Stepping Stones Therapy and Treatment

An assessment-based treatment plan is developed for residents within 72 hours of Admission.  A comprehensive service plan is developed within 10 days of Admission at an Initial Service Plan Meeting.  The youth’s treatment team and parent/guardian are expected to attend and participate in developing this document.  The service plan (also called the treatment plan) identifies an overall goal, short-term objectives, and timeframes for achieving specific goals.
 
Participation in regularly scheduled individual therapy is discussed at Intake.  If needed and requested, individual therapy is provided by a Masters prepared therapist who utilizes Motivation Interviewing techniques and Cognitive Behavioral therapy techniques to help youth explore challenges and discover strengths.  In addition, some of our therapists are trained to use EMDR, Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing, which is a research-based therapy, proven effective for treating the effects of trauma.

In Stepping Stones, the therapist leads a weekly therapy group based on the book, “The 6 Most Important Decisions You’ll Ever Make,” by Sean Covey.  In that group, the focus is on exploring choices in the areas of school, friends, relationships with parents, dating, addictions, and self-worth.  The therapist also leads the weekly Community Group.

Our Experiential Education Manager leads a weekly group focused on problem solving and communication skills and our cottage-based Youth Treatment Counselors lead groups 3 – 4 times per week on Expressive Art, Skill Development (anger management, assertiveness, conflict resolution, impulse control), Goal Setting, and Life Skills acquisition (hygiene, manners, cooking, laundry, money management).