Teens and Young Adults

Addiction Treatment For
Teens and Young Adults

Gig Harbor Counseling – Olalla Recovery Centers

Signs that your child may be struggling:

For teens, it’s normal to be moody and brooding. But isolation is especially difficult at this age because biological changes and brain development increase the pleasure of socializing with others — and socializing opportunities are currently in short supply. Friendships and social hangouts are exciting for teens, and the pandemic limits their ability to carry on.

To help young people through these times, parents and other caring adults need to observe their teens’ behaviors closely for new patterns that last for extended periods.

Each individual reacts differently to stress. Parents and other caretakers know best what’s “baseline” behavior for their adolescents. But these may be among the indicators that a child is struggling:

  • More frequent or unusual changes in moods (e.g. becoming “cranky” or angry for no reason or showing sadness and hopelessness)
  • Changes in daily routines, such as difficulty sleeping or altered eating habits
  • Difficulty maintaining focus and remembering things, increased hyperactivity and restlessness, loss of energy
  • Changes in appearance, such as less attention paid to personal hygiene
  • Loss of interest in activities the child enjoys (and can still be carried out during the pandemic), such as texting and video chatting with friends
  • Increased defiance and rule-breaking, and increase in risky behaviors such as vaping and drinking alcohol

Programs and Protocols that are Effective:

Each approach is designed to address certain aspects of drug addiction and its consequences for the individual, family, and society. Some of the approaches are intended to supplement or enhance existing treatment programs, and others are fairly comprehensive in and of themselves.The Matrix Model

An Evidence-Based Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program for Alcohol and Drugs.

“The Matrix Model shows statistically significant reductions in drug and alcohol use.”
-National Institute on Drug Abuse

 

Adolescent treatment protocol overview for Gig Harbor Counseling:

Each patient will have a completed assessment and recommendations prior to engaging in services.  This assessment must be completed by a State licensed agency and by a certified Chemical Dependency Professional.
If the patient is in need of substance abuse treatment, the following phases of treatment may be offered, depending upon the ASAM and DSM5 criteria / recommended treatment parameters.

Phase I

Phase one will involve twelve weeks of intensive outpatient, meeting three times per week, for 2 hours each session.  One of these weekly sessions will be educational in nature, and will cover the topics of:

  • Pharmacology of Drugs
  • Medical Aspects of Substance Use
  • Progression of the Disease of Addiction
  • Family Roles and Addiction
  • 12 step support groups
  • Denial
  • Communication
  • Relapse Prevention
  • Nutrition
  • Feelings of Shame and Guilt
  • The Disease Model
  • Self Care and Self Esteem

These segments are open to family members, who may attend during daytime service hours or evening service hours.

The other two weekly sessions will be based on motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral therapy techniques, and will require each patient to complete a written workbook during the twelve weeks.

Group will focus on:

  • Goal setting
  • Choice making
  • Healthy lifestyle and planning activities
  • Establishing a support network
  • Identifying the disease
  • Powerlessness
  • Unmanageability
  • Moving towards abstinence and recovery
  • Stress management
  • The 12 step model
  • Designing a personal recovery plan
  • Responsibility and Accountability

 

This group time will also develop peer support and recreational activities with other clean and sober peers.

In addition, family counseling will be made available and conjoint sessions with the patient, family, chemical dependency counselor, and family therapist will be provided.

Phase II

Phase two of treatment will be an additional twelve week model, focused on relapse prevention, where the patient will design plans to avoid roadblocks and overcome obstacles to recovery.  This group will be monitored, will require a completed workbook, and may also engage family members in family therapy and/or conjoint sessions.  The process of change into recovery will require outside support groups and activities.

This group time will also develop peer support and recreational activities with other clean and sober peers.

In addition, family counseling will be made available and conjoint sessions with the patient, family, substance use disorder counselor, and family therapist will be provided.

 

Individualized Treatment Planning Sessions

Individualized treatment planning sessions will be conducted periodically throughout the treatment program.  The patient will meet with their primary counselor to identify treatment planning goals, discuss obstacles and progress in their recovery, and identify any additional items necessary to the continue ongoing recovery of the individual.

 

Urinalysis Testing

Urinalysis testing will also be completed randomly throughout the course of treatment to help the patient maintain abstinence and also to aid in the treatment of the individual in identifying relapse issues.

 

Reporting

Reporting will be completed monthly on each patient to those entities identified and to those consented to by the patient.  Reports will indicate the number of attended sessions, progress in treatment and recommendations if applicable.

 

Please call our office if you have additional questions, 
or would like to schedule an appointment.

1-800-882-6201

GET HELP TODAY  1-800-882-6201

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