Working with adolescents and young adults is our specialty, though we also have extensive experience working with adults of all ages. We are committed to serving our clients with genuine compassion. We are also committed to learning and implementing the most current, evidenced based, cutting edge modalities possible for our patients.
Our practice prides itself on helping families navigate the entire psychological/psychiatric continuum. Often a parent gets a call from a school counselor stating that their child is having some problems. Choosing an appropriate direction can be overwhelming to someone not experienced in this process. We provide support for this entire continuum, including psychological assessments, psychiatric referrals, interventions, and individual and group outpatient psychotherapy for young adults with Substance Use Disorders, Process Addictions and/or Co-Occurring Disorders.
Recovery & Wellness Professional Services
We understand that Substance Use Disorders and/or dysfunctional behaviors in adolescents or young adults are rarely a matter of genetic predisposition alone. Competent treatment needs to look at the entire family system, both multi-generational and nuclear familial patterns, in order to create and implement effective treatment. Research also confirms that the more the family is involved in the treatment process, the more successful the outcome.
We Believe
It takes a creative, dynamic team of therapists to maintain the attention of an adolescent or young adult for a sustained period of time without them perceiving the therapist as another “authority figure.” Group work can be another powerful treatment modality for change. Lawrence has 30 years of experience working with this population and he is flexible in utilizing a broad range of mutual help group modalities. Group process offers the adolescent and young adults the opportunity to give and receive feedback from each other and learn from each other. We utilize holistic forms of healing such as teaching meditation and yoga and emphasizing the effects of proper nutrition.
Current Research Shows
It has been proven that the biggest variable in fostering change in a therapeutic setting is the relationship between the therapist and the patient. We understand every adolescent and young adult is different and is at a different developmental stage. We are flexible in our approach and treatment planning thus insuring we can achieve optimal outcomes.
New Research
New studies are showing that adolescents’ brain chemistry is more inclined toward thrill seeking and high risk behaviors. This age group is hot wired to explore new ways of perceiving and behaving. Parents must learn to navigate the difficult skill of setting firm, fair, flexible and consistent boundaries, while simultaneously being assertive and empowering. This way the adolescent does not feel another “authority figure” is attempting to control them. Almost all adolescents go through the process of “rebelling” against their primary care giver regardless of how good the parenting skills are.
Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Adolescence and young adulthood is a time of exploring one’s unique gifts in relation to other adolescents and young adults in the world. The esteemed developmental psychologist Erik Erickson identified adolescence as a stage in which there is an inner battle. This is known as “Identity versus Role Confusion,” which basically means that adolescents are incessantly exploring their similarities and differences in relation to other adolescents. Erikson went on to state the next crisis or inward battle in young adulthood was “Intimacy versus Isolation,” which is when young adults learn to form intimate, loving relationships with other people. Success leads to strong relationships. Failure results in loneliness and isolation.
