Addiction Treatment for Teens in Rancho Mirage

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Addiction Therapeutic Services Tailors Program for Addiction Treatment for Teens

As most of us can recall, we thought we were invincible back when we were teenagers.  Taking stupid risks while thinking we were immortal, we look back with relief that we survived our teen years.  Usually, parents had no idea the kinds of risk-seeking behaviors we might have been engaging in.

When an adolescent develops a substance use problem it may come as a complete shock to family and friends who didn’t see it coming.  Often a teen’s experimentation with drugs and alcohol is a passing phase that renders little lasting harm.  However, countless examples of a young person’s life becoming consumed and destroyed through the use of drugs are all too common.

When seeking help for an adolescent struggling with drug or alcohol abuse or addiction it is imperative to enlist treatment from a provider that specializes in teen substance disorders.  There are important differences in effective addiction treatment methods for teens versus adults.

Teen Brains are Different than Adult Brains

There are distinct differences in the brain of an adolescent compared with an adult brain.  Research from Yale University has shown that the brain releases chemicals, such as dopamine, in response to new experiences, resulting in a desire to repeat them.  Dr. R. Andrew Chambers of the Yale School of Medicine, headed up the study that showed how drugs become addictive as a result of stimulating parts of the brain that are still evolving during adolescence. ”You have a situation where the motivational brain areas are particularly active,” Dr. Chambers said, ”and the part of the brain that is supposed to inhibit impulses is not working well, because it is sort of under construction.”

So a teen who engages in recreational drug use may find his or her brain reinforcing that behavior, and that can culminate in a substance abuse problem.  This chemical response to trying novel experiences in the brain is more pronounced in teens than in adults, making them more prone to repeating dangerous behaviors.

In addition, the teen brain is still in the process of developing its executive functions.  The executive brain functions involve processing risks, planning, working memory, and impulse control.  Because the process of brain development is ongoing during the teen years, brain function hasn’t fully matured, which can lead to increased risk-taking and novelty-seeking behaviors.  Combine that with heightened emotions and impulsivity, it is clear why teens can wind up with a substance use disorder.

Addiction Treatment for Teens

With drugs and alcohol readily available to a teen motivated to experiment, it comes as no surprise that some will become addicted.  When drug or alcohol treatment is needed, a program that is tailored for young people is going to be more effective.  There are important differences that should be taken into account for treating a teen with a drug or alcohol addiction, such as:

  • Teens require more external controls and clearly delineated boundaries, so a teen recovery program should provide these constructs.
  • The teen brain will not process information like an adult brain, so recovery needs to connect emotionally for the teen, not just logically.
  • Engaging the family in the treatment process is critical, as the teen is dependent on them for financial support, transportation, and basic needs.
  • Understanding that the family dynamic may be a factor in a teen’s development of a drug or alcohol addiction if there has been abuse, trauma, family dysfunction, divorce, or neglect.
  • Peer pressure can be a factor, so helping the teen to understand the importance of distancing themselves from other teens with drug-seeking and using behaviors is crucial.

Providing a safe and supportive space to share life issues and emotional problems will enhance the addiction treatment program for teens.

Addiction Treatment for Teens in Rancho Mirage

Serving Coachella Valley, Addiction Therapeutic Services (ATS) offers adolescent treatment services specifically designed for teens with drug or alcohol use disorders.  Located at the foot of the San Jacinto Mountains in Rancho Mirage, California near Palm Desert, Indio, Cathedral City, Bermuda Dunes, and Palm Springs. ATS provides an intensive outpatient program (IOP) to help teens and their families heal in a serene and therapeutic setting.  An IOP allows for the teens to continue with their schooling while receiving the care and support needed for healing.  ATS teaches teens how to identify positive choices, how to take on life’s challenges, and how to build their self-esteem—all to aid in changing destructive patterns of behavior.  They will be counseled on how to discover meaning and purpose in their lives, how to deal with family issues such as divorce, and how to manage feelings of fear and anger.  For more information about our addiction treatment for teens, call (760) 349-7007 today.

