Month: August 2014

Categories
Recovery

Seeking Help For Your Drug Addiction is Okay

Chances are you’ve been thinking about getting help with drug addiction issues for a while.  You are more than aware that your drug addiction is negatively affecting your life, and the lives of your loved ones, in many areas.  Life as a teenager is hard.  You’ve got pressure and expectations from your family and teachers while trying to figure out who you are as a person.  On top of that is the social pressure from other kids your age, and sometimes it can be overwhelming.   Maybe you’ve tried to stop taking drugs on your own, but have been unsuccessful.  The truth is, overcoming your addiction on your own may be virtually impossible.  Professional help with drug addiction gives you the best chance of having the normal life that you’ve been yearning for.  

It is okay to ask for help with drug addiction.  The first step is to speak with your parents.  They may not be fully aware of the depth of your issues.  Or, maybe they have a clue something is up, but don’t want to upset you by bringing up your concerns.  Speaking to your parents and letting them know about your drug addiction and that you want help is a huge, brave step that can begin your recovery.  Next, it is time to work with your parents to find the best place for you to receive addiction treatment.

Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers provide individualized care in their locations throughout southern California.  Their practice focuses on the treating teen by addressing their specific needs allows them to be able to relate and understand what you are going through.  Their expert staff is dedicated with helping their clients identify and address the root cause of their addiction in order to recover.  The team at Visions Adolescent understands that each person is different. Therefore, they provide treatment plans that are tailored the unique needs of each client.  This is done through five distinct programs.

Residential Treatment

Visions Adolescent Treatment Center’s residential program is located in Malibu, California in a serene setting.  This program is for teenagers aged 13 to 18 and is designed to provide a supportive, comfortable, positive living environment along with intensive treatment to overcome addiction.  The average length of stay in this program is 45 to 90 days based on the needs of the client.  In addition to the treatment for each teen, there is parent and family treatment in order to repair bonds and to allow clients to return to a positive living environment after treatment.

Outpatient Treatment

For some, outpatient treatment provides exactly the level of support they need to overcome their addiction.  Facilitated in two locations in the Los Angeles area, outpatient treatment allows clients to receive the therapy they need while still being active in their everyday lives.  Sessions are held in the evening and on the weekends to fit into existing schedules.  As with the residential treatment program, support is provided to both the teen and their family.

Day School

Day School is an alternative education program for teens who are unable to find success in a traditional school setting.  Day School can be attended as a replacement for mainstream school or as a way to transition back into a mainstream program.  The difference depends on the unique needs of each individual.  Visions’ Day School can support everyone’s educational needs, be they remedial or honors level classes.  This is done through an unmatched student to staff ratio of three to one.

NeXt  

NeXt is Visions’ extended residential program and has stays of 90 days or longer.  The program provides clinical and educational therapy as well as alternate living arrangements for those that need an additional layer of support.

LAUNCH

LAUNCH provides ongoing support on an outpatient basis for young adults age 18 to 24.  This program is available as a supplement to other clean living programs and is designed to help clients become independent.

For additional information on how Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers provide help with drug addiction, speak with a counselor today. Please click below to schedule your consultation or call us at 866-889-3665.

Categories
Holidays Recovery

Staying Sober on Labor Day Weekend

It’s Labor Day weekend, the first holiday of the school year and the one that indicates the real end of Summer and the transition toward Fall. Labor Day represents the culmination of Summer barbecues, eating al fresco, long days and warm nights. Stores already have Halloween swag for sale and it’s still August! I wish I was kidding.

For addicts and alcoholics, long weekends tend to mean parties. But as the path of recovery becomes your own, the meanings of holidays change. They become opportunities for making healthier choices, having sober fun, and making long-lasting connections.

Still, for someone new in recovery, holidays might be overwhelming. Holidays may be the first relatively unstructured time for the newcomer fresh out of treatment, or it may be reminiscent of times past where things went awry. The reality is, recovery requires a shift: a shift in social circles, life choices, and a shift in how we represent ourselves to the world. Gone are the days of calculated debauchery and lost memories.

