The Life Adjustment Team

Dual Diagnosis Program
Christian J. Linnett, CADC
Director, Dual Diagnosis Program

The Life Adjustment Team provides a unique approach to treatment for people challenged with a mental illness complicated by addiction. When an individual is suffering from a mental illness and is actively indulging in any type of addiction, both conditions become increasingly difficult to treat.

Often a person will attempt to self-medicate the symptoms of a mental illness with alcohol, drugs, or dependence on an abusive relationship. They may experience some brief period of relief, but this often results in the exacerbation of symptoms, which may cause a crisis to develop requiring intervention and sometimes the need for hospitalization.

The Life Adjustment Team's outpatient program is staffed with addiction specialists trained and certified in the most current methods for the treatment of dual diagnoses. The first step in developing a rehabilitation plan is a comprehensive assessment. This will involve all of the Seven Domains normally evaluated by the Team with additional consideration given to the history, intensity, and duration of the addiction problem. The assessment will identify the Rehabilitation Priorities, which become the foundation for a comprehensive psychiatric rehabilitation plan.

Twelve-step programs have had a major impact in the field of recovery for over sixty years, and have helped millions of people achieve and maintain sobriety. Battling an addiction is a formidable task, especially if one is incapable of participation in self-help recovery, such as Twelve-step meetings, due to psychiatric problems. Fear, self-consciousness, and the intimidation of unfamiliar people and places can be an insurmountable obstacle to overcome. Our counselors can assist clients with regular participation in Twelve-step programs throughout the community.

Current research, such as The Stanford Model, has documented that people who normally would not attend, or quickly drop out of recovery and relapse, are much more likely to attend, participate, and benefit in peer support meetings when accompanied and supported at the initial introduction.

The unique feature of our dual diagnosis outpatient program is the combination of an educational model wrapped in a supportive structure, which makes participation in Twelve-step programs less stressful for people suffering from a mental illness. The dual diagnosis counselors initially teach all aspects of recovery principles during individual sessions or in small groups, and slowly extend their support to attending Twelve-step programs throughout the community together. When fellowship develops at the meetings, the client is able to comfortably attend unaccompanied. Often, commitments within the meetings (i.e. helping out, being of "service" to the meetings, etc.) and sponsorship are established prior to the counselor's disengagement.

Living sober, making friends, and participation in activities with other sober people are the goals of recovery. With the proper support, individuals can overcome their addictions and maintain a life-long commitment to sobriety.

Additionally, members of our Dual Diagnosis Team are always available to respond to a call for help. The Team maintains a twenty-four hour pager service to offer support for relapse prevention.