Sources:

http://io9.gizmodo.com/the-neuroscience-of-why-teenagers-behave-the-way-they-d-1474948786

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/24/health/drug-addiction-as-a-developmental-disorder.html

Leading Addiction Rehab in Rancho Mirage, CA

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Addiction Therapeutic Services Offers Quality Addiction Rehab in Rancho Mirage, CA

Just as the education community has discovered there are seven distinct styles of learning—some kids learn visually, some are auditory learners, some are physical learners, etc.—the same type of distinction can be made for how people respond differently to various forms of addiction treatment.  Humans have very individualized wiring; affecting our beliefs and preferences and distinctly impacting what stimuli we will respond to.

Trends in addiction treatment have led it to become rote and mechanical, the exact opposite of how treatment for drug and alcohol dependency should be designed.  There shouldn’t be any preconceived boxes for the person seeking treatment to fit in to!  At Addiction Therapeutic Services (ATS), a leading addiction rehab in Rancho Mirage, California, our entire program is customized to the individual.  ATS offers Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP), which allow the client to continue to work, attend school, and actively parent when appropriate, offering a sound alternative to inpatient treatment rehabs.

At ATS we believe that a person’s potential for real, sustained change lies in the program’s ability to identify unique personal traits in our clients, and then match those with the appropriate treatment plan and therapeutic modality.  By taking the time to do a deep assessment of the prospective client, ATS can customize its treatment program to align with all aspects of their mental, physical, and spiritual well-being.  As a result, our clients are responsive to their therapy instead of resentful of it.  This allows the client to feel a sense of ownership of his or her recovery, leading to a successful outcome.

A Holistic Approach to Recovery

ATS addiction rehab in Rancho Mirage serves people who are suffering from drug or alcohol addiction, as well as co-occurring conditions such as depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.  At ATS we offer a smorgasbord of different types of therapy, each with its own clinical focus.  Based on the Living in Balance (LIB) Curriculum, an approach oriented for group settings, our program techniques are drawn from cognitive, behavioral, and experiential treatment aspects, with an important emphasis on relapse prevention.

Topics addressed in the LIB program cover the gamut, but all are pertinent to a recovering addict’s life.  Some of these include:

  • Attitudes and beliefs
  • Negative emotions
  • Nutrition
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Anger and communication
  • Sexuality
  • Spirituality
  • Money management
  • Grief and loss
  • Education and vocational development

Throughout the program, clients learn how to monitor their feelings and behavior, and how to use relaxation and visualization techniques.  Clients are taught how to conduct self-assessments and to actively implement effective coping and relapse prevention skills.

By offering classes that teach life skills, mindfulness, dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and even art and music therapy, our diverse and eclectic program offers many different avenues that all lead to the ultimate destination: lifelong recovery from addiction.

ATS Family Program

Most people live their lives within some form of a family unit.  Addiction can wreak havoc on families, causing serious breaches of trust and pushing the family dynamic into stress and turmoil.  The family unit is our safe harbor, so ATS places a great deal of emphasis on its Family Program in order to mend the damage that addiction has caused within the family, helping it to begin the healing process.

The ATS Family Program offers several tools for the family to access during the recovery journey with their loved one.  Topics include:

  • Understanding the disease of addiction
  • The faces of addiction
  • Relapse prevention
  • Communication
  • Forgiveness
  • Co-dependency
  • Roles in dysfunctional families

The Family Program offers solace to members of the families who learn that they are not alone as they discover how much they have in common with each other.  ATS encourages families to bond with each other, where a common camaraderie elicits a sense of comfort and support.  Family Program is conveniently schedule on weekends to accommodate the busy lives of our client’s families.

Addiction Therapeutic Services is Here to Help

Addiction Therapeutic Services is a leading Addiction Rehab in Rancho Mirage which is located in the beautiful foothills of the San Jacinto Mountains.  In this soothing space of safety and serenity, real recovery from addiction or dual diagnosis is able to begin.  ATS is CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) accredited, meaning that it provides internationally recognized high standards within the addiction treatment field.  For a high quality IOP that features holistic, individualized treatment care, contact ATS today at (760) 349-7007

How the Family System Affects Addiction Treatment

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Family Addiction Treatment

The idea of the family being a system comes from Dr. Murray Bowen who developed the Bowen family systems theory in the 1950s. He also is credited for defining the field of family therapy. The reason this advent is particularly important to treatment providers and those seeking long-lasting recovery is because much of the research that came about in the decades to follow demonstrated that the strong ties between family members deeply affect recovery.

