Community Impact Stories
“IGGY”
CLIENT IS A 13 YEAR OLD ADOLESCENT HISPANIC MALE WHO WAS BORN IN EQUADOR AND REFERRED TO PORT COUNSELING CENTER BY THE POLICE DEPT. AFTER THE SCHOOL FOUND MARIJUANA IN HIS POSSESSION. HE HAS 3 SIBLINGS ONE OF WHOM IS YOUNGER AND THE OTHER TWO OF WHOM ARE OLDER. THE CLIENT WAS DOING POORLY IN SCHOOL, GETTING INTO FIGHTS AND WAS ON SUSPENSION SEVERAL TIMES FOR FIGHTING SINCE THE FIGHTS WERE ON SCHOOL PROPERTY; TWO OTHER YOUTHS WERE INJURED. CLIENT WAS ALSO IN TROUBLE FOR “SMARTING OFF” TO THE TEACHERS IN THE ESL PROGRAM. THROUGH THE 2 ½ YEAR COURSE OF COUNSELING, THE CLIENT WAS EVENTAULLY ABLE TO MAINTAIN ABSTINENCE FROM DRUGS AND ALCOHOL AS EVIDENCED BY CLEAN URINE TOXICOLOGY TESTS. HIS PARENTS ATTENDED EVERY OTHER WEEK AND FAMILY TREATMENT SESSIONS SO THE CLIENT AND HIS MOTHER AND FATHER WERE ABLE TO CONSIDERABLY REDUCE THE ANGER AND THE VERBAL FIGHTING AND YELLING IN THEIR HOME. AS REPORTED BY THE PARENTS, CLIENT FELT HIS PARENTS RESPECTED HIM MORE AND WERE NOW PROUD OF HIM. HIS GRADES IN SCHOOL IMPROVED AND HE WENT FROM BEING SOMEONE WHO HAD SEVERE PROBLEMS IN SCHOOL TO SOMEONE WHO IS CONSIDERING ATTENDING COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN A FEW YEARS. CLIENT HAS A PART-TIME JOB AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER WHICH HE LOVES. THE CLIENT HIMSELF REPORTED THAT COUNSELING WAS HELPFUL IN KEEPING HIM FROM USING DRUGS AND IN REDUCING HIS ANGER AND RAGE WHICH HAD IN THE PAST CAUSED HIM TO GET INTO TROUBLE, AND HURT OTHERS. COUNSELING WAS BASED ON IMPROVING SELF ESTEEM, COMMUNICATION IN THE HOME AND EDUCATION ABOUT DRUGS AND ALCOHOL FOR HIM AND FOR HIS FAMILY.
“MAJ”
“MAJ” IS A 65 YEAR OLD MARRIED CAUCASIAN MALE WITH 3 ADULT CHILDREN. HE IS THE CHILD OF AN ALCOHOLIC PARENT AND SEVERAL OTHER GENERATIONS OF UNTREATED ALCOHOLICS. HE LOST HIS MANAGERIAL POSITION AFTER 30 YEARS WHEN HE REFUSED TO ENTER INPATIENT DETOXIFICATION SUGGESTED BY HIS EAP DEPT. AFTER BEING ARRESTED FOR HIS 2ND DWI HE ATTENDED TREATMENT 3X WEEKLY FOR 2 YEARS AND ONCE HE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED TREATMENT, WAS ABLE TO REGAIN HIS DRIVING PRIVILEGES, HOWEVER HE WILL REMAIN ON PROBATION FOR 3 MORE YEARS. DURING THE FINAL PHASE OF TREATMENT HE BECAME REMPLOYED IN AN ASSISTANT MANAGER POSITION FOR A LOCAL RETAILER, HOWEVER AT A MUCH LOWER SALARY.
DURING HIS TREATMENT PERIOD, ONE OF HIS CHILDREN AND HIS SPOUSE WERE ALSO SEEN IN COUNSELING FOR A SHORT PERIOD SO THAT THEY MIGHT BE BETTER ABLE TO SUPPORT HIS SOBRIETY AT HOME. MAJ WAS ABLE TO LEARN TO BALANCE HIS WORK AND FAMILY LIFE IN A HEALTHIER WAY AND TAKE BETTER CARE OF HIS OWN HEALTH BY EXERCISING, EATING PROPERLY AND MEDITATING. COUNSELING FOCUSED ON EXPRESSING HIS TRUE FEELILNGS; ALSO LEARNING THE ROLE THAT DRUGS AND ALCOHOL HELD IN HIS LIFE AND HOW HIS DEPRESSION AND LACK OF SELF ESTEEM FROM CHILDHOOD EMOTIONAL ABUSE LEAD TO THE LIFE LONG SUBSTANCE ABUSE. MAJ ALSO ATTENDS AA MEETINGS WEEKLY AT OUR CLINIC.
“SUZANNE”
CLIENT IS A 27 YEAR OLD FEMALE WITH A 2 YEAR HISTORY OF PRESCRIPTION ABUSE AND A 4 YEAR HISTORY OF COCAINE ABUSE AS WELL. SHE STARTED USING ALCOHOL AND MARIJUANA IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL. IN ADDITION THE CLIENT HAS A HISTORY OF BIPOLAR DISORDER DIAGNOSED AT AGE 15 FOR WHICH SHE RECEIVES MEDICATION FROM HER PSYCHIATRIST. THE CLIENT IS AN INTELLIGENT WOMAN WHO HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO HOLD ONTO A JOB FOR YEARS BECAUSE SHE STATES THAT SHE “GETS BORED EASILY”. THE CLIENT CAME TO TREATMENT DUE TO AN ARREST FOR SHOPLIFING. THE CHARGES WERE DROPPED AND THE CLIENT WAS MANDATED INTO TREATMENT FOR HER SUBSTANCE ABUSE. THE CLIENT HAS BEEN IN TREATMENT FOR 1 ½ YEARS AND NOW HAS REMAINED SOBER FROM OPIATES AND COCAINE FOR ABOUT 15 MONTHS. SHE HAS SEPARATED FROM AN UNHEALTHY MARITAL RELATIONSHIP AND HAS REFRAINED FROM GETTING INVOLVED WITH ANY OTHER PERSONS WHILE IN TREATMENT. HER DEPRESSION HAS DECREASED WITH PROPER MEDICATION AND SHE HAS GAINED SOME INTEREST IN PURSUING NEW AREAS OF EMPLOYMENT TRAINING WITH OUR VOCATIONAL COUNSELOR. SHE HAS ALSO BEGUN TO TAKE SOME WRITING AND COMPUTER COURSES IN THE EVENING AT THE ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAM AT THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL. IN THE MEANTIME SHE HAS NOW HELD HER CURRENT JOB FOR 8 MONTHS AND HAS BEEN GIVEN MORE RESPONSIBILITY OF LATE. THE CLIENT HAS MADE SOME FEMALE FRIENDS AT OUR “WOMEN ONLY” 12 STEP SELF HELP MEETING.
