Register for group at www.southbayconnect.com using the Visitor Feedback Form at the bottom of the site or Phone (310) 776-7406
As a Licensed Psychotherapist, I believe the therapeutic process requires an assessment of the individual challenges one faces along with the various family and institutional systems that influence one’s individual challenges. I am an advocate for my clients and empower them to be their own best advocate. Increasing self-awareness and developing more effective coping skills are important aspect of therapy. Understanding what your goals are and determining together how best to achieve these goals is an important aspect of psychotherapy.
In addition to being a Psychotherapist, I am a regular guest lecturer at the USC School of Social Work, where I share my experience, intuition, and guidance to graduate students. I also produce and co-host a podcast on counseling and therapy. I invite you to view my podcast here: www.talkingtherapypodcast.com
Contact John Webber, LMFT today
New Innovative Treatment Model
South Bay connect Treatment Center is unique, since we have a codependency program that one may participate in even if their family member is not attending our substance abuse treatment program. Often family members will first receive their own treatment before the individual abusing substances receives the necessary help. The whole family system must learn how to not revolve around substance abuse and redefine the family system meaning and purpose.
One of Reconnect’s 2 Founders, Alicia MacGowan, LCSW, LAADC, CAI, will be facilitating these groups. Alicia has been working with codependency since 1992 in a variety of settings. She has found in her own psychotherapy practice and the Interventions that she has facilitated that long-term change in the substance abuse family system cannot be achieved until everyone involved with the substance abuser receives their own help. As an Interventionist, she has worked with family members to help motivate their loved ones to change. She knows and appreciates the challenges everyone faces when trying to overcome addiction. She and Dr. Tsuang envisioned a treatment model whereby the family and friends of the substance abuser simultaneously are receiving their own treatment. This is a model that they have piloted in their own private practices with exceptional outcomes.
Benefits of the new innovative treatment model, “Family Addiction Model for Treatment”:
Treatment Outcomes – When the entire family is involved in substance abuse, treatment helps increase engagement rate for entry into treatment, reduced dropout rates, better outcomes and prevents relapse for the individual abusing substances. Family Recovery – Involvement of families broadens the focus to other family issues, not merely the substance abuse. Both the substance abuser and the family obtain the necessary help from an addiction specialist and maintain abstinence.
Patient Recovery – After visiting a treatment center, family members who are willing and actively support the affected member to recover enhance the possibility of a successful, durable recovery. The patient recovers from codependency behaviors including uncontrollable emotional reactions, fear of rejection, inability to build loving relationships, and more. The substance abuser learns the necessary day-to-day skills to manage daily stressors without the use of alcohol and drugs.
Intergenerational Impact – The new innovative treatment model can help minimize the effect and recurrence of drug use disorders in various generations.
This model treats several problems of codependency and substance abuse to produce better results. Finally, this model accommodates the each family’s unique needs and seeks to understand the core issues for everyone in the family in order to promote recovery, hope and change.
If a loved one is suffering from substance abuse and refusing to get help. You can join our codependency program at South Bay connect Treatment Center to help you restore your life.
Veronica Davies, L.M.F.T., C.Ht.
San Pedro Licensed Psychotherapist
“My ability to provide ADHD Coaching and Hypnotherapy in addition to Psychotherapy allows me to assist individuals with a variety of therapeutic techniques. I welcome whatever a challenges a Client must overcome in order to achieve their full potential. We all deserve SUCCESS.”
SPECIALTY SPOTLIGHT:
ADHD:
Veronica assists individuals with ADHD in both private clinical and school based settings. She uses coaching techniques as well as hypnosis and behavioral therapy to help manage ADHD. She is certified in Specialty Hypnosis for ADHD and Coaching.
Children and Families:
Veronica combines her warm personality and strong clinical skills to help clients of all ages overcome problems and achieve stronger mental health. She has a special interest in working with children and teens, and her open honest style creates a safe comforting space for young people to deal with issues ranging from anxiety, depression, self-esteem, peer pressure, and academic success, to teen relationships, family conflict, and behavioral problems. She has extensive experience working with school-aged children treating a variety of issues including ADHD, and adjustment to divorce, anxiety, phobias and many other child life issues. Additionally, she has expertise in addressing parenting issues and loves to help families increase their positive interactions and help them find their unique strengths. She gained experienced working with couples, families and individuals, adults, children and teens at a counseling center for transition and loss and working at a community based mental health agency.
