Whether teens are dealing with a mental issue while receiving treatment or not, the positive impact residential programs for youth can have on mental health cannot be denied. Ember Recovery integrates mental health treatment with substance abuse treatment so that teens can get the maximum benefits as they work towards sobriety.
Mental Health Benefits of Residential Programs for Youth
Residential treatment programs for youth provide the safe and supportive environment they need 24/7 to deal with addiction, as well as necessary mental health services. Teens are supervised at all times, which makes it harder for them to relapse or hurt themselves.
At Ember Recovery, our residential programs offer a variety of therapies that can help teens work through their addictions as well as provide the mental health support they need. This can include:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
During residential programs at Ember Recovery, teens can undergo cognitive behavioral therapy that can change thought patterns. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps teens become more aware of negative thinking patterns so they view situations more clearly and find different ways to respond to them [1]. This type of therapy can be beneficial for teens dealing with anxiety disorders, substance use, depression, and other mental health conditions.
Individual & Family Therapy
Individual and family therapy sessions can also help teens see situations more clearly and discuss their feelings. This can help to ward off feelings of depression, loneliness, and anger that can come with a substance use disorder. By talking about their feelings one-on-one, teens can learn coping skills to help them better deal with their mental health and substance abuse. Family sessions can give teens the support they need to get through the process.
Group Therapy
Besides family therapy, teens can also benefit from group therapy sessions. By sitting with their peers and sharing stories, thoughts, and emotions, they can see they are not alone. Others are going through the same scenarios as they are. This can also help prevent isolation as teens make new friends and learn to integrate into new relationships.
When any of these therapies are done in the confines of a residential program, teens can better grasp their conditions and feel reassured that there is always someone there for them. This can help to prevent mental health issues that can lead to more substance abuse issues down the road.
In a residential program, teens can form positive habits that last a lifetime through personalized treatment plans.
Treating Teen Mental Health & Addiction
Some teens are not only trying to overcome a substance abuse disorder but are also dealing with a mental health condition. The co-occurrence of a mental health disorder and a drug or alcohol problem is referred to as a dual diagnosis. This requires specialized treatment to address both substance use and any underlying mental health conditions. [2].
Ember Recovery provides dual-diagnosis treatment to help teens understand their mental health issues and get the treatment they need. This can include:
- Mental Health Evaluation
- Counseling Services
- Medication if Necessary
- Follow-Up Programs After Treatment
When teens are receiving this type of treatment in a residential program, they can get the support they need alongside peers who are facing the same issues. If the treatment focuses only on the addiction, the underlying mental health condition may not only go unnoticed but also untreated. Ultimately, untreated mental health issues can lead to a relapse.
Residential Programs for Youth Substance Use: How Ember Recovery Can Help
Ember Recovery offers residential programs for boys, girls, and LGBTQIA+ teens. This allows teens to seek treatment for addiction and mental health issues with peers they feel comfortable living with. We provide a variety of therapies as well as dual diagnosis treatment to ensure that a teen’s addiction and underlying mental health issues are treated simultaneously to get the best outcomes. You can feel confident that your teen will receive the necessary customized care to treat their addiction and benefit their mental health. Call us today to find out more about the treatment Ember Recovery provides for teens.
Sources:
[1] https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cognitive-behavioral-therapy/about/pac-20384610 [2] https://medlineplus.gov/dualdiagnosis.html
Andrea Dickerson is a Licensed Therapist and Certified Substance Use Counselor who has worked in behavioral health since 1997. Currently, Andrea is the Director of Behavioral Health, overseeing the Ember residential treatment programs and YSS outpatient counseling clinics throughout Central and North Central Iowa. She became a Motivational Interviewing (MI) trainer in 2006 and provides MI trainings throughout Iowa.
Andrea specializes in working with adolescents and their families and enjoys seeing the family relationships grow through therapy. Andrea is also a CARF International Surveyor, going around North America ensuring behavioral health organizations are meeting required standards.
In her free time, Andrea enjoys cheering on the Iowa Hawkeyes and Chicago Cubs, as well as being an active member of Soroptimist International of the Americas (SIA), a global organization that provides women and girls with access to the education and training they need to achieve economic empowerment. She has been a member of the SI of Des Moines club since 2012 and has been actively involved at the regional level, currently serving as Co-Governor of the Peaks to Plains Region.
Through her involvement in SIA, Andrea has been actively involved in the Dream Programs, coordinating annual Dream It, Be It: Career Support for Girls projects, which give girls the tools they need to achieve their education and career goals, empowering them to break cycles of poverty, violence, and abuse.