One of our therapists, Markus, has come up with a great idea to do more intense Marriage and Family Therapy workshops!  The interpersonal communication between the different families and Markus combined with our cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach will certainly make the workshops productive.  This would be an intense weekend of therapy for families wanting to move forward not only with beating the addiction in the family but also strengthening their own relationship.  We’re in the beginning phases of setting this program up and I feel it’s going to be a strong component to Turning Point Centers program!

The Sober Transitions program is being announced tonight at the Family Therapy Group!  Can’t wait for the feedback from those clients and their families!  We’ve got our LSAC hired for the position and ready to go…all we need now are some clients to support for their first year in recovery.

Finally, after all these years, we’re moving forward with a “monitoring” program.  By the end of June we’re going to have our sober transitions program.  It’s going to be a great way to transition out of our intensive outpatient program into the “real world.”  With our core beliefs and the communication and counseling with the client for a full year the odds of the clients staying sober go through the roof…can’t wait to see this program take off!

I’ve had a lot of conversations lately about if a family member who is “forced” into drug and alcohol treatment will do anything.  Clients often ask if they should wait until he/she “wants” treatment.  One of my staff gave me some information located on NIDA’s site that goes along with what I believe and have always felt!  YES…interventions work and those clients do just as well as the “voluntary” clients.  If the families understood that very often the client won’t and can’t make the decision to go to treatment until something (as if addiction isn’t bad enough) “BAD” happens (loss of job, arrest, loss of family etc.) they  would all do interventions to help their loved one get in.  So this is what the statement was from www.drugabuse.gov.  It says “Effective treatment need not be voluntary and that treatment outcomes are similar for those who enter treatment under pressure vs. voluntary.”  My advice to anyone reading this is don’t wait until it’s too late!

In the new revised 5th Edition of A Headache in the Pelvis (pgs. 326 – 330) which came out in May 2008, Stanford Psychologist David Wise, Pd.D. and Neurologist Rodney Anderson, M.D. refer to Alber Ellis’ Rational-Emotive Therapy and Aaron Beck’s Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and write:  “The best form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, in our opinion, is offered in The Work of Byron Katie, who provides an approach to disarming catastrophic thinking by means of a process that one can do oneself.  This is one approach that we recommend.”  Wise and Anderson are practical, in the trenches, therapists who work daily with sever pelvic pain and other chronic syndromes.  They recommended Byron Katie’s method in their 4th edition of the book.  THANKS LORALEE FOR FINDING THIS INFORMATION!

Utah County has some of the lowest rates of substance abuse in the state of Utah and nationally, however, there is still a significant problem.  Methamphetamine addiction is still the most reported primary drug of abuse at admissions and most are for women.  Within the past 5 years, there has been a rise, DOUBLE, for heroin addiction admissions.  Marijuana addiction is still the largest reason for treatment admissions for Utah County youth.

Source:  Utah County Health Department

A lot of people understand Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (once explained) but most potential clients ask “how do you do it in treatment?”  Here’s a little on some of the efforts made in treatment;  Cognitive Therapy talks about triggers; clients talk about feelings and thinking that leads to involvement in destructive behaviors like drug and alcohol addiction.  It also goes beyond talking.  Any good center that utilizes it will give strong educational homework like assignments that are given with expectations on how to relax and just be with your feelings.  “Lots of people with addiction hate being with feelings and they use these behaviors to escape uncomfortable feelings.  So Cognitive therapy will sort of focus on groups, individual sessions and bio feedback to help one regulate and stay with just uncomfortable feels and be able to manage without escaping them.” Dr. Marc Kern, Director of Addiction Alternatives.

Cocaine and meth use declined (finally) in 2007!  However, prescription drug abuse increased dramatically, according to a new U.S. survey.  From 2006 to 2007 cocaine use among young adults decreased 23% and meth use fell 30%…however, the big hit is prescription drug abuse which rose 12%!!!  This information is according to a survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).  Another scary not is the fact that since the 1980′s prescription drug abuse has increased five-fold amongst young adults.  The reason the number is so high is because people think if it’s prescribed it’s safe.

Great news today…Makin Homes, LLC announced that they ARE keeping their sober living home for men.  One of our clients went there and loved it…he said it’s a beautiful home.  What he liked most about it was how professional the staff are…he said they really hold their boundaries.  I can’t wait to go check it out.

We’re excited to have Dawn Dugan join our team.  She’s been in school for her LSAC.  Her first weekend she dove right in and did a great job with the clients…they all seemed to really enjoy her groups and activities!  We’re looking forward to having her on our staff and around for a very long time!!!!