The way that individual family members are often looked at, in this day and age, is in isolation to one another. This is best highlighted by interventions. Many of us have been exposed to interventions for addiction on television, in films and in our real lives. Being that we live in a highly individualistic society, the ambush intervention style seems effective at first glance. A whole family gets together and ambushes the addicted individual in order to get them into treatment. The addicted individual is seen as the problem. While this style does work for some people, it’s not necessarily effective for a lot of people who need help. Some will either resist the ambush entirely or find that when they return home after addiction treatment, they have no idea how to cope with an unhealthy home environment. What that means is that the individual is at higher risk for relapse.

One of the problems with dealing with addiction in this way, as we’ve come to find, is because of the lack of understanding of the family unit being ONE emotional unit. Starting with the Bowen family systems theory may help us to build our understanding. First, the theory tells us that the family is one emotional unit rather than just a sum of its parts. The Bowen Center’s website also says that “Families so profoundly affect their member’s thoughts, feelings, and actions that it often seems as if people are living under the same ‘emotional skin.’”

Since the development of this theory, many experts have taken a magnifying glass to parent-child and other family relationships. For example, Dr. Rosemary Ellsworth Brown has written about controlling parenting styles being intimately tied to addiction. Bill Woodbury has presented the idea of “enable-ism” to the world through his book. And, Susan Jackson has expounded on the work of William L. White to show how whole families can heal together and support each other’s recovery, or conversely cause harm to one another without even realizing it. In such situations, some would say it is best to treat whole families rather than individuals in isolation.

In order to learn more about family systems, check out Dr. Jessica Rodriguez’s presentation at the Rancho Mirage Network Luncheon wherein she discusses strategies and interventions.

Addiction Therapeutic Services is a leading treatment facility in Rancho Mirage not only because of our highly experienced clinical staff, but also because we involve the families of addicted individuals as much as we possible can. We host family weekends where we offer Family Addiction Treatment where the entire family can receive psychoeducation and get to know more about their loved one’s struggles. We also host community education programs that are free of charge for the public. If you’ve been in the dark about your loved one’s addiction and want to learn more, give us a call at 760-322-1777.

ATS Employee Fosters Recovery and Builds Bridges Through Community Involvement

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ATS Fosters Community Involvement

Community InvolementATS is proud of the quality of services it provides as well as its amazing staff. This month, we are highlighting Mark Worthington, counselor extraordinaire!  We asked him about his involvement in a wonderful organization called The North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance (NAGAAA) and how his participation affects his work as a counselor in recovery.  Here’s what he had to share:

I am involved in PSGSL is a Non-Profit 501(c)3 Corporation.  We are a slow pitch softball league, established primarily for GLBTQ persons in the Rancho Mirage area, but open to all interested players.

I was originally introduced to the PSGSL by a friend in early recovery. This friend was a young father struggling with addiction who had been drafted by a major league baseball team only to suffer a career ending injury.  Playing together on the team opened the opportunity for healing, not only for one’s self but also for the family and community.

The Rancho Mirage Gay Softball League (PSGSL) was originally organized in 2004, by our Founding Fathers Tommie Douglas and Jim Hurst. The league began with 4 teams and approximately 50 participants. Today PSGSL has grown to 14 teams with 200+ participants.

The purpose of the PSGSL is to foster local, regional, national and international sports competition predominately for gays and lesbians.  We are dedicated to the promotion of the amateur athletic experience for persons of all skill levels and abilities, regardless of sexual orientation, gender, race, creed, religion or national origin. The primary focus of the PSGSL is to provide venues for adult slow-pitch softball competition. Additionally, the organization endeavors to develop people of all abilities and experience to participate in sports competitions.

As an addictions specialist, understanding the struggle of people from all aspects of life, it occurred to me that engaging with this community could offer me the opportunity for not only personal growth but recovery and community growth as well.

