Solstice East is a residential treatment center for teen girls in North Carolina that takes a holistic approach in addressing substance addiction and other process addictions. Primary Therapist and licensed Substance Abuse Counselor Anna White, MSW, LCAS, LCSW, explains “Using substances is just one symptom of addiction. When you take substances away, there are so many other underlying issues that reinforce their unhealthy coping mechanisms. This is why addiction therapy is just one element of our program.”
With individualized treatment plans that incorporate a variety of therapeutic modalities to treat addictive patterns, therapists at Solstice East emphasize developing close relationships with every student. (Watch the interview with Anna here.) “Addiction is a disease of disconnect,” says White. “It makes teens feel isolated from their families and the world around them. Teens have to relearn what a healthy relationship looks like, beginning with the support of mentors and their peers struggling with similar issues.”
Many teens are resistant to the idea of treatment when they first start looking at their unhealthy patterns. They may minimize the impact of their behavior as “normal teen things” or romanticize their lifestyle. When they stop relying on substances or other coping mechanisms, they may believe that their problems have been resolved.
However, “when teens begin to recognize how their unhealthy behaviors were their way of coping with situations and meeting certain needs, they feel empowered to look for alternative ways of reducing the void they feel, rather than just filling it,” White describes. “They have to detach from their impulsive behaviors before they can attach to the solutions treatment offers.”
Solstice East uses the Seeking Safety model, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, motivational interviewing, and group therapy to help educate teens about the impact of process addictions, encourage open discussions about attachment issues and impulsive behaviors. Additionally, they help teens develop healthier relationships and coping mechanisms.
While most treatment centers for teens struggling with addiction are based on a 12-Step Recovery model, Solstice East takes a personalized approach to help girls struggling with substance use, self-harm, compulsive social media use, disordered eating, and other process addictions.
Solstice understands that the needs of young girls are different from those of adults and that one addictive behavior can easily be replaced by new addictions. Because of this, they focus on addressing underlying issues, and not just problem behaviors.
About Solstice East
Solstice East is a residential treatment center for young women ages 14-18 struggling with process addictions, substance use, and trauma. This program helps young women detach from unhealthy coping mechanisms by integrating healthy habits into their lives. Students learn to cope with emotions, communicate effectively, form healthy relationships, and build confidence. Their holistic approach acknowledges that addiction is only one piece of the puzzle to be addressed in order to help girls succeed in multiple areas of their lives. For more information about addiction programming at Solstice East, call (828)-471-0221 or visit solsticeeast.com.