Please visit our Providers Section to Learn MORE about Veronica Davies, LMFT…
12-step support group for individuals who are seeking support with mental health and substance abuse concerns
When
Sundays 3:30 to 5:00
Sponsored By Where:
916 North Western Avenue
Suite 205
wwwSouthBayconnect.com San Pedro, CA 90732
(310) 776-7406
The New Year is always a time of inner reflection and retrospect, when we think about the successes and failures of the year past and look forward to hope for better tomorrows. For the person suffering with substance abuse, January 1st could be much more than the start of a new year; it could be the first day of a new sober life. When it comes to goal-setting, people tend to focus on bettering themselves in body and mind, as well as in the areas of relationships and finances. Eliminating or reducing the use of harmful substances can be a major step toward bettering oneself in all of those areas, as addiction’s effects go far beyond physical consequences.
Why Now?
By the dawn of January 1st, the holidays may have taken their toll. The stress, grievances, and in some cases sadness of the season often compels users to increase their abuse of drugs and alcohol to cope with their emotions. Not to mention, there are countless parties and social gatherings between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve that create an opportunity to imbibe in excess. By the end of the season, reality sets in, forcing the acknowledgment of a stark reality.
Setting Realistic Goals for Recovery
First and foremost should be the realization that recovery is a lifelong journey – not a goal to be attained. Success is found in the progress and the ability to learn from mistakes. Having realistic expectations sets the foundation for healthy growth and accomplishments along the way. Without a pragmatic approach to recovery, it’s easy to redefine setbacks as failures.
At Recovery NOW, we help our clients make positive changes that are beneficial to the individual’s health and relationships. After a month of drinking too much, eating too much, and perhaps experiencing challenging interactions with family and friends, we create a safe place for our clients to explore the thoughts and triggers behind self-destructive behaviors and begin the path toward a clean and sober tomorrow.
Help Getting Sober in 2017
The basis for Recovery NOW is support and encouragement for people with a history of substance abuse, as well as the people in their lives who love them. Recovery NOW is a support center for individuals working to overcome destructive behaviors and mental health disorders, including substance and alcohol abuse. Whether your goal in the New Year is complete sobriety or perhaps just learning how to enjoy alcohol in moderation, our individual and group therapy services can help.
We can also be of assistance to individuals who are concerned about the well-being of a loved one who is exhibiting signs of substance abuse or dependency. In addition to providing intervention services, we have partnered with South Bay Connect Treatment Center to provide intensive outpatient services to individuals struggling with substance abuse and codependency.
Whatever your goals are for the New Year ahead, Recovery NOW is here to support and provide encouragement along the way. Contact us today for more information. A brighter tomorrow starts today. A New Year and a New Start in 2017
New Innovative Treatment Model
South Bay connect Treatment Center is unique, since we have a codependency program that one may participate in even if their family member is not attending our substance abuse treatment program. Often family members will first receive their own treatment before the individual abusing substances receives the necessary help. The whole family system must learn how to not revolve around substance abuse and redefine the family system meaning and purpose.
One of South Bay connect’s 2 Founders, Alicia MacGowan, LCSW, LAADC, CAI, will be facilitating these groups. Alicia has been working with codependency since 1992 in a variety of settings. She has found in her own psychotherapy practice and the Interventions that she has facilitated that long-term change in the substance abuse family system cannot be achieved until everyone involved with the substance abuser receives their own help. As an Interventionist, she has worked with family members to help motivate their loved ones to change. She knows and appreciates the challenges everyone faces when trying to overcome addiction. She and Dr. Tsuang envisioned a treatment model whereby the family and friends of the substance abuser simultaneously are receiving their own treatment. This is a model that they have piloted in their own private practices with exceptional outcomes.
Benefits of the new innovative treatment model, “Family Addiction Model for Treatment”:
• Treatment Outcomes – When the entire family is involved in substance abuse, treatment helps increase engagement rate for entry into treatment, reduced dropout rates, and better outcomes and prevents relapse for the individual abusing substances.
• Family Recovery – Involvement of families broadens the focus to other family issues, not merely the substance abuse. Both the substance abuser and the family obtain the necessary help from an addiction specialist and maintain abstinence.
