the NORTHLAND newsA newsletter for friends and ministry partners of Northland Counseling Services

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Good Treatment Requires Good Resourcesby Dr. Hal Baumchen

As you may know, in addition to my work at Northland Counseling, I also work extensively with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders through

NorthStar Regional. These co-occurring disorders (COD) