Family & Adolescent

There are times when loving someone with a substance use disorder and/or mental illness can feel overwhelming. Significant others grapple with setting healthy boundaries, how to communicate their own needs, and how to take care of themselves. Individual therapy with someone who specializes in working with family members affected by substance abuse and/or a mental health disorder is available.

All family members who have someone involved in mental health or substance use disorder treatment are encouraged to join in family sessions. These sessions are designed to engage the family in their loved ones recovery process, resolve family conflicts and achieve family reconciliation.

This training gives opiate users and their families education to prevent opioid overdoses. Participants receive education regarding opiate overdose symptoms. They also are trained in the use of Naloxone/Narcan to counteract overdoses and how to access it. Find out more.

Horizon believes that it is essential to engage families to support their loved ones’ recovery. Horizon has designated Parent and Family Support Coordinators to improve patient engagement through increased family involvement in our substance use services. Coordinators provide phone and face-to-face outreach to patients and families who are inquiring about Horizon’s substance use services, and weekly Parent and Family Support meetings. These meetings focus on families and loved ones achieving a better understanding of substance use, recovery resources and treatment options.

When are the meetings?

• Holy Mother of Rosary Cathedral, 6298 Broadway Lancaster, NY. MEETS the 1st Wednesday of each month.
• First Trinity Lutheran Church, 1570 Niagara Falls Blvd. Tonawanda, NY. MEETS the 2nd Tuesday of each month.
• Delta Village, 6302 Inducon Drive, East Sanborn, NY. MEETS the 3rd Tuesday of each month.

• All Meeting Times are 6:30pm-8:00pm

For more information please contact: Colleen Babcock  (716) 907-2985

All Horizon locations that offer adolescent services (ages 13+) provide in-person and telehealth psychiatry services for adolescents. This includes the below locations:

• Hertel-Elmwood Recovery Center
• Pine Ave. Recovery Center
• East Amherst Family Recovery Center
• Orchard Park Recovery Center
• Batavia Recovery Center

Play is the natural language of children and is a metaphor, or symbolic expression, of what is going on in their lives. Play therapy is a therapeutic modality where a child or adolescent can express their fears and worries in a safe therapeutic setting.

Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) is an evidence-based practice that assists family members and loved ones to create an environment that increases a loved one’s motivation to seek help for substance use or mental health issues. Whether you’re a spouse, parent, sibling, or even a friend, you can benefit from CRAFT.

EMDR is an evidence-based trauma resolution therapy that has proven to reduce symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, negative self-beliefs and intense emotional and physical symptoms as a result of trauma. It is a structured form of therapy that allows patients to feel safe and in control and is completed through bilateral movements such as eye movements or tapping.

DBT is an evidence-based treatment focused on developing key skills to cope with stressful situations, enhance motivation for change, increase mood regulation, and choose more effective and less harmful behaviors. The goal of DBT is to help individuals create their “Life Worth Living” while balancing the concepts of acceptance and change. DBT has been found to be effective in reducing self-harm, suicidal ideation, mood symptoms and substance use.

DBT programming at Horizon includes skills groups focusing on Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness. Individual therapy sessions compliment group skill teaching with a focus on implementation of skills, reduction of harmful behaviors and crisis response, and increasing self-efficacy and empowerment for lifelong change. Family involvement is strongly encouraged to learn DBT skills and concepts alongside their loved one to help support and foster their journey.

TF-CBT is an evidence-based treatment designed to assist children, adolescents, and families in overcoming negative effects of trauma. This treatment helps families recovery from the trauma that their child has experienced and provides coping techniques to both the child and their family.