Professionals in Crisis Program

Program description
For more than 30 years, professionals have turned to The Menninger Clinic for assistance with issues that affect their career and private life. Today, The Menninger Clinic's Professionals in Crisis Program offers intensive treatment specifically for men and women in business, medicine, sports, entertainment, law, education and other high-performance fields.

The Houston-based program serves adults who are experiencing difficulty managing their career and relationships while dealing with a psychiatric disorder or a combination of psychiatric and addictive disorders, demands and stressors. By choosing a specialized program for professionals, the individual receives treatment among peers who identify with similar situations and with mental health professionals who understand the challenges of having many responsibilities, visibility and issues of balancing the career and social life.

Our treatment team strives to understand and treat each individual as a whole person medically, psychologically, socially and spiritually. These multiple perspectives aid the evaluation of each person’s health, behavior and situations at work and home, as well as aid the treatment planning.

Together the patient and treatment team set goals for the treatment. With the diagnosis and goals in mind, the team designs an individualized course of treatment. The plan integrates psychodynamic and evidence-based treatment methods with medication if it is needed.

The Program features:

• Specialty groups
• Individual and family therapy
• A supportive environment among peers
• Stress management
• Medication management
• Skill building
• Spiritual and cultural support
• Relapse prevention planning

Patients with addictions also receive family education, family therapy, education about addictions and are encouraged to attend 12-step meetings such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous or Gamblers Anonymous.



How we can help
The Professionals in Crisis program serves men and women who are experiencing difficulties due to:

• Depressive disorders
• Anxiety or panic disorders
• Addictive disorders, including drug and alcohol dependency, sexual compulsivity, compulsive spending or financial transactions, gambling or Internet addiction
• Dual disorders in which the person suffers from a psychiatric disorder in combination with an addiction
• Personality disorders
• Professional boundary violations
• Impulsive or disruptive behavior, anger or self-harm history
• Impaired concentration and memory

Through resources at Menninger, treatment is also available through other specialty programs when the professional has an eating disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Many of the persons who come to the Professionals in Crisis Program may also face:

• Disciplinary action of loss of license
• Impaired ability to skillfully and safely perform their job tasks
• Burnout
• Career decisions and transitions

Treatment team
The interdisciplinary staff has a breadth of experience diagnosing and treating leaders from various industries and professions.

The most important member of the team is the patient. The staff confirms the diagnosis based on biological, psychological, family and social perspectives. Once the diagnostic understanding has been attained, the patient and team collaborate on and evaluate progress on treatment goals.

In addition to the patient, the team, led by the psychiatrist, includes a psychologist, social worker, rehabilitation specialist and nursing staff members. Other specialists join the team as needed and may include a certified addictions counselor, psychotherapist, chaplain, neuropsychologist or dietitian.

The patient’s length of stay varies based on her/his clinical needs. Six to eight weeks is recommended to complete the treatment and discharge plans. Professionals may have limited Internet access on weekdays based on input from the treatment team.

Timely communication and reporting are priorities for the staff. With permission of the patient, family members receive updates from the social worker and referring professionals are contacted by the psychiatrist or psychologist from the team.



Family involvement
Immediate family members are encouraged to accompany the patient at admission. Family members, as well as referring professionals, often are counted on to provide valuable background information to the treatment team and to assist with discharge planning.

Professionals in Crisis staff encourage families to attend a two-day family workshop. The workshop blends educational, experiential and interactive sessions for family members and patients from the program and other specialty programs. During the workshop, the patients and family members also meet with their social worker to discuss treatment issues and discharge plans.

For help & information
Please call our Admissions staff. They offer assistance with admission, insurance benefits and payment for services.

• 800-351-9058 and 713-275-5000

Menninger is a leading psychiatric hospital dedicated to
treating individuals with mood, personality, anxiety and
addictive disorders, teaching mental health professionals
and advancing mental healthcare through research.

The Menninger Clinic | 800-351-9058 | 713-275-5000 | Houston, Texas
Affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine and
The Methodist Hospital in the Texas Medical Center
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