Turnbridge continues a mission established in 2003 to effectively assess and address the root causes of adolescent and young adult behavioral health conditions. Today, more than 500 professionals collaborate to deliver levels of clinical excellence, programming individualization, treatment innovation, and client and family alliance that make Turnbridge the referral choice for professionals nationwide. | |
Turnbridge clinicians, executives, and outreach professionals continuously work with families, colleagues, and communities to learn, connect, and share so that we may better serve and support clients, families, and recovery in all its forms. This newsletter highlights some of the people, programming, and partnerships that inspire us. | |
Proudly Serving Our Community Through Continuing Education
Matt Rubin & Jack Britton hosted an intimate group of 18 clinical leaders for Continuing Education in Morris Plains, NJ. Jack Britton, LPC, LADC, Vice President of Clinical Services at Turnbridge, presented “Supporting Families Throughout Residential Treatment.” The ensuing conversation proved beneficial in highlighting ways to support recovering families throughout the continuum of care.
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Turnbridge Young Adult Program Highlights
Turnbridge Young Adult Programs provide extended treatment for young men and young women experiencing mental health and dual-diagnosis conditions. Offering some of the most comprehensive care available, the Young Adult Programs are distinguished by numerous treatment innovations including, non-arbitrary lengths of stay, care models that address every aspect of client life, phased programming to promote resilience, use of behavioral metrics to objectively gauge client progress, and more.
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Caroline Yancy
Phase III Young Women's Program Client
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Young Women's Program Resident Spotlight
Caroline Yancy, a Phase III client in the Young Woman’s Program, will soon graduate from Turnbridge to embark on a new chapter at Boston College.
Caroline’s journey began when her alcohol use disorder caused her to drink every few hours. She knew she had to make a change and committed to enter treatment.
After attending a treatment program in North Carolina, Caroline wanted to continue her commitment to recovery and decided to come to Turnbridge to help her transition.
“I decided to pick Turnbridge because I knew that I wanted to stay sober. And truly embrace it. Because I never wanted to feel that way again in my life or treat people the way that I did treat people when I was drinking.”
Academics were also a priority for Caroline. At her previous treatment center, Caroline developed an interest in neuroscience and spent time independently studying the brain. After learning about Turnbridge’s Academic Program, she was confident that at Turnbridge, she could continue to work on her recovery and have the support to plan for her academic future.
Like many clients entering Turnbridge for the first time, it took some time for Caroline to adjust. With the support of her family, staff members, and other clients, she got into a rhythm and began to thrive.
In addition to finding support to help her maintain her recovery at Turnbridge, Caroline gained key interpersonal skills that have helped her set boundaries and maintain friendships. She also applied to colleges while at Turnbridge to pursue her interests. Finding out she got accepted to her top pick, Boston College, marked a high point during her time at Turnbridge.
“It was just a beautiful moment. I would have never had that if I didn't come here and make those relationships with other people who are motivated and who love me,” shares Caroline.
Caroline has already started planning for how she will keep up with her recovery while at school. At Boston College, she will be staying at a sober living apartment with other students and plans on attending meetings at least three times a week.
As she prepares for her next chapter, Caroline has some parting wisdom for other Turnbridge clients.
“There are going to be struggles, but just remember why you're here and the life you want to build. I built this amazing life for myself that I never would have thought would ever be possible. I thought I was just going die. So, keep that hope of a better life with you, even in your darkest moments. Because this place, as much as it can be annoying sometimes, will help you become the person you always wanted to be.”
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Young Women's Program Family Spotlight
Before coming to Turnbridge, Sharon and Howard’s daughter, Sally, had just begun tackling her struggle with mental health and substance abuse. After attending a 30-day treatment program, followed by a 90-day program, Sally and her family realized that substance abuse was just one aspect of a deeper struggle. Depression, anxiety, and an eating disorder became bigger issues after substances were taken out of the picture.
Supporting their child during recovery can be challenging for many parents whose child is struggling with addiction, particularly when accompanied by other mental health challenges.
“Addiction affects the whole family unit, and we've all had to do our own work and change behaviors. For me that all started with the daily parent support groups and hearing other parents talk and learning that I wasn't alone,” shares Sharon.
