Compass Young Adult Program

Treatment philosophy
Many patients arrive on Compass feeling self-conscious, confused and maybe pretty anxious. It's natural. You're in a brand new place with people you don't yet know, and it's hard to know what to expect. We believe that you will begin to feel more comfortable as you get to know the staff, other patients, and become familiar with the program.

Most of our patients have had treatment elsewhere. Many have had treatment in other facilities, and nearly everyone has been in some form of outpatient treatment. We presume you are here because there are problems to solve that are worrisome to you and your family or other important people in your life. Perhaps it's been hard to make progress, or hard to sustain progress you may have made. Your treatment team is dedicated to, with your help, clarifying what these problems are and understanding why it may have been hard to see or sustain progress in the past, developing a sense of hope that progress is attainable if we work well together, and belief that your stay with us can make a real difference. We want you to leave here with a better understanding of your problems, confident in your ability to sustain the progress you make here, and a sense that you have a plan, a path, that you can follow after you leave to ensure that things continue to go well.

Treatment occurs in a therapeutic milieu where every encounter and discussion provides opportunities for learning and growth. So, in a very real sense, you, your family, the entire staff, and the patient group constitute your treatment team. In addition, you will have a core team that consists of you; your psychiatrist, who is the leader of your team; your social worker, who works closely with you and your family and coordinates your post-discharge wellness plan; a psychologist, who is instrumental in diagnostic testing; a rehabilitation therapist; primary nursing staff; and, where indicated, an addictions counselor. Shortly after you are admitted you will be referred to an individual psychotherapist, whom the team selects after getting an initial understanding of your issues. In addition, the team may request consultations from other specialists in the hospital depending on your individual needs. Your team will work with you to develop a full program of group treatments and activities, and individual processes. We also find that it's extremely important to develop a good working relationship with your family. To a significant extent, progress in treatment depends on how well the patient, family and Compass staff work together to form a collaborative and supportive team.