Here are some helpful tips to help you stay on track this Labor Day weekend (and any holiday weekend from here on out):

  • Get active: Play in the surf, go on a hike, or a long bike ride.  Firing up those endorphins is good for us and positive for our mental health.
  • Go to extra meetings; There are meetings going on at all times of the day—early morning to the infamous late-night meetings.  Often times, there are marathon meetings on holiday weekends.
  • Stay in contact with your sponsor and actively engage with your recovery support system
  • Be of service! Helping others gets us out of ourselves and into action. At 21 years sober, I spend more of my time being of service than I ever did. It keeps me present, engaged, and out of my head.
  • Host or attend a sober event. In sober living? Maybe your house will be up to the task of making an in-house sober fun day – BBQS, pool party, et cetera.
  • Engage in a contemplative practice: yoga or meditation. Yoga and meditation are both a direct route to self-care. They cultivate the engagement of the breath, which helps us stay in the present moment. They both ask that we are present: not in the future and not in the past. This, in and of itself, is profoundly self-regulating.
  • Say “No” when and if you need to. Remember, “No,” is a complete sentence. If something doesn’t feel right to you, “no” is a perfectly acceptable answer. It’s a boundary and good practice in recovery.
  • Ask for help: You cannot do this alone. Understanding that asking for help is a learned skill, practice whenever you can.  If you are lonely, or overwhelmed, or emotionally triggered, reach out to someone. Work with moving against the discomfort of asking for help – it does not imply weakness, but rather, tells those around you that you are courageous.

And most of all: have fun this Labor Day weekend. Like Theodore Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss) once said, “Fun is good.” Try to find joy in the little things: a cuddle with a dog, a great cup of coffee, a cool dip in a pool on a hot day, the majestic cloud formations, a sunset, or whatever strikes you. There are nuggets of goodness everywhere. And if you have trouble finding something joyful, do yourself a favor and jot down 3 things you’re grateful for. It will help you find your way. Have a safe and sober weekend

Categories
Education Family Feelings Mindfulness Recovery Service Spirituality

Well Wishes As Visions’ Joseph Rogers Moves On

Joseph Rogers has been with Visions since 2005, first as a recovery mentor at our Mulholland facility and later becoming the Director of Education at the Outpatient Day School. Joseph has run the Mindfulness Meditation/11th Step, Spirituality group since 2007, exploring how developing spiritual practice is applicable to recovery. He also co-facilitates the Outpatient DBT Skills group with Jesse Engdahl on Wednesdays. Two and a half years ago, Joseph stepped down from the Director position in order to pursue a Masters of Divinity degree and begin the process of stepping into his new role of Chaplain. This has been a long-time coming: Joseph has been in facilitator/teacher training with Against the Stream Meditation Society for the last 5 years, and has built a remarkable community of cohorts and students.

 

It with great pride and excitement, as well as a bit of a heavy heart, that we bid Joseph farewell as he steps onto a new path. Joseph will begin his residency at UCLA, earning his CPEs (Clinical Pastoral Education) at the top of September. As sad as we are to see him leave the Visions nest, we are excited to see where this takes him. Joseph offers a sense of calm assurance to the deeply suffering, and he is able to hold space for vulnerable people in a profound manner. UCLA has a priceless jewel on their hands.

 

Joseph has been a consistent members of the VTeam for almost a decade, seamlessly blending boundaries and compassion, while encouraging a love for learning. He has created a foundational resource for the kids and staff to look to for support as well as leadership. Many alumni and staff alike will joyfully reminisce about learning history through the various comedic voices Joseph uses.  He has been the rock for many, and the quiet storm of compassion for all.

 

Joseph isn’t completely leaving Visions, however. He will continue to run the Mindfulness Meditation/11th Step, Spirituality group and he will continue to co-facilitate the outpatient DBT Skills group. Despite our denial that he won’t be with us every day, we are really excited for him and grateful for his dedication and commitment to Visions. Joseph has carved out a thoughtful, compassionate path of service, dedicating his life to help others recover and find peace with their suffering. Reverend Joseph Rogers, M.Div as a nice sound to it, eh?

 

“A kind, gentle soul. I will miss seeing Joseph’s smile everyday. I always look forward to his gems and guidance. A true friend I have found. I wish him the very best as he sets out on his journey. The world is a better place for him being here. Thank you for the honor of working with you.”– Noelle Rodriguez

 

“Ahhh! JRO! We will miss you and your gentle ways. Throughout the years, you have been a driving force for our school. You provide so much more than a basic education to our kids; the love you have put into it has been so good for us and the clients. We are so proud of your hard work and making it into the UCLA program, you truly lead by example. We will miss you very much. Thank you for the years spent together!” Amanda Shumow

 