The Rancho Mirage Roadrunnerz softball team of which I play for was founded in 2010 and is sponsored by the Desert Eye Care Center (DECC). We are organized within the guidelines of NAGAAA and PSGSL.

Playing softball is a great avenue to exercise, socialize and be a part of something that is bigger than one’s self. Playing softball within the NAGAAA guidelines allows players of different skills and athletic ability to be rated into equally competitive groupings so that play is not only safe but fun. The atmosphere at games and tournaments is one that is conducive to family and friends alike. There is nothing like playing with the support of family and friends cheering you on. Softball in this league offers great opportunity to travel to different venues both locally and abroad.  We have participated in tournaments in Huntington Beach, San Diego, Phoenix and Las Vegas just to name a few on the circuit.  After the softball is over, my family takes time to explore the community, visiting beaches, zoo’s, parks and local food fair.

Recovery from addictions should include a balanced program. Engaging in healthy activities is essential to having balance in recovery. For me the physical awareness created through practice and play of this sport enhances my health. Playing softball also offers me the opportunity to connect with a portion of the local community and share that connection with my peers and colleagues.

I believe that playing as part of team brings the same concept to my employment, utilizing strengths of individuals to create a stronger whole unit.

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PSGSL teams are sponsored by local gay and gay friendly businesses throughout the Coachella Valley.  2016 Team Sponsors include: Contour Dermatology, George’s Alibi Azul, Hunters Bar, Café Palette Restaurant and Bar, Bean Counters Bookkeeping, Desert Eye Care Center, Street Bar, Chill Bar, Tropicale,, Coachella Valley Independent, Bongo Johnny’s and Leo’s Auto Repair. PSGSL games are played at Big League Dreams in Cathedral City on Sunday afternoon at 2pm, in both the Spring and Fall seasons.

League Council Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month at Hunter’s starting at 6:00 PM. psgsl.org.
Formed in 1977, NAGAAA is a 501c(3) international sports organization comprised of men and women dedicated to providing opportunity and access for the LGBT community to participate in organized softball competition in safe environments. Currently, more than 13,000 players from 43 cities across Canada and the United States participate in member leagues, and the best of these teams converge once a year for head-to-head competition at the annual Gay Softball World Series.

Celebrating Our 3rd Anniversary!

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ATS 3rd AnniversaryRecovery, happiness and ice cream filled the offices, reception area and halls of Addiction Therapeutic Services last Friday.  Pondering our third anniversary brought so much joy to our hearts that we couldn’t wait to celebrate the achievement and blessings with others in the recovery community.  The event turned out to be more than just a get together… it was a time for friends in the recovery field to talk about their art, their passions and their future plans.

Sometimes our line of work can make our hearts heavy, but our Ice Cream Social allowed several of us recovery professionals to think about the best aspects of recovery – like living life to the fullest! Present at this lovely event were talented and passionate marketers, counselors and owners of treatment centers and sober livings.  In candid and friendly discussions over our Coldstone favorites, we all shared aspects of our lives we normally don’t talk about at work.  A therapist shared beautiful artwork, a fine art photographer shared details about one of his most recent projects and a couple of committed recovery industry marketers discussed exciting travel plans that seemed more like spiritual escapades!

This celebratory event gave us a chance to bring the joys of life to the forefront and replenished us. We at ATS are certain that joy and gratitude help us to bring more positive energy and higher quality treatment to our clients.  And, we are grateful for all we’ve been able to offer to individuals seeking outpatient and intensive outpatient treatment for the last three years.  We look forward to many more opportunities to serve the community we love!

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Inspiring Woman Leaders in Behavioral Healthcare

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Addiction Therapeutic Services was proud to be a co-sponsor for the Women’s CEO Global Alliance Conference in Pacific Grove, CA.   As WCEOGA’S website says, the organization “is taking on a stronger leadership role on behalf of treatment providers in areas such as treatment standards, education, research, and advocacy of legislative, regulatory and reimbursement positions supported by the field.” With well-recognized speakers like Agapi Stassinopolous and Pepper Schwartz, among other experts in behavioral health care, this beautiful event inspired women throughout the industry to be the best leaders they can be.

