Individual and Family Sessions
Each student is assigned to a therapist for their entire stay. This creates a feeling of stability, and allows the therapist deeper insight into the student and their family. All students spend at least one hour per week in session with their therapist. These sessions include the parent(s) by phone every other week. Individual therapy is focused on addressing each student's unique and diverse issues. After an initial settling period of 10 to 14 days the therapist and student add family sessions by phone to the therapy routine. Face-to-face family therapy sessions are scheduled in conjunction with parent visits and workshops.
All students complete three main assignments through individual therapy.
Fears Chart: Created by the Program Director, Robert Nielson, MFT, and used exclusively at Cedar Ridge. This chart is an individual, detailed description of the underlying fears a student has and a complete analysis of the ways in which they use defense mechanisms to avoid dealing with these fears. This includes an analysis of how their irrational thoughts and beliefs perpetuate these fears.
Cycles Chart: An analysis of thoughts and moods that repeat and cause certain behaviors to occur in cycles. The Cycles Chart is a widely used therapeutic tool.
Plan for the Future: A written plan for avoiding negative behaviors that focuses on positive behaviors and a 'map' to help the youth accomplish future goals.
These assignments provide important elements of a comprehensive service plan that includes both short-term and long-term therapeutic and behavioral goals. The service plan also articulates educational goals and is developed jointly by the student's therapist and academic advisor.
Group Therapy and "Family Meetings" in a Positive Peer Culture
Students participate in group therapy/"family meeting" four days a week in their home of residence. Each student rates their day and receives feedback from other students and staff. Students also give feedback to staff and discuss requests and issues of general concern to the students.
The entire student body meets every week in a mini-workshop therapy session we call "Big Group". In addition, students participate weekly in topic-focused group therapy as needed (i.e. chemical dependency, relationship issues, adoption issues, dialectical behavioral therapy).
Once a week, students participate in a therapeutic experiential activity structured and processed by either a therapist or an experienced residential manager.
Behavior Management
Drug and Alcohol Use Treatment | 