• Patient Recovery – After visiting a treatment center, family members who are willing and actively support the affected member to recover enhance the possibility of a successful, durable recovery. The patient recovers from codependency behaviors including uncontrollable emotional reactions, fear of rejection, inability to build loving relationships, and more. The substance abuser learns the necessary day-to-day skills to manage daily stressors without the use of alcohol and drugs.
• Intergenerational Impact – The new innovative treatment model can help minimize the effect and recurrence of drug use disorders in various generations.
This model treats several problems of codependency and substance abuse to produce better results. Finally, this model accommodates the each family’s unique needs and seeks to understand the core issues for everyone in the family in order to promote recovery, hope and change.
If a loved one is suffering from substance abuse and refusing to get help. You can join our codependency program at South Bay connect Treatment Center to help you restore your life.
Helping your child reduce anxiety about returning to school
Anxiety is something that everyone can struggle with – including children. Every fall, school-kids of all ages are hit with back-to-school jitters that can trigger new anxieties or worsen existing ones. Unmanaged anxiety can lead to a host of physical, mental, and social repercussions, so it helps to stave off worries at the start. Fortunately, parents can learn how to identify the ‘back-to-school blues’ and utilize techniques that help ease the apprehensions of students who are preparing to hit the books.
Common Back-to-School Worries and Concerns
Children and teens can develop many different types of concerns – many of them unique to their individual circumstances. However, there are certain anxieties that are especially common among school-aged children. Examples include concerns about:
• Attending a new school
• Not knowing the way around campus
• Difficult teachers
• Challenging classes
• Losing the class schedule
• Making new friends
• Finding someone to sit with at lunch
• Having the ‘right’ clothes to ‘fit in’ with peers
• Making a team or getting into a specific club
• Separation from mom and dad
Children who experience these or other concerns may react to their anxiety in one of many different ways. For example, young children may react to separation anxiety by clinging to a parent or regressing to ‘baby talk’ before attending school. Older children, on the other hand, might attempt to ‘avoid’ their problem in other ways – perhaps by faking a sickness or skipping school altogether.
Despite their desire to evade their troubles, school attendance is important and should be enforced. Aside from providing a strong education, school offers children the opportunity to challenge their fears, develop new friendships, master new skills, and earn recognition for success. So what can you do as a parent to reduce school-related anxiety?
Be Positive
When your child begins to focus on negative thoughts, redirect her thinking, and encourage her to counter it with something good. Perhaps it is the excitement of recess on a new playground or getting to play in the band. Whatever it may be, positivity goes a long way toward changing a child’s perspective.
Walk Through Possible Scenarios
If your child is worried about a specific scenario, try role-playing with different types of responses. This might mean coming up with talking points for making new friends or practicing how to respond to a bully on the bus. This helps your child recognize that he may not be able to change the circumstance, but he can change his response to it.
Foster Healthy Habits
It goes without saying, but a healthy mind needs a healthy body. Your child will think more clearly and process stress more efficiently with plenty of sleep and a balanced diet. According to the National Sleep Foundation, the average school-aged child needs between 9 and 11 hours of sleep per night. Since sleep deprivation has been shown to increase anticipatory anxiety, it is essential to ensure your child gets to bed at an appropriate time each night. Likewise, information from the Mayo Clinic suggests feeding your child breakfast before school that includes protein and complex carbohydrates like oatmeal.
Practice Separation
In situations where a child will be attending school for the first time, the thought of being away from home for several hours each day can be overwhelming. Instead of waiting for the first day to experience separation, allow for controlled, ‘practice’ separation in the weeks and months leading up to school. This might mean spending time at a grandparent’s for the day or attending a day camp at a local church or organization.
Get to Know Others
Your child’s anxieties may be eased if she already knows the teacher or at least one other student on the first day of classes. If your school offers it, be sure to attend meet-the-teacher night or student orientation. If possible, find another student in the same class as your child and arrange a ‘play date’.
Short Goodbyes, Long Hellos
Saying goodbye is never easy – especially if you know your child is anxious about going to school. Avoid the temptation to drag out your goodbye. Instead, keep it short and sweet in the morning, and spend as long as you would like recalling the excitement of the day’s events in the afternoon and evening.
Know When to Get Help
It can take several weeks for a child to adjust to a major change, such as attending a new school for the first time. If you notice, however, that your child’s anxiety has not improved or has worsened, it may be time to get help from a therapist or counselor who specializes in pediatric anxiety disorders.
12-step support group for individuals who are seeking support with mental health and substance abuse concerns