ATS’s CEO Josie Herndon is a Founding Member of WCEOGA and Co-Chair for the conference which was held in mid-March.  She and Beata Lundeen of the organization, Prayer for Compassion, led an uplifting roundtable discussion focused on servant leadership and spiritual Balance, while other lectures and discussions offered views on retirement planning, managing, motivation, promotion within an organization, leadership and startups, mentoring, protection of an organization, self-care, succession planning, managing crises and ethics.

What does participation in a conference of this kind mean practically for treatment?

First, more education and more access to mentorship in the field means women leaders will be more empowered to offer the highest standard of care for clients.  Also, all of the speakers encouraged self-care and pushed forward the idea that offering the best to employees and clients requires leaders to take care of themselves first.

Agapi Stassinopolous told the leaders, “everything is love,” among other powerful words. The cornerstone of her message inspired the women to lead with love, and while we’ve heard these sorts of words of late, Stassinopolous took love, respect, and dignity to a new level.  As a part of her talk she knelt to her knees and said, “I don’t want to shake your hand, I want to bow down to you.”

After several days of learning and bonding, the leaders left Pacific Grove excited to apply their newfound knowledge to their treatment programs and other behavioral health related businesses.

Learn more about the annual Women’s CEO Global Alliance Conference by calling (760) 459-1795 or visit the website at Women’s CEO Global Alliance Website.

LGBTQ Treatment With a Focus on Transgender

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LGBTQ Treatment for Drug and Alcohol Addiction

Addiction treatment centers in several states are becoming more keen on growing quality programs for LGBTQ clients, but there is still quite a ways to go.  While many counselors and therapists are being trained on the unique issues faced by those identify as LGBTQ, only few are truly equipped to deal with each of the mini-communities within LGBTQ.  They include Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender, and that’s only to name a few that have come into the light in recent decades.  Of these groups, Transgender may be the most at risk for substance abuse disorders and may also be the most complicated to treat in some instances.

As some in the treatment world are struggling to remember the classifications, others are finding ways to respond to the needs of these individuals.  The treatment community is aware that LGBTQ clients come with unique challenges and that the rates of substance abuse disorders tend to be higher in this population than in those identifying heterosexual. Co-occurring disorders are also far more common in this population, leading to the need for specialized care.

Transgender people may have additional challenges that an experienced therapist can help with.  These challenges deal with body image, stress or trauma related to a transition procedure, lack of understanding from society as a whole, and perhaps feeling alone because there are relatively few people with the same concerns.

Sexual orientation is such a central aspect to the identity of some LGBTQ individuals that they often they use drugs and alcohol in order to “numb or enhance sexual feelings.”  Also, while societal views are changing with regard to sexual orientation, shame and guilt still plague the lives of many LGBTQ people, leaving them feeling isolated or rejected.  With the triple whammy of 1. shame, 2. addiction and 3. other mental disorders, specialized care has become a clear necessity.  On top of that, there is a serious social stigma on all of these levels complicating the matter further.

As the behavioral health world catches up with these concerns, some LGBTQ organizations and allies are using education and principles of inclusion to help to reduce shame.  They are also helping society to be aware of who may need specialized treatment that is sensitive to their situation. For example, these days, some organizations prefer that “LGBTIQ” be used as the standard acronym because it is more inclusive of sexual orientations.  The “I” comes from the term “Intersex,” which according to the Intersex Society of North America, “is a general term used for a variety of conditions in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t seem to fit the typical definitions of female or male.” The “Q” stands for “Questioning.”

Receive Help for Drug and Alcohol Addiction at an LGBTQ Treatment Program

Are you or a loved one suffering from addiction but feel like your concerns are unique and require individualized treatment? If so, please call the ATS Admissions Helpline at (760) 322-1777.  We are trained to help LGBTQ clients and focus on Transgender. We are ready to serve this population and are here to help you.

Happy Holidays from the ATS Family & Friends!

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Josie & Jim Herndon and the Team at Addiction Therapeutic Services wishes everyone a peaceful and warm Holiday.  We look forward to seeing you in the New Year!