I befriended Joseph years ago while I was studying at CSUN in the credential program. I told him that I worked at a little place called Visions and he was immediately interested. Soon after being hired, he took the position at IOP as teacher. Over the years he has made his mark as a calm leader with a fierce passion for his work. Joseph is wise and knows enough to always be learning. He is an educator in the truest sense of the word and will be missed by staff and students alike. His contribution to Visions has been, and will forever be, immeasurable. Joseph embodies the words of Bruce Lee: “A teacher is never a giver of truth; he is a guide, a pointer to the truth that each student must find for himself.” – Daniel Dewey

 

“​Joseph is an amazing person, teacher and soul.  He is someone that you meet and instantly feel that you are in the presence of someone wise, calm, and fearless. I wish him all the best, in all that he does!” — Jenny Werber

“I’ve never known anyone to be more universally liked by clients and parents than Joseph. Joseph is the rare person with whom you can disagree, but still feel your view was thoughtfully considered, while not feeling imposed by his own.”  – Garth LeMaster

 

“Joseph, you are a man with great insight and gentle wisdom. I have seen you live your convictions, tenderly heal wounded children and be the doorway of understanding for lost souls. I wish you peace, joy, challenges and love. Thank you for your part in my crazy art lady journey.”  Ever faithfully yours — Susan “The Art Lady” O’Conner

 

“Joseph has not only been an amazing role model as a productive co-worker but has become an amazing friend and mentor for whom I will dearly miss. I wish nothing but the best for him and all the experiences to come. You will be missed and loved always ” — Nick Riefner

 

“Joseph’s energy is contagious in every way possible. Every time I see him, no matter what is happening, he seems calm and at peace… For someone as anxiety driven as I am, being around someone so serene is refreshing. I have so much respect for Joseph and aspire to one day walk with as much dignity as he does.” – Ashley Harris 

 

“Joseph will be missed.  He has a very special way of relating to our clients that involves, at times, an extraordinary amount of patience.  I often sit out here at my desk and listen in to the conversations going on between Joseph and the kids.  I am equally entertained, amazed, and grateful to have been a fly on the wall of Joseph’s classroom.” – Natalie Holman

 

“I’ll miss Joseph terribly, I think it’s been so beneficial for our teens to see strength in a man shown through kindness, non judgment and calmness.” Roxie Fuller

 

“Thank you, Joseph. Thank you for helping to create an environment for learning, healing and recovery for Visions kids and families. Thank you for your unique perspective for leading the education and meditation groups and classes. There is some thing very special about the way you gently lead the kids with confidence and class. Thank you, Joseph!” – John Lieberman

 

“Joseph has been teaching me since my first day – a friend, a mentor, and a big brother all in one.  I’ve been afforded so much of his wisdom and care from this relationship, it will be really hard not to have him here all the time.  Riding shotgun while he teaches mediation, DBT, or most importantly sober FUN, he constantly helps me take care of the kids and myself in the kindest and simplest ways.  No one can really imagine Visions without him; I’m just grateful for all the time I’ve had with him and that he will still be doing groups with me.” – Jesse Engdahl

 

“Joseph has been such a huge part of my Visions experience and I think I’m the saddest to see him go. He is my friend, my teacher, my mentor, and my right hand. He has always been so supportive and understanding of things only us Visions teachers would understand. He has a strange yet peaceful way about him that makes any day a good day. He always seems to have the right words of wisdom in any situation and it’s hard to imagine he won’t be around. After years of morning check-ins about life, love, and the pursuit of sanity I’m going to miss him dearly. I wish him the best in his new endeavors and I am forever grateful for the time, wisdom, knowledge, and random facts he’s passed on to me. I’ll continue to make you proud, Jofes… thank you for being my shoulder to whine on, my ear to vent, and my rock to keep me sane.” – Adriana Camarillo

 

“With a heavy heart, I bid farewell to an amazing man, father and colleague. I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside Joseph for nearly a decade and it’s hard to imagine my day-to-day without him. Joseph represents a quiet force, guiding his students with conviction and offering hope where there may be none. While he continues to be a spiritual inspiration to both staff and students, we will miss the man who, for so long, has been the core of Visions Day School.  The feeling is bittersweet. Selfishly, we want him to stay. But the truth is, he has another calling and with that, I honor his path and I am always grateful for this experience.” – Fiona Ray

 

Categories
Recovery

The Challenge With Admitting You Need Help

As a parent, you want to do everything you can to help your child to be successful.  The truth is, you can’t do it on your own.  The challenge with admitting you need help with your child is letting go and letting someone else step in.  Teen outpatient counseling doesn’t remove you from your child’s life or disconnect you from the healing process.  In fact, the exact opposite is true.  Teen outpatient counseling provides you, your teen, and your family with the support you all need to heal and recover.   

