Today’s youth finds themselves facing a lot of societal issues. With the nation currently dealing with an epidemic of opioid abuse, teenagers are particularly vulnerable to the evils of drug use. Why? They haven’t yet had the time to develop good decision-making skills or the ability to cope with stress and pressure. When they find…
A significant issue with addicted teens is their propensity for self-absorption. They tend to get caught up in their own pain and emotions, often resulting in the need to self-medicate. When someone has a distorted view of themselves, the best way to help them is to get them to refocus on reality. Mindfulness therapy is…
While addressing issues like teen drinking, it’s important to remember drinking alcohol is a socially acceptable activity. Drinking has been part of the American culture throughout most of its history. The primary reason why there are drinking age restrictions is that lawmakers decided anyone handling the effects of alcohol needed a certain level of maturity.…
This April, during Alcohol Awareness Month, Destinations for Teens encourages you to educate yourself and your loved ones about the dangers of excessive drinking. If you are drinking too much, you can improve your health by cutting back or quitting. For those under 21, taking even one drink is illegal and can have adverse consequences…
There is more to therapy than just sitting around and talking about feelings. In fact, holistic therapeutic options typically require people to get up and moving. Dance movement or dance therapy is one of these options. However, what is dance movement therapy, and how can it help teens overcome addiction and mental health disorders? What…
By George Livengood – Program Director, Canon House Do you remember moping around the house as a kid and mom saying, “Go outside and play!”? Mom was onto something. There are numerous studies that indicate exercise is helpful in reducing depression. There is no one identifiable reason as to why it works. So let’s look…
By Jesaca Lepper, MFT – Ventura PHP/IOP Creative therapies are very important and valuable for adolescent treatment therapy. Adolescents often benefit from different treatment modalities that do not only focus on cognitive interventions and strictly “talk therapy.” Adolescent brains are still growing and sometimes experiences can unlock and express deeper feelings. There are many artistic modalities…
On Sunday, August 7, Destinations to Recovery partnered with two other local treatment facilities (Engage and Changing Tides Treatment) for our first annual Ventura Beach Clean Up event. Over 100 participants joined together to clean the beach by Ventura’s famed pier. Participants ranged from staff and clients of the treatment centers to locals who wanted to give back…
Once a family has identified that a teen is struggling with substance abuse, the next step is to help this teen by enrolling him or her in a drug treatment program. Attending an adolescent-specific rehab facility can offer many benefits to teenagers who are struggling with substance abuse. Adolescent-specific inpatient treatment programs offer a controlled,…
When teenagers begin using drugs or alcohol, it can be hard on parents and loved ones. It may be difficult to understand why they began using the substance and parents may feel uncomfortable with the idea of sending them into a rehab program. Even though it seems difficult, a teen rehab program is very different…