Packard Institute

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1) What age groups does your agency serve?

The Packard Institute, Inc focuses it's practice on adolescents, young adults, and their families.



2) Do you have three degrees? What are they in?

I hold an A.A. in Liberal Arts, a B.A. in Communications, and an M.A.Ed. in Counseling. I studied theology at Ashland Seminary, and am currently in progress on my doctorate (PsyD). I'm an Ohio Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor (LICDC) and an Internationally Certified Clinical Supervisor (ICCS).



3) When founding your agency, why did you choose to include so many nontraditional services? (physical fitness, martial arts, Eastern healing modalities, etc.)

While CBT and other evidence-based practices are clearly helpful, I've found that in working with adolescents, to be effective requires us to be as eclectic and multi-dimensional as are the young people who come to us.



4) What, if any, evidence is there to support the idea that physical exercise affects recovery from addiction?

There's an enormous and growing body of research that validates this, and of course this applies to the mood disorders. I can attest to my own recovery as well. I've completed over a hundred marathons and ironman triathlons and it's been enormously centering.



5) Why did you decide to participate in Ohio’s Access To Recovery (ATR) program?

In 20 years of clinical practice, I've seem many people fall through the cracks - folks who just don't respond well to the more rigid, traditional approaches offered. ATR provided services to those who would otherwise perhaps fall through the cracks.



6) How many adolescent clients have you served to date?

Over a thousand, with more than 400 since launching in May of 2007.



7) Which services can adolescent clients receive from your agency?

We focus on building true community, a sense of belonging, and the living skills needed to negotiate the turbulence of adolescence and young adulthood.



8) To what extent do the adolescent clients have a say in the types of services they receive and how their treatment plans are written?

I believe all good treatment and recovery planning should be client-directed. The challenge is to get a young person invested in the culture of recovery.



9) What do you consider your most popular and most effective nontraditional services?

Our experiential and adventure-oriented therapies, including wilderness therapy. This week we've just returned from our annual Appalachian Trail journey. We hike a different section each year. This year we included white water rafting (on the Hiawassee River in TN), and a range of Native American based ceremonies for the youth - honoring them their many transitions in life and recovery.