Understanding what teen outpatient counseling is and what to expect can make the decision to seek professional help easier.

What happens during teen outpatient counseling?

Outpatient counseling for teens combines a supportive environment with structured programs to meet the needs of the entire family. Quality teen treatment centers create individualized treatment plans to meet the specific needs of each client.  Typically, outpatient counseling includes:

  • Clinical support
  • Individual sessions
  • Family sessions
  • Group sessions
  • Drug testing
  • Support groups

Outpatient counseling is typically provided through sessions offered in the evenings and on the weekends.  This is to allow teens and their families to continue to partake in their everyday lives while receiving the clinical support they need on a regular basis.  In the most effective centers, treatment is provided in a number of ways from professionals from a number of backgrounds:

  • Licensed therapists
  • Counselors
  • Doctors
  • Dieticians
  • Art therapists
  • Counselors
  • Psychiatrists
  • Psychologists

Teens are treated with an evidence based treatment plan with a foundation in DBT, Dialectical Behavior Therapy.  DBT gives clients the foundation they need in order to alter the way they cope with stressful situations and thereby modify their behavior.

What are the goals of teen outpatient counseling?

Each client will have specific goals for treatment before beginning their program.  The same is true for the client’s family.  A high quality treatment center will incorporate the client’s goals and objectives for treatment into their program.  In addition to those goals, there are several goals that should apply to all clients:

  • Development of a healthy lifestyle and maintaining that lifestyle even after leaving treatment
  • Development of problem solving skills and coping strategies to deal with stressful situations
  • Providing the teen with the tools to recognize problematic situations and how to remove themselves from those situations
  • Realization of the real impact the teen’s behavior on the their life and the lives of the people around them
  • Involvement of the family in order to rebuild bonds, address past hurts, and develop communication skills and techniques, includes being able to recognize dysfunction and address it

Where’s the best place to find teen outpatient counseling?

Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers provide outpatient counseling in two locations in the Los Angeles area. The Visions staff is dedicated to serving the unique needs of adolescents and their families and to help teens build a foundation for continued support after leaving treatment.

Visions offers two plans for outpatient treatment:   

1st Step Program

The 1st Step Program is an introduction to the outpatient treatment process.  Lasting 8 weeks, it provides counseling for the teen as well as ongoing support for the family.  This program may be used for those just starting treatment or a transition into or out of a residential program.

Intensive Outpatient Program

This one year program provides extensive support for the teen and their families.  Divided into three sections, the program focuses on creating an aftercare plan during the last five months of treatment.  This includes getting teens involved with local community organizations that can provided continued and ongoing support.

For additional information on the teen outpatient counseling programs available at Visions Adolescent, speak with a counselor today.  Please click below to schedule your consultation or call us at 866-889-3665.

Categories
Events Recovery Service

Highlights from Celebrating Fiona Ray

Fiona Ray has stepped into her new role as Clinical Director and we wanted to kick things off with a bang. We do love to celebrate our team and their accomplishments! Last Friday, the Recovery community had the opportunity to come and congratulate Fiona, see what we are doing as a company, and check out the digs in Brentwood.

 

It was so wonderful to see so many familiar and new faces, share great food (which included Pink Berry), and  mingle with so many wonderful members of this community. Major kudos go to Angela Carrillo, our Los Angeles Outreach Coordinator, who tirelessly make this bash the success that it was and to Christina Howard-Micklish for her fabulous celebratory aesthetic.  The VTeam showed a lot of pride and excitement, cheering on one of their own. Fiona Ray has made a memorable impact on her team at IOP/Day School and will surely do the same for the rest of the facilities as she weaves the entirety of the Visions team together.

It’s not every day you get to see one of your own take flight in this way. Fiona is really someone to celebrate: she is dedicated, kind, compassionate, determined and respectable. We are over-the-moon excited for Fiona, and for the cohesive expansion of our facilities and team.

Check out the highlights from the party! Just click on the image below to view the rest of the slideshow: [slideshow id=8]

Categories
Recovery

Getting Help For Your Child’s Mental Illness

Parenting a teen with mental health issues can be heartbreaking.  Adolescents with mental health issues are often aware that they are different than their peers which is frustrating.  When combined with the physical, emotional, and social development that is natural in teens, managing mental health issues can be difficult for both the adolescent and their family.  Getting help for your child’s mental illness is an important step in managing their disease.  Mental health issues are serious and are best addressed by professionals who are equipped to address them properly.   

