Clients in the Maplewood Boys' program had an interesting challenge during an Activities group this month. They were given an egg that represented their recovery. The boys had a variety of materials available to protect their egg however they wanted. Then, they had to keep it safe for one week. Any eggs found by staff were confiscated. Clients who kept their eggs safe and whole for the entire week got a prize at the end. The clients enjoyed the challenge and it helped illustrate to them the work it takes to achieve long-term recovery.

Last month, we included a link for a free CEU from Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, one of the leading experts on trauma and the brain. As research continues to grow, we are finding more and more that trauma has some significant impacts on the brain and, therefore, behaviors. Dr. van der Kolk provides a quick summary of three key ways trauma can change the brain in this short video.



Three Ways Trauma Changes the Brain

One major source of trauma for adolescents comes from family and attachment issues. In fact, often trauma in adults can also in part be traced back to attachment issues during childhood. Furthermore, trauma and addiction have a high correlation. Thus it is important to understand the dynamics of these two issues when treating adolescents and adults for substance abuse problems. Minnesota Center for Chemical and Mental Health has a free webinar on March 8th addressing some of these implications. A free CEU is offered as well.

Attachment and Addiction Part II:

Implications for Treatment