Continuum of care now includes nationally recognized “adventure-based” treatment of young adult men who suffer from chemical dependency and co-occurring issues.

We are very happy and proud to announce that TRS Behavioral Care, Inc., parent company of Right Step and Spirit Lodge has acquired San Cristobal Treatment Center of Taos, NM, greatly increasing the company’s geographic reach and leadership position in the chemical dependence treatment field.

TRS, named one of Houston’s 100 Fastest Growing Companies for the past two years, ended 2011 with the highest revenue in the company’s 22-year history. The San Cristobal acquisition extends TRS’ reach beyond Texas and also expands its continuum of care to include adventure-based addiction treatment for young men.

“Despite the economy, TRS continues to grow and improve, both in terms of finances and accomplishments.” said George Joseph, chief executive officer of TRS since 1994.  San Cristobal Treatment Center is a nationally recognized leader in the treatment of young adult men (ages 17 to 26) who suffer from chemical dependency with co-occurring issues such as emotional/behavioral conditions, psychiatric concerns, low self-esteem, legal problems, low motivation, few practical life skills, and little or no sense of a direction in life. Like Right Step and Spirit Lodge, San Cristobal uses highly-effective, Twelve Step and evidence-based methodologies so there is a natural synergy that will benefit both the company and our clients,” Joseph said.

Dave Johnson, CEO of San Cristobal, will continue to manage his team, comprised of addiction clinicians and expert-level adventure and wilderness professionals. “The 90-120 day program takes place on 120 secluded acres where clients discover a “natural high” with a 21-day “wilderness experience,” hiking, mountain biking, skiing & snowboarding, whitewater rafting, backpacking, and other program elements such as a high/low ropes course, woodshop, recording studio, horseback riding, and sports,” Johnson said. “We are excited that, by joining with TRS, we will elevate our nationally-known status even further through accreditation by The Joint Commission.”

Tags: adolescent addiction recovery, adolescent substance abuse treatment // Add Comment »

When it comes to dealing with drug and alcohol addiction, the ongoing support of friends and family is every bit as important as identifying the problem and signing up for treatment.

That’s the sentiment of James Patterson, executive director of Right Step Conroe – an intensive outpatient treatment facility that is part of the nationally accredited, 20-location Right Step “live life sober” network.

“There are a lot of supervised programs that offer medical, psychological and emotional support,” Patterson said. “But outpatient treatment is where the rubber meets the road. At some point, an addict needs to learn how to live in the real world.” [Click here to read more →]

Tags: 12 Step, addiction recovery, adolescent addiction recovery, adolescent substance abuse treatment, alcohol and drug addiction, Alcohol and Drug News, Alcohol and Drug Treatment, Alcoholics Anonymous, teen drug addiction, teenage alcoholism // Add Comment »

Part II – FITNESS & EXERCISE  (following Part I – Food-Nutrition)

“Walking at least half an hour, six days a week, can cut mortality rates from heart disease in half”. (Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research).

Cardiovascular disease is a serious health threat. Nearly 5 million Americans suffer from it.  One of the safest and most effective ways to improve your cardiovascular fitness is by walking.
Walking is an ideal, low-impact aerobic exercise. When done regularly, it can reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, lower total cholesterol, raise healthy HDL cholesterol, and lower blood pressure.  It can help maintain healthy bones and muscles, stabilize blood sugar, improve immunity, and relieve some of the stress in your life.  Thousands have realized the physical and psychological benefits of walking. That’s why walking has become one of the most popular ways to stay fit.  Another reason is because it is inexpensive––all it takes is a little motivation and a comfortable pair of shoes. [Click here to read more →]

Tags: Fitness // 1 Comment »

Regardless of your age, do you find yourself joking around and saying, “I’m falling apart,” or “I’m not in the shape I used to be?” With all the busyness of family, job, hobbies, and commitments, how does one commit to a healthy lifestyle? That’s just it – desire and commitment. If you have the desire, then make the time for your health. Here are some easy steps to begin your fitness routine and be on the road to a healthy lifestyle.

Part I – FOOD – NUTRITION
Food is classified into three main groups: proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Each is important and has multiple functions in your body.

1- Protein
Approximately 20% of your body weight is protein and 2/3 of a pound is replaced daily. One-fourth of the replaced protein comes from one’s diet.  Protein builds and repairs muscle damage, sustains the immune system, manufactures hormones and enzymes, replaces red blood cells that carry oxygen to muscles, and produces perhaps 10% of the energy needed for long or intense workouts.  It helps allow the body to use fat for fuel more efficiently. [Click here to read more →]

Tags: Fitness // 1 Comment »

I recently read two very interesting articles profiling Pharma companies in the growing world of pain medication derived from Opioid’s. The first article, “Painful Medicine”, was in Fortune magazine. The second was done by the Associated Press.

What is an Opioid or Opiate? It’s a broad category of drugs that are best known as painkillers. These are naturally derived from the poppy plant and include opium, codeine, and morphine or are synthetic and semi-synthetics variants of those molecules: Hydrocodone and Oxycodone are the most abused opiates. [Click here to read more →]

Tags: addiction recovery, pill mills, prescription drug abuse // Add Comment »

You can conquer others with power, but it takes true strength to conquer yourself.
- Lao Tzu,  Philosopher

I asked Dr. Jason Powers, our Chief Medical Officer  to help me write on this topic and here is what we came up with:

There are actually two types of sobriety: physical and emotional.  Physical sobriety is the easy part.  Anyone can quit a thousand times, but only the fortunate can stay quit.  Emotional sobriety is not automatically rendered with physical sobriety.   Emotional sobriety can be defined as resiliency, wisdom and balance.  It is a metaphor of sorts for addicts who develop emotional intelligence over the course of their journeys in recovery. [Click here to read more →]

Tags: Uncategorized // Add Comment »

There was an interesting study recently done by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University regarding social media and its influence on adolescents. Please click on the following link  for more information.  http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2011-national-teen-survey-finds-teens-regularly-using-socialnetworking-sites-likelier-to-smoke-drink-use-drugs-128295633.html [Click here to read more →]

Tags: addiction recovery, adolescent addiction recovery, adolescent substance abuse treatment, alcohol and drug addiction, Alcohol and Drug News, Alcohol and Drug Treatment, prescription drug abuse, teen drug addiction, teenage alcoholism // Add Comment »

A common phrase in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is “It Works If You Work It.” AA, to my knowledge, is the world’s most well attended 12 Step organization and the originator of the 12 Step self help programs. Other programs followed similar 12 Step philosophy such as Cocaine Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, Sex Addict Anonymous, Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous, Alanon, etc. [Click here to read more →]

Tags: 12 Step Self Help Program, addiction recovery // 1 Comment »

In the last few weeks, two very famous and influential women passed: Betty Ford, wife of former President Gerald Ford and founder of the Betty Ford Center, and Amy Winehouse, an influential British singer known for her unique combination of soul, jazz, and R&B. These two women achieved fame and recognition in different arenas–Betty Ford for advocating women’s rights and Amy Winehouse for an incredible voice. Their shared connection, however, was the disease of addiction. Though they both battled this deadly disease, the outcome of their battles took decidedly different paths. Betty Ford traveled the path of sobriety while Amy Winehouse continued to struggle with addiction, reportedly, until the very end of her life. [Click here to read more →]

Tags: 27 Club, addiction recovery, alcohol and drug addiction, Alcohol and Drug News, Alcohol and Drug Treatment, celebrity death, celebrity drug addiction, celebrity substance abuse, clinics // 1 Comment »

Cocaine, undisputedly one of the most addictive street drugs, is derived from the coca plant. The addictive power of cocaine can be illustrated by the fact that nearly 25 million Americans report having used cocaine at least once. While one of the most commonly abused drugs, the myths about  cocaine abuse are varied.

Below are five of the most common myths surrounding cocaine addiction and the facts that refute these myths. [Click here to read more →]

Tags: alcohol and drug addiction, Alcohol and Drug News, Alcohol and Drug Treatment, celebrity substance abuse, clinics // Add Comment »