The team at Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers understands how difficult getting help for your child’s mental illness can be.  It’s important to know that seeking help does not mean that you’ve failed as a parent or that your child is a lost cause.  The truth is, getting help for your child’s mental illness is the best thing you can do to allow them to become and remain stable.  Understanding the available options for treatment may help make the decision to seek professional help easier.

With multiple locations in southern California, Visions Adolescent is highly rated by clients, their families, and others in the industry.  Their team deals only with adolescents, uniquely qualifying the staff to handle the unique situations teenagers deal with. Realizing that people have different levels of issues and require different treatment methods, Visions offers treatments in five formats which will all be covered below.

Residential Treatment

Visions’ residential program provides a supportive and safe living environment while addressing the clinical issues posed by the mental illness.  Supervision is provided 24 hours a day with a clinical crisis team available at all times.  Tailored for teens between 13 and 18, males and females have separate sleeping quarters for safety.  Each client is paired with a counselor and therapist at the beginning of their stay in treatment who follow the client throughout the process.  Group, individual, and family counseling are important steps in this program.

Outpatient Treatment

Provided in two locations in the Los Angeles area, outpatient treatment provides intensive therapy in a nonresidential setting.  Sessions are offered at night and on the weekend to be able to blend therapy with a person’s every day routine.  Eight week and yearlong programs are available for outpatient treatment.

Extended Residential

Some teens benefit from an alternative living arrangement.  Visions’ extended care program has a minimum stay of 90 days.  For teens aged 15 to 18, the program provides care around the clock, including during night hours.  As with the residential program, clinical support is available around the clock to address client needs.

Day School

Day School provides an alternative learning environment for teens who are unable to be successful in a mainstream setting.  Day School is available as a permanent solution for education or as a way to transition into a mainstream school setting.  Programs are available to all students at all learning levels from remedial to honors level coursework.  

Across all of the programs, there are several goals for successful treatment of mental illness:

  • Motivation and encouragement of developing and living a healthy lifestyle
  • Development of problem solving skills and strategies
  • Enabling each client to recognize the negative effects their behavior has had on others and to work to repair those relationships
  • Supporting medical needs
  • Involving each client’s family in the recovery process to heal relationships and build bonds
  • Addressing each client’s psychiatric and psychological needs and action plan

To find out more about getting help for your child’s mental illness and how families can be involved in the process, contact Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers today.  Please click below to schedule your consultation or call us at 866-889-3665.

Categories
Recovery

Dealing With Addiction in Adolescents and Teens

Finding out that your teen has an addiction is often traumatic for parents.  More likely than not, you’ve seen the signs and noticed changes in behavior before you knew something was really wrong.  Maybe you believed it was just a phase, that the negative behavior was a normal part of being a teenager.  Or maybe you had a nagging sensation that things were getting out of control.  Regardless of how you came to the realization, the most important question is “what’s next?”  Treating teen addiction is complicated and is best done by professionals.  Knowing where to turn for help can provide the support you need to address your teen’s addiction.  

How Teen Addiction Issues Develop

Often, teenage addiction issues begin with experimenting with substances.  For some, their own curiosity sparked the idea.  For others, peer pressure is the culprit. And others are looking for a way to self-medicate to address other issues.  After the initial high, the teen seeks to find that feeling again.  At some point recreational use becomes much more than that.  What may have started as experimentation begins to have negative effects on the teen’s behavior, their lives, and the lives of the people around them.

Not all people that experiment with drugs or alcohol become addicted.  It is believed that some people are predisposed to addiction.  Those people include:

  • Those who have a family history of addiction
  • Individuals who were abused during their childhood
  • People who have an underlying or untreated mental illness
  • Those who begin to use drugs, alcohol, or prescription medication at an early age

The Best Way to Treat Teen Addiction Issues

Despite the best intentions of teenagers and their parents, it can be nearly impossible to break an addiction without professional help.  The best way to address your teenager’s addiction is with professional assistance.  A professional who is knowledgeable about adolescent addiction can create a personalized treatment plan to address your teen’s specific needs.  The manner of treatment varies by individual.  Options for treatment include:

  • Residential treatment
  • Outpatient treatment
  • Long term residential treatment
  • Day school

When looking for treatment options, consider addiction treatment centers that provide treatment in a variety of ways in order to meet different needs.

