Many individuals who have been locked in the grip of an addiction haven’t developed the life skills necessary for healthy functioning. When obtaining drugs or alcohol is a person’s singular focus, it’s not difficult to understand how that could be so.
Learning life skills involves not only the more mundane but necessary aspects of daily life like doing laundry, shopping and budgeting, but also developing the critical thinking and interpersonal skills necessary to succeed in relationships and be happy.
Many people turn to drugs or alcohol as a way of masking the pain of dysfunctional relationships or difficulty relating to others. This is why it’s so important that, in addition to drug and alcohol cessation, individuals suffering from addiction be held accountable and have help learning life skills.
Many rehab treatment programs offer transitional living and outpatient programs and experiential therapy to help individuals learn and develop:
• Healthy interaction with others
• Problem solving skills
• Decision making skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Anger and stress management
• Time management skills
• Conflict resolution skills
• Self-esteem
Northbound Treatment Services is an Orange County-based addiction treatment facility focused on the whole person, body, mind and spirit. Our school program includes helping students learning life skills necessary for completing their education. We help students learn how to budget, study, manage their time, and more. For more information about our services, visit our website here.
Author
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Paul Alexander is the CEO, President & Founder of Northbound Treatment Network in Newport Beach, California. He believes wholeheartedly in transformational leadership, organizational health and effective, fully integrated substance use disorder and mental health treatment. With over 27 years of experience in behavioral healthcare, Paul has extensive knowledge of “in vivo” treatment modalities, clinical development, operations, strategy, marketing and financial planning. He has been widely recognized for his development of collegiate-based residential treatment programs for students in recovery and authored a research study at The University of California confirming this modality’s effectiveness.
Paul’s comprehensive professional experience, willingness to innovate, and emphasis on organizational health are vital factors in Northbound’s continued success. Paul received his Certified Addiction Treatment Specialist training at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, CA, and was awarded Outstanding Alumni Service Award in 2002. Paul holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology, Law and Society, Summa Cum Laude, from University of California, Irvine, and a Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. Paul currently serves on The National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) board. In addition, he serves on The Family Recovery Foundation board and The CarePossible board in Orange County; both organizations are committed to raising funds for family recovery and treatment for former military personnel. Paul is in recovery himself and lives in Orange County with his wife Silvana and his two young sons, Noah and Dean.
