows that no one early in sobriety should be making any major financial decisions. Denny knew that my wife had passed away four months earlier after a ten years battle with two different cancers. My wife and I were prudent many years ago and did purchase life insurance but not enough for her. And I am sure Denny was assuming just that.

I came in on the next Monday morning with my bags packed and ready to embark on what I thought would be an adventure. Denny’s first words were – “I need a check”. I made out a check for $25, 000 on March 8, 2008. I made it out to Matrix Alliance Associates, P.A. I was not able to find any information about this mysterious P.A..

I spent a majority of my time alone in the hotel room. at Cooper. I ate breakfast alone. Lunch was also almost always alone. I was taken to nice restaurants in the evenings. I was taken to get some dental work done. I was also taken to have a follow up colonoscopy. I was taken to complete some personal business relating to the death of wife. I watched a lot of television. And I had time read a complete John Grisham novel. And I was taken to two movies.

I had four sessions with the personal trainer that were uneventful. And I got two massages.

There was a counselor named Larry. He talked from the outset about a battery of personality test that needed to be administered as soon as possible. I mentioned it to him a few times but it never happened. He took me to my wife’s gravesite. I had a few sessions with Larry. Although he has a PhD, he was anything but a therapist. And I know from experience an effective therapist when I see it.. During the first session with Larry, I got brutally honest because I really wanted this program to work. All other sessions were a complete waste of my time.

To keep my sanity, I did a lot a walking around the campus on the trails. I walked 72 miles in the thirty days that I was there.

There two very nice gentlemen, Joa and Al. I had no idea what their roles were other than chaperoning me around town. I do not think either one of them had any training in dealing with addictions. There was very little discussion about true recovery. There was no mention of the 12 steps or Alcoholics Anonymous. I do believe though that they were well versed on the Bible.

What really baffled me was that there were all of these staff members scurrying around.. However, there was only one other person at Cooper who was involved in the program. He was young man around twenty years old. He had a different pair of shoes for almost each of his outfits. His father was apparently wealthy. He had been there for quite some time. I became suspicious that the reason that the program was discounted for me was that your census was dangerously low. I found it very interesting that when I was alone with any staff member, they all invariably wanted to know how much I had paid. Even Dr. Gromov. When I mentioned to her that I was at Cooper, she had not even been informed that I was in the program. She also ask how with her eyes opened very wide, how much did I pay. They were all surprised that someone like me would even be there.

After the thirty days were completed, I needed to go back to work. I was advised that I was not ready to go back to work. And they offered to work with me two weeks for just $3, 000 more. I was at that point still very vulnerable. My employer was very disappointed. The only difference in those two weeks was that I stayed at home instead of at Cooper. Not much was accomplished. I would go over for an hour walk with Al in the afternoons .

When I did go to work, the staff was concerned that I would be overwhelmed with the backlog. It was important to Joa, that he come over to my office on the first day back at work. He wanted to encourage me to hang in there. I allowed him to come by at lunch. That was a bad decision. It only made the day even more stressful.

Most programs have some type of discharge plan delineating exactly what to do next. There was no mention of anything about what to do next.

Needless to say, the program was ineffective and I subsequently relapsed.

From what I can tell, your programs have their place. They are designed for the very affluent. Denny knew that I was anything but affluent. I am a “middle” American man trying to do the best I can to raise a family and do the right thing.

I also noticed on your website that there is no mention of the program that utilizes the Cooper Institute. I wonder why not.

If I owned a own business, I would certainly want to know if any of my customers (or patients ) were unsatisfied with the services that I had provided. I was very unsatisfied. The behavior of your employees was an egregious violation of anyone’s professional standards in any industry.

Thanks 100% to the grace of a powerful God and the program of Alcoholics Anonymous, I am now in recovery.

I want you to search your heart and do what you know is the right thing. There is no doubt that the actions of your staff were both deceptive and fraudulent. Under the circumstances, I am willing to right off the $3, 000.00 for the services that I received. But I need you to refund the full $25, 000.00 that I initially paid. I was clearly taken advantage of at a very crucial time in my recovery.

If I were you, I would not want this story to be heard by anyone, not the media, Fox News, nor Dr.Drew Pinsky, Better Business Bureau, and especially not my attorney and a jury of my peers.

I need you to give this matter your immediate attention and for you to correct a very serious wrong. If I do not hear from you in the next ten days, I intend to make my case public and pursue any and all legal remedies available to me.

Respectfully yours,

Paul A. Norris
10405 Mosscrest Dr.
Dallas, TX, 75238

972-679-4891 (cell )


Please see the attached letter that was sent certified to Dr. Urschel. The letter tell my story of being taken advantage of by Dr. Urschel's employees.