The Best Place to Take Your Teen for Treatment

Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers provide customized addiction treatment in their locations throughout southern California.  Their staff is dedicated to clinical excellence and providing each client with the specific tools and support they need.  The team at Visions offers treatment in the following ways:  

  • Residential treatment – Located in Malibu, Visions Teen residential treatment program provides a positive and supportive environment.  The goal is to allow teens to step away from their everyday lives in order to focus on identifying and addressing the root cause of their addiction.  This treatment program is for adolescents between 13 and 18.  Typically, residential stays are between 45 and 90 days long.
  • Outpatient treatment – Provided in two locations in Los Angeles, outpatient treatments allows adolescents and their families to receive treatment in a non-residential setting.  With programs offered in the evening and weekends, the outpatient program is designed to allow teens and their parents to receive treatment as they continue with their everyday routines. Eight week and one year programs are offered for teens between 13 and 18 and their parents.
  • Day school – Visions’ Day School provides and alternative education program for those adolescents who have been unable to find success in a mainstream school setting.  A student to staff ratio of three to one allows the educators and clinicians at Day School to provide individualized attention.  This program is able to meet students where they are academically, with educational offerings from remedial to honors level classes.
  • Extended residential treatment – Visions offers an extended residential treatment program to teens who may benefit from alternate living arrangements.  Stays in the extended program are at least 90 days in duration.  This program is offered to adolescents between 13 and 18.
  • LAUNCH – Specially designed for young adults between 18 and 24, LAUNCH is an outpatient program that is intended to supplement other clean living programs.  The goal of LAUNCH is to help clients gain independence and to provide continued support in their recovery

For additional information on the teen addiction treatment programs available at Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers, speak with a counselor today. Please click below to schedule your consultation or call us at 866-889-3665.

Categories
Anxiety Mental Health Recovery

Anxiety Doesn’t Have to Rule Your Life

Did you know that 8% of teens between the ages of 13–18 have an anxiety disorder? And did you also know that of these teens, only 18% of them receive mental-health care?

 

Some anxiety is a function of being a human being. It’s not unusual for anxiety to present itself in predictable situations (going on a job interview, starting a new school, speaking up for ourselves), but for most, it fades as soon as the initial fear passes. Anxiety is our nervous system’s way of telling us we are overwhelmed and need to pause. Anxiety is also our sympathetic nervous system’s fight-or-flight response in action; the anxiety is the red flag letting us know we are emotionally under fire. If you don’t suffer from an anxiety disorder, chances are your parasympathetic nervous system will automatically engage, arresting the fight or flight response and engaging its remarkable rest-and-digest function. However, for someone who suffers from an anxiety disorder, the sympathetic nervous system gets stuck in the “on” position, forcing it to stay in its fight-or-flight response longer than is emotionally sustainable.  The parasympathetic nervous system, aka, the rest-and-digest function of our bodies, gets shoved to the side and is unable to do its job.

How is anxiety usually treated?

 

Medication is one option typically given to anxiety sufferers. It is not a cure, but rather a means of managing the symptoms.  Often patients are given:

 

Antidepressants

  • SSRIs, Tricyclics, MAOIs, anti-anxiety medications
  • Anti-anxiety drugs:
    • Benzodiazepines
    • Beta-blockers – which treat the physical symptoms of anxiety

 

Clinicians, on the other hand, use therapeutic modalities like:

 

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
  • Exposure Based Behavioral Therapy
  • EMDR
  • Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

 

In addition to treatment, you can also try any one of all of these tools to help manage anxiety:

 

1: Mindful breathing: Practice exhaling on a longer count than your inhale. This is a wonderful tool to use to bring the heart rate down, provide oxygen to the blood and to the lungs, and also engage the parasympathetic nervous system.

 

2: Visualization: Close your eyes and visualize a place that elicits a state of calm. It could be the beach, the mountains, a forest, being in the ocean, or doing something else that you love. This is a way of accessing one of your resources—something that calms you and engages your body’s nervous system.

 

3: Get active: Studies show that exercising every day will increase relaxation, reduce stress, and make you happier. Go endorphins! So, go to the gym, go for a run, do a strong yoga class, do some jumping jacks, skateboard, or roller skate.

