THRIVE Program: A Residential Program for Teen Substance Abuse

At Village Behavioral Health, we are dedicated to providing all-encompassing care for adolescents who are suffering from substance abuse problems and/or mental health disorders. We recognize that the treatment that young people receive must be tailored to meet them where they are at in life; the stages of life that they are in and the things that are important to them and their wellbeing. We know that treatment for adults will not always benefit adolescents. As such, we have tailored the care we deliver to not only be appropriate for adolescents, but that will also give them the best chance for achieving successful recovery.

In order to expand upon our mission to remain a leading provider in the delivery of behavioral healthcare services for adolescents between the ages of 13 and 17, we are pleased to offer treatment through our Thrive Program.

The Thrive Program is designed to offer additional services above and beyond what is offered in our regular programming. This means that when adolescents participate in the Thrive Program, they will still engage in all of the therapeutic interventions that are offered in our regular treatment curriculum as well. For adolescents who are suffering from substance use disorders or process addictions, the additional services that are included in the Thrive Program can expand upon the resources that are provided in our traditional programming, ultimately allowing them to have a special emphasis placed on the addictive behaviors they are working to overcome.

Adolescents who are appropriate for participation in the Thrive Program may be struggling with addictions to the following substances:

• Alcohol
• Prescription drugs
• Marijuana
• Heroin
• Benzodiazepines

However, this is by no means an exclusionary list. An addiction to any type of substance can be successfully treated within the Thrive Program.

Additionally, adolescents who are struggling with the compulsion to engage in self-harming behaviors or are suffering from the symptoms of various eating disorders can find encouragement and healing in the Thrive Program.

In order to determine whether or not an adolescent is appropriate for participation in our Thrive Program, each young person will receive a chemical dependency assessment within 10 days of being admitted into the regular programming here at The Village. Adolescents will also participate in other pre-step assessments in order to help them and our staff members gain an understanding of where they are at in the stages of change.

The elements of the Thrive Program are based on the 12-Steps, yet they go beyond that. While engaged in this program, adolescents will also become educated on relapse triggers and how to avoid them, as well as learn about coping skills and how to develop healthy ones.

Within the milieu of the Thrive Program, adolescents will participate in an additional three groups on top of those that they will engage in as part of the regular programming. These groups are gender-specific and offer adolescents a time to meet with their peers and give and receive encouragement to and from one another, while also gaining extensive education on their addictions and how to overcome their negative behaviors. Our licensed alcohol and drug therapists conduct these groups and include 12-Step meetings, recovery topics, cognitive behavioral therapy, and dialectical behavior therapy into the group structure. Additionally, on-campus Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings are facilitated each week by NA representatives.

Our team of family therapists incorporates resources from the Thrive Program into the individual and family therapy sessions that they conduct. Within family therapy sessions, the therapist will discuss the Family Packet, which is a part of the Thrive Program’s curriculum. The Family Packet provides information about the family dynamics that come into play in regards to addiction and recovery, including enabling, boundaries, codependency, and detaching with love.

In addition, experiential therapy is a key component within the Thrive Program. Showcases and contests are held, as are additional ways for adolescents to express themselves. Creativity is highlighted, implementing imaginative and artistic techniques that allow young people to process through their struggles in a holistic way. Games, poetry, and speakers are all incorporated into this aspect of programming.

A doctor and psychiatrist are employed at The Village, as are a number of nurses, so as to help monitor the health and well-being of the adolescents engaged in programming. All of these qualified professionals are knowledgeable in substance use disorders as they relate directly to adolescents.

The goal of the Thrive Program is to help adolescents realize that recovery is not just about surviving; rather, it is about thriving. It is important for young people to understand that the problems and challenges that they are facing do not define who they are. They are unique, talented, special individuals who have the potential to do great things with their lives. Once they have completed treatment in the Thrive Program, it is our hope that they will have developed the confidence in themselves that they need to embark on a bright, productive, and happy future.