Alongside active participation in Al-Anon meetings and family therapy, Sharon and Howard immersed themselves in mental health literature to better grasp their daughter’s struggles. They acknowledge that it was hard work that involved confronting and changing their own behaviors and reactions to better support their daughter and work as a cohesive team.
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"My change didn't happen overnight. But I kept going and I kept going and I got glimpses of hope and now I'm able to offer support to others when I go to the meetings."
— Sharon
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“My change didn't happen overnight. But I kept going, and I kept going, and I got glimpses of hope, and now I'm able to offer support to others when I go to the meetings. I can look at new people and go, ‘wow that was me’ and I can see a change in myself,” says Sharon.
The family valued Turnbridge’s comprehensive approach, addressing not only Sally’s addiction but also equipping her with tools to confront her eating disorder, anxiety, and depression. With all her providers collaborating under one roof, communication regarding Sally’s condition and development felt seamless.
“When I talked to prospective family considering Turnbridge, I told them that I felt like one of the benefits was that they could address all the many mental health needs and then those providers communicated together and then would report to us as a family,” explains Sharon.
Today, Sharon reflects on her daughter’s progress.
“She has grown immensely. And it's all the hard work that she's putting in, she believes in herself. She no longer feels confined. She’s learned that there's so much that life has to offer.”
Sally now works as a cook in a French kitchen. During her journey at Turnbridge, she transformed her relationship with food from a means of control to a channel for expressing creativity and bonding with friends in residence. She has discovered a passion for and purpose in cooking.
“It became a way for us all to like sit down together and like socialize and a way for me to do something nice for my friends and now it's something that I want to do with my life,” reflects Sally.
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Recreational Spotlight
Experiencing Nature and Camaraderie
Last month, the young women’s program Phase I and Phase II clients explored the wilderness on a camping trip to North Stonington, CT.
“I think that there's so many good side effects that happen from ecotherapy, getting outside in the wilderness and connecting with nature, slowing down,” says staff member Alethea Lankford, who organized and attended the trip.
Without internet service, the focus became about working as a team to make sure everyone’s needs were met. In the rain, the girls set up camp, tended to the fire, cooked dinner, participated in meetings, and listened to two guest speakers share their recovery experience. Being unplugged and working together gave way to more authentic exchanges around the campfire.
“They're deeper meetings, there's more honesty,” shares Alethea.
The girls expressed gratitude for the chance to be in nature and to develop survival skills together.
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Recovery-In-Motion
Therapeutic Programming That Engages the Senses and Connects Body & Mind
Turnbridge leverages the symbiotic benefits of mental and physical well-being by designing Recovery-In-Motion activities that promote healthy body image, improve fitness, and bolster emotional regulation and self-confidence. Recovery-in-Motion, recreation, and mindfulness activities are regular parts of the Turnbridge experience.
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Adolescent Extended Care Program | |
Academic Program
Turnbridge's Academic Program provides comprehensive resources to help clients realize their academic and professional goals. Many young people with behavioral health diagnoses experience academic challenges and feel shame or disappointment about their school lives. Our academic programming helps clients set appropriate goals, learn skills, and find and access resources needed to develop academic competence and self-confidence and take the next step in their educational journey.
Our academic programming is tailored to individual needs and considers conventional and alternative educational routes. Whether pursuing a home high school graduation, a GED, a trade school, or seeking college admission, our dedicated academic team is ready to support each client's needs. Collaboration with local universities and community colleges further expands opportunities, allowing clients to earn college credits while in treatment. For those planning to attend college after Turnbridge, our academic team can recommend colleges with accredited collegiate recovery programs for ongoing recovery support after leaving our care.
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Adolescent Residential Treatment Program | |
Equine Program
Many Adolescent Girls Program clients come to cherish its equine program, featuring an indoor riding venue, expansive fenced pastures, and meticulously maintained stables.
The voluntary equine program allows interested clients to relate to and care for our beautiful and well-mannered horses regardless of prior experience. Under supervision, clients can groom, feed, and accompany the horses on walks. As clients become comfortable and demonstrate responsibility, they can receive riding instruction from our experienced barn staff.
