Meet
Furman Williams and Syreeta Clark
Furman Williams, MHS, LPC, LCADC, is one of our senior counselors. He has over 25 years as an addictions counselor. One of his specialties, besides relapse prevention training, is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He gets rave reviews from the inpatient and outpatient clients.
Syreeta Clark is a Board Candidate
and M.A. candidate. She conducts new Suboxone patients' intake and education and assists Dr. Hadley in seeing Suboxone patients. Besides the outpatient suboxone group, she also conducts other addictions groups and the family education program.
She has special expertise in gambling addiction as well as pain pills and heroin addiction.
| |
|
THE OUTPATIENT PROGRAM
The mission of the outpatient program is to focus the client on addiction recovery and relapse prevention. Our objective is to provide quality outpatient addictions treatment services that are community-based and holistic for adults residing in the Southern Maryland area.
Maryland State Certified, research-based services include groups, individual and family counseling with random urinalysis and breath testing.
An individualized treatment plan is developed between the client and counselor. On average, the treatment plan goals are completed in six to eight months. Treatment is complete when the client is stable, has had negative urinalysis tests, few if any absences from the weekly sessions and has met all treatment goals.
|
|
WHO SHOULD ATTEND THE OUTPATIENT PROGRAM?
Outpatient treatment is for clients who are addicted to alcohol and/or other drugs, and whose severity does not warrant an inpatient stay. Outpatient sessions can include clients who have completed a short or long term residential program, Suboxone patients, and others.
There are many levels of addiction treatment. Outpatient is the first level. If clients are not able to abstain and begin their recovery, they are referred to the next level which is intensive outpatient. Should the addiction not improve in either of these levels, the client is referred to inpatient or residential.
|
WHY GROUP RATHER THAN INDIVIDUAL SESSIONS?
Years of research have shown that those with addictive illness have a higher recovery rate in group treatment rather than in individual treatment. This is due partly because they learn much from their peers and can hear feedback better, at times, from their fellow group members rather then the addiction counselor who is facilitating the process. Some people with addictive illness become dishonest and manipulative. It is much harder to continue this behavior with a group who recognizes it, rather than only one individual, though trained and seasoned.
| |
|
|
OUTPATIENT INVESTMENT IN TIME AND MONEY
Each weekly group session lasts about one hour. Once a month the client meets individually with the counselor. More individual sessions can occur, if needed.
Sessions are centered around identifying tools to help stop using alcohol and/or other drugs and identifying triggers that may cause relapse. Each trigger is then addressed and skills taught to avoid them.
The group starts with each client addressing any challenges that occurred during the week at work or with the family relating to their addiction. A self assessment process is included.
Sessions include discussions on the impact the addiction has had on their life and addresses methods to mend these areas. Clients are given homework each week which helps meet their treatment objectives.
Clients can select either Monday, 7:15 PM or Saturday, 10:30 AM. If a client is unable to make one weekly session, they can talk to the counselor about attending the other Monday or Saturday session.
The investment for this relapse prevention training is $30.00 per session. This fee includes urinalysis and individual sessions. AA and NA meeting attendance is encouraged.
|
| Carol Porto MA, MAC, LCADC
Program Director
|
|
|
