Reinforcing recovery and spreading knowledge where it’s needed most.

At the Center for Living, we provide support and education on the adolescent use and abuse of alcohol and drugs. Our comprehensive services fall into three categories:

· Treatment Services. Individualized assessment, treatment and education. Learn more.
· Specialized Groups. The support teens and their families need. Learn more.
· Professional Speaker’s Bureau. Spreading the word on teen substance abuse. Learn more.

Our comprehensive services give teens, families and interested organizations the support and information they need to get troubled teens back on the road to recovery.

Treatment Services.

We offer teens and families struggling with substance use a host of essential services to reinforce their individualized treatment plans, including group and individual care. Our professional staff is experienced in working with adolescent substance users and their families as individuals and in group settings as well.

The Center for Living services are as follows:

• Comprehensive Assessment. Before we admit an adolescent for treatment, the teen and their family receive a comprehensive assessment that includes:
  · a Bio Psych Social assessment conducted by a primary therapist,
  · a GAIN assessment administered by a primary therapist, and
  · a mental status evaluation conducted by the medical director.
   
• Individual therapy. After we admit teens for treatment, we assign them an individual therapist. The teens meet with the therapist weekly to discuss any issues that arise during treatment. Individual sessions are also available as needed.
   
• Family Therapy. The Center provides family therapy as needed to all teens admitted for treatment. Family therapy gives families the opportunity to discuss their experience at the Center and raise any issues that come up during the course of treatment.
   
• Peer Process Groups. Teens admitted for treatment participate in coed and single gender peer groups. In these groups, teens can:
  · discuss their experiences in recovery,
  · give and receive feedback from peers and group counselors,
  · provide and receive mutual support and encouragement,
  · become educated about the harmful effects of alcohol and other drugs, and
  · learn different skills for living a sober, drug-free life.
   
• Sibling Groups/Workshops. These groups give siblings a chance to express how the teen’s drug use has affected their lives. These groups serve as both support groups and educational groups where siblings give and receive feedback from other siblings who have suffered similar experiences.
   
• Sober Café: Socialization Groups/Workshops. Once teens reach sobriety and an appropriate life style, maintaining sobriety is key to recovery. The Center regularly plans sober activities through our Sober Café. It provides teens and their families a space to enjoy spending time together, attend educational workshops together and build a solid network of support.
   
• Multifamily Groups. These groups give teens and their families a chance to meet weekly with other families to discuss their experiences, process feelings about treatment, receive education and give and receive support.
   
• Educational Forums and Seminars. The Center offers a variety of educational forums and seminars on recovery-related topics like anger management, self-esteem, parenting skills, sober living and fostering communication.
   
• Psychiatric Services. Consultations are available as needed for teens who have mental health issues in addition to substance abuse problems.
   

Specialized Groups.

The Center for Living encourages its teens and families to participate in our specialized groups. These groups let participants share experiences, learn more about various topics and receive support from others in similar circumstances.

Our specialized groups are as follows:

• Life Skills Groups. Our curriculum-based groups teach teens how to handle specific issues on their road to recovery. Topics include such subjects as self-awareness and emotional literacy.
   
• COSA Group. This group addresses the impact a teen’s chemical dependency has on a parent or sibling. In these sessions, teens receive support and education on the biological, psychological and social factors associated with having an addicted family member.
   
• Nutritional Group. This group is a support and educational group for teens who show signs and symptoms of disordered eating patterns. Teens in this group receive education on different ways to improve nutrition. They also receive support on processing feelings about food and the role food plays in their lives.
   
• Gender Specific Groups. The Center designs these groups to empower adolescent young women and men to explore issues concerning gender identity, relationships, sex and intimacy without fear of being judged or distracted by members of the opposite sex.
   
• Creative Arts Group. This group provides teens with a safe and fun environment for the constructive identification and expression of feelings and emotions. Teens are challenged to express their feelings and emotions through music, art, poetry and so on.
   
• 12-Step Group. This is an educational and process group. Teens learn information on 12-step principles and philosophies, the importance of building a sober support network and making meetings, sponsorship and working the steps.