Challenges recognizes the significance of the integration of specialized therapeutic services for trauma and grief issues as a necessary component of an overall holistic approach to the treatment of individuals with a history of chronic relapse, as well as those who may have entered recovery for the first time through a primary care treatment program and would benefit from an extended care intensive relapse prevention program as part of their continuum of care.
With that in mind, Challenges provides individualized treatment modules for clients who may have a history of trauma/grief related issues which have in the past, and likely will continue to play a major role in such clients ability to maintain a successful addiction recovery program in the future unless such issues are intensively addressed. The provision of therapeutic services for trauma/grief issues is concurrent with continued care for chemical dependency, and co-occurring psychiatric and other mental health disorders including co-occuring AXIS II personality disorders.
The primary goal of trauma/grief focused therapy is the resolution of emotional distress brought about by such events as childhood trauma, assaults, phobia, panic attack, sexual/emotional abuse, death, and other losses, as well as, other foundational components of unresolved trauma/grief.
The staff of Challenges is multidisciplinary and includes licensed specialists in the care and treatment of trauma/grief related issues.
Trauma is Treatable
The trauma/grief module of treatment is directed by a multi disciplinary team of treatment specialists which includes our Medical Director, Dr . Dean Rotondo. Dr. Rotondo is a Board Certified Psychiatrist, Addictionologist, and Neuropsychiatries.
Our basic treatment model is considered “second generation,” as we are comprehensive and oriented toward other issues besides traumatization and PTSD, including an understanding of the patients object relations and attachment issues, as well as pre and post trauma risk and resiliency factors, social support network and psychosexual development.
Our treatment is responsive to the relationship between trauma and later psychiatric difficulties, as well as chemical dependency. Patients are viewed not as pathological, but as people with normal responses to abnormal stress, who are partners in the treatment process.
In our approach, emphasis is given to the development of a cognitive framework for understanding the consequences and responses which originate with traumatic experiences.
Treatment Goals Include
* Comprehensive Assessment
* Reduction of core symptoms i .e. intrusion, numbling/dissociation, hyper arousal
* Reduction of other symptoms which might be at sub clinical levels
* Improvement of personality difficulties
* Identification and stabilization of co-morbid conditions
* Reduction of social friction due to interpersonal difficulties
* Extensive discharge planning and relapse prevention
The entire clinical approach in this area assumes that direct treatment of traumatic experiences and consequences will lead to a lessening of, and resolution of, associated symptoms.
Clients participate in formulating their specialized treatment plans in order to resolve specific related trauma/ grief and the pathology associated with it.
Challenges may also utilize other community based resources as part of the commitment to provide holistic care.