 

4: Create a gratitude journal or a gratitude list.  Write down 5 things you are grateful for and challenge yourself to write this list every single day. There’s been a recent Facebook chain going around, asking people to post three things a day for seven days that they’re grateful for and then tag three more people each day to do the same. It’s been a neat phenomenon to watch people share their gratitude.

 

5:  Focus on a meaningful, goal orienting activity: playing a game with a friend, building something, creating art, or singing.

 

6: Accept that you are anxious. Accepting how you feel doesn’t mean you like it or are choosing to be anxious; it means accepting how things are in the present moment. If we obsess about how anxious we feel, our anxiety will increase. Ajhan Sumedo, a Buddhist monk, says, “Right now, it’s like this.” This phrase encourages acceptance and allows us to stay in the present. When we are anxious, we are stuck in the future.

 

Ignoring our anxiety or self-medicating to relieve our suffering, leaves us vulnerable to persistent dysregulation and despair. When we address anxiety and face it head on, we cultivate the development of self-regulatory techniques. With ample clinical support (when needed), the establishment and consistent use of self-regulatory tools, and a broad support system in place, things can and will get better.

Categories
Recovery

The Best Residential Treatment Center For Troubled Teens

Children 18 years old and younger are in a crucial stage of physical and mental development and are often unable to rationally process obstacles that are simple for most adults. Varying factors lead a youth down the wrong path resulting in a life of fear and isolation. Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers has concentrated on treatment for drug addiction, substance abuse, and troubled teens since 2002. Youths ages 13 to 18 from southern California, big cities like New York City, Chicago, and internationally have gone to Visions Centers seeking residential treatment. There are several programs in California, but only Visions Adolescent offers an extensive, clinically based treatment for children extending to families.  

Visions Adolescent Residential Treatment Center is a 25 acre gated community in the hills of Malibu, California with a home-like setting conveying a sense of warmth and security. A Mediterranean style home surrounded by the peace and beauty of nature conveys a sense of comfort and calm. Sleeping quarters are separate for male and female patients with two in each room under the supervision of day and evening Staff. Crisis intervention is readily available on a 24 hour basis. Length of stay is 45 to 90 days depending on the severity of symptoms and psychosocial stressors.

Visions performs several assessments to determine if residential treatment admission is required including the child’s condition and specific drug issues.

Medical Assessment

A medical doctor specializing in mental health and substance abuse handles the initial medical assessment and services applicable for each teen. The medical doctor or the adolescent’s personal physician conducts a history and physical evaluation before the child is cleared for admission into the residential treatment program.

Substance Abuse Assessment

The chemical dependency screening examines psychotropic substance abuse, establishes a baseline, and identifies areas of need. The assessment determines if there are any psychological issues or recovery belief systems that would prevent healing.

Psychosocial Assessment

Psychosocial assessment reviews the child’s medical history, family history, developmental history, social and educational conduct, legal history, drug and alcohol history, and it’s impact on the residential treatment process.

Psychiatric Assessment

The youth will be evaluated after the initial interview by the psychiatric director, a licensed psychiatrist experienced in the areas of mental health and substance abuse treatment for adolescents. Upon diagnosis of mental health or co-occurring symptoms, admission into the residential treatment program will be arranged.

Treatment Plan

A treatment plan is created from information collected during the assessment process. A counselor goes over the treatment plan with the adolescent to ensure the goals and expectations are fully understood. The resident contributes additional treatment goals such as pursuing educational and vocational interest, examining psychological conflicts, and exploring new or previous recreational pursuits or interests.

Visions has a wide range of qualified clinicians that work with each child using current and effective techniques. The program director supervises all of the residential treatment counseling services performed by highly trained personnel. A licensed therapist and a counselor work directly with the patient throughout treatment. A registered dietitian plans appropriate meals and provides dietary consultation as needed. An equine therapist uses horses to help the child in identifying and recognizing feelings that may be difficult with conventional therapy. Art therapists aid in creating interpretive art to use in the treatment method.

Other residential treatment team members involved in the counseling process as required include:

  • Psychiatrist
  • Supervising Nurse
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Therapist

Academics is a component that makes Visions Residential Treatment Center a wise choice. Each child engages in three hours of individualized schooling using a personalized curriculum on weekdays. An activities consultant leads the patient in a “tailor-made” physical fitness program five times a week for one hour focusing on the release of nervous tension.