Beyond the practical skills of learning to take care of horses, the relationships formed with both the horses and the Turnbridge team members often have profound therapeutic effects. Many clients find solace and growth through these connections, discovering new skills and experiencing the nurturing aspect of caretaking firsthand.
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Daily Family Support Groups & Special Family Education Events
Supporting Turnbridge families (and any family experiencing behavioral health disorders) is core to the Turnbridge mission. Turnbridge Director of Family Services Lauren Springer, LMSW, leads daily online parent support groups and hosts special educational sessions and events that help families better understand how to support their well-being and their loved one's recovery. Turnbridge Family Support Meetings have been attended more than 30,000 times.
Parent Education Highlights
In January, special guest Lori Wolf, L.L.M., presented "Special Needs Trust & Estate Planning," which helps parents and guardians consider how to use financial instruments to protect and support beneficiaries with mental health and substance use disorder.
Jack Britton, LPC, LADC, Turnbridge Vice President of Clinical Services presented "Therapeutic Modalities: Coping Skills in Plain Language" in February. This presentation and discussion help demystify the terminology used in clinical practices to help parents and loved ones understand how evidence-based therapies work and how to recognize the skills used by clients in their recovery process.
This month, Lauren joins participating families for an in-person tour of Stepping Stones, the Katonah, New York, home where Bill and Lois Wilson created the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon. This pilgrimage offers immersion in an environment steeped in recovery history and tradition and a chance to reflect on one's own recovery journey.
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Lauren Springer, LMSW
Director of Family Relations
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Juvenile Advocacy Group
On April 9th, MA based Outreach Director Colin Byrnes attended The Juvenile Advocacy Group (JAG), which has continued to work for over two decades to bring together mental health providers, police, courts, schools, churches, medical providers, various community organizations, state officials and hospitals to address growing mental health and substance abuse in the Greater Milford Area. The JAG coalition, Community Impact, Chris' Corner, and Milford Family Services Unit have and always will believe in making connections and forming relationships, which in turn has allowed us to spread our efforts throughout the area and make sustainable changes within our communities.
In attendance:
Chief of Police Robert Tusino
Judge Richard Eustis
District Attorney Joseph Early
Representative Brian Murray
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NASW
Matt Rubin & Mark Adamski attended the NASW Conference in Atlantic City, NJ. Matt, Director of Outreach, and Mark, Discharge Planner, were able to connect with providers & see how they can best support them & the families they work with. This year, the conference had over 1,000 attendees.
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Psyched UP!
On Friday April 12, Turnbridge was delighted to host an engaging and educational discussion between Vice President of Clinical Services Jack Britton, LPC, LADC and Medical Director Dr. Hassan Minhas focusing on our overall approach to psychiatric care and medication in treatment. Providers from different parts of the behavioral healthcare spectrum participated in a Q&A as well as a thorough breakdown of different approaches and perspectives to this ever growing part of our field. Thank you to all who came out on this rainy Friday!
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Screen on the Green
On March 14, Turnbridge and Onsite welcomed providers from the Atlanta area to join us at Heather Hayes Farm for "Screen on The Green." We gathered for a wonderful dinner, discussion, and screening of the documentary "Evelyn" A story of grief, pain and the impact suicide has within a family system.
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Louisiana Mental Health Conference
Vice President of Clinical Services Jack Britton, LPC, LADC and Chief of Adolescent Psychology Dr. Chris Cutter attended the Louisiana Mental Health Conference April 21 to April 23. Dr. Cutter presented on adolescent and young adult behavioral health issues and the importance of treating root causes in addition to managing symptoms.
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ABOUT TURNBRIDGE
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Turnbridge is the nation’s preeminent mental health and dual diagnosis treatment provider for young adults and adolescents. Distinguished by a fully integrated care model that addresses every aspect of client life, phased programming, gradual exposure to real-world triggers, extensive parent support and education, and the collection and use of behavioral metrics to verify self-reported progress, Turnbridge is designed to help young people Build a Life Worth Protecting.
In-network
Turnbridge is in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, Optum, and out-of-network with all other commercial insurance.
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