In working with at-risk adolescent boys, it is our experience that many of them exhibit some form of addictive personality and/or behavior. For some students, addictions are focused on substance abuse while addictions to video games, pornography, food, lying and stealing have an equally profound affect.

To assist students in identifying and understanding their own addictions, Bridges Academy, as part of its emotional growth curriculum provides a complete Addictions Studies Program. The goal of this program is to provide students with information and skills on improving communication, honesty, healthy limits and boundaries, as well as other life skills that will ultimately help them make future healthy choices. The primary objectives of this program are to:

• Discuss aspects of use both past and future.
• Understand the underlying reasons that contributed to their use.
• Develop refusal skills to be employ in the future.
• Identify relapse areas that include people, places, and things.

Students participate in Addiction Studies Groups on a regular basis and engage in reading and writing assignments specifically designed to help them on their path toward life-long recovery. In addition to individual addiction counseling, we utilize recognized workbooks as well as 12-step literature.

Substance use and experimentation has become common among many of today's adolescents and a significant percentage of our students come to Bridges Academy with a substance abuse history. Throughout the students' program, their drug and alcohol history is evaluated and individual achievement goals are developed to provide a prevention and education program that specifically addresses their needs.

Vicky Pride, LPC, MAC

Vicky is the master facilitator of the Bridges Academy Addictions Studies Program. Prior to joining Bridges Academy, Vicky worked as a primary counselor at a 75 bed inpatient/outpatient drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in Pennsylvania. In addition to working with Bridges Academy students, Vicky helps other at-risk teens in high schools throughout Central Oregon. Vicky also works in the counseling department at Oregon State University-Cascades.

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