Core Services:

A two session individualized assessment followed by 12 weeks of group counseling.  Groups meet two times per week for about an hour (Tue and Thu).  The counseling covers:

COMPONENT 1:  Drug Education: The Tools to Journey "Above and Beyond"

The Drug Education component is designed to provide critical information and actively involve adolescent clients in hands-on learning activities. All adolescents, no matter how experienced, need more and better information. The following topics are covered:

• Consequences of Chemical Use
• Feelings, Thoughts and Behavior
• Conflict Resolution
• Communication Skills
• Relapse Prevention
• Peer Pressure
• Cue Exposure
• Dealing with Relapse
• Family Systems
• Enjoying Sobriety
• Grief and Loss
• The Past and Future
• The Recovery Model
• Barriers to Recovery
• High Risk Situations
• Aftercare Planning

COMPONENT 2:  Coping Skills Training: The Skills To Live "Above and Beyond"

In the Coping Skills Training component adolescents and family members receive instruction and then practice the skills necessary to successfully manage recovery. Role-playing, homework assignments, and verbal presentations are among the technique that may be used. The topics include:

• Conflict Resolution
• Family Systems
• Recovery Models
• Peer Selection
• Patterns of Use
• Problem Solving
• Barriers to Recovery
• Peer Pressure
• Relapse Mapping
• Dealing with Family Members
• Refusal Skills
• Recovery Programs

COMPONENT 3:  Emotional Processing: The Courage to Enjoy "Above and Beyond"

The third component of each ASAP group therapy session is Emotional Processing. The focus here is emotional recovery, where adolescents work through the life experiences and emotions that have kept them blocked. The therapist will lead the adolescents through the process of getting to the "heart" of their feelings, thoughts and behaviors. No treatment can be considered complete without this emotional healing process. Emotional healing allows the adolescent and parents the best chance for uniting the family and enjoying long term recovery.

COMPONENT 4:  Family and Friend Therapy:  The Bonding to Be "Above and Beyond"

Multi-Family night follows the same format as above, except that the Drug Education, Coping Skills Training and Emotional Processing components focus directly on family dynamics. The Multi-Family concept places emphasis on families confronting, helping and supporting each other. Trust and healthy communication is renewed in each family. Conflict resolution techniques are taught to enable calm to return to the home environment as soon as possible. The normal stresses of family life are addressed, as are the extraordinary stresses that inevitable accompany teen drug use. Homework assignments are assigned to each family that foster re-bonding through sober recreation. Hands-on skills training for each family member includes the following areas:

• Conflict Resolution
• Building Family Support
• The Past and Future
• Negotiating
• Sibling Influence
• Family Duties
• Parent Stresses
• Recovery Skills
• The Fair Fight
• Grief and Loss
• Relapse Issues
• Home Contracts
• Family Recreation
• School and work issues