The objectives of the Visions Residential Treatment Program include:

  • Encourage and motivate the teen to achieve and sustain a healthy lifestyle
  • Determine and meet the psychological and psychiatric needs of the child
  • Establish a referral network system for services not accomplished by Visions
  • Involve family members in the rehabilitation process to reduce dysfunction within the family

Mental Health and Substance Abuse issues affect the entire family. Studies show that the best outcomes for treatment depend on the family’s understanding and participation in the therapeutic process. Most families feel the same way about their troubled teen’s issues before and during treatment. Fear, helplessness, hopelessness, anxiety, and anger are universally shared feelings.

The residential treatment includes family-focused therapy for a minimum of five hours a week lead by a family therapist. Family members or legal guardians are invited to accompany the child during each session.

Multi-Family Group addresses issues common to all families such as communication, handling conflicts, and maintaining boundaries. Residents and family members meet other families in similar situations.

Individual Family Sessions are conducted between residents and their family members in private. Treatment goals and conflicts are addressed under the guidance of a family therapist.

Family Education allows the child and families to develop an understanding of typical roles played by members of other families. Frequent issues brought up by other family members in treatment are addressed.

Family Passes are a unique feature earned by well behaved patients in residential treatment. Every Sunday and Monday are for outings that include movies, museums, the beach, go-cart racing, community services, ropes courses, and rock climbing.

Visions Alumni Program  

The Fourth Dimension is an optional enrollment benefit after discharge from Visions Residential Treatment providing long term care. Adolescents are encouraged to attend aftercare and self-help groups twice a week. Individual sessions are available to alumni for a charge per service.

Annual Alumni Events:

  • Winter Ski/Snowboard Trip
  • Alumni Family Weekend
  • Alumni vs. Staff Softball Game
  • Knott’s Scary Farm Night
  • Magic Mountain

Visions Residential Treatment Center is a private pay program and full payment is required from the family. Our team will assist with insurance benefit verification and utilization review. Visions Outpatient works out of network with insurance. We will provide the following services to our outpatient families: Benefit verification, pre-authorization, utilization review, billing and collections.

Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers is the best residential treatment center in California with a mission of providing cutting edge mental health, substance abuse, and family therapy. With the Fourth Dimension alumni program, the child will always know that help is just a phone call away.

Please click below to schedule your consultation or call us at 866-889-3665

Categories
Addiction Anxiety Depression Mental Health Prevention

The Dangers of DMT and Psychedelic Experimentation

DMT (Dimethyltryptamine) is a short-acting, albeit powerful psychedelic drug in the tryptamine family. Additionally, the use of Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), an older class of anti-depressant drugs, has been found to increase the effects of DMT.  This chemical structure of DMT has the same or similar chemical structure as the natural neurotransmitter serotonin and the hormone melatonin found in the brain.  Our bodies actually produce DMT, but science hasn’t determined its purpose thus far. It is derived from the essential amino acid tryptophan and produced by the same enzyme INMT during the body’s normal metabolism. Some researches have postulated that brain’s production of DMT may be related to the organic cause of some mental illness.

 

Adolescents are naturally curious creatures. They want to know about the world that they live in and they want to understand why it is the way it is. Developmentally this leads to a natural curiosity about the nature of the world and spiritual matters. During the 1960s, well-respected researchers looked into the potential of psychedelic drugs to treat mental illness, including depression. The ’60s generation took this as a cue to experiment with their minds. What we have learned since then is such experimentation is potentially dangerous and harmful, especially for those with a latent tendency toward depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and other forms of mental illness.

 

Psychedelic drugs have a distinct effect on brain chemistry. Some of them have chemical structures similar to natural neurotransmitters and almost all of them are classified as alkaloid. Historically, psychedelic drugs have been used by ancient cultures for spiritual practice and ceremony. And science has used psychedelic drugs for research.

 

However, psychedelics are significantly abused.

 

One of the most dangerous components of psychedelic drugs is the potential negative effect on people already vulnerable to mental illness. The user is, in effect, playing with his or her brain chemistry without direct knowledge of any short- or long-term effects these drugs may have. And someone who has an undiagnosed or untreated mental illness can adversely affect his or her mental health with the use of psychedelic drugs, or any drugs for that matter. Drugs like DMT, though old, are no different. DMT works fast, it has an intense effect that lasts for 15 minutes but purportedly feels like several hours. This can be an overwhelming experience, especially in cases of untreated or undiagnosed mental illness.

 

The bottom like is this: Experimenting with your mind is dangerous. Curious or not, this type of psychological misadventure is not worth the risk and the potential fallout.

 

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