We feature an expert in the mental health and substance use disorder field to answer questions. This issue we talk to Rebecca "Becky" Bjorklund of Meridian Behavioral Health about the process of entering treatment. Q: Would you be able to provide some insights into your professional background, your present role, and the aspects of your| The Phoenix Spirit
This past spring, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, people in need of behavioral health services were blindsided. While in-person treatment programs were considered essential services and continued, many people, especially those at higher risk, stayed away. Even more, outpatient services and other supportive services were unable to offer people the help that they needed. This| The Phoenix Spirit
Time for your treatment group meeting? Plop down in your favorite spot at home, get on Zoom, and you’re there. Virtual counseling for people in non-residential addiction treatment is the current norm and will likely be commonplace even when COVID-19 is tamed. This at-home treatment option has plenty of benefits, according to both patients and| The Phoenix Spirit
Former Commissioner Emily Piper told Phoenix Spirit readers in August 2018 about Fast-Tracker, a new online service to help connect people to substance use disorder and mental health treatment services. Now, a little over a year later, how has Fast-Tracker been working, and what’s next? First a bit about Fast-Tracker: It is an online, searchable| The Phoenix Spirit
To mark Recovery Month in Minnesota, I want to tell you about substance use disorder treatment reform, a website, and a mother from southern Minnesota. Let’s start with a hypothetical mother from southern Minnesota. Two years ago after much discussion, she finally gets her son, a heroin user, to agree to treatment. The mother, who| The Phoenix Spirit
We'll feature an expert in the mental health and substance use disorder field to answer questions Q: How can body awareness impact recovery? Many approaches to addiction recovery incorporate a variety of practices that improve body awareness, including yoga, meditation, mindfulness-based interventions and CranioSacral therapy. These practices foster awareness of inner bodily sensations, which may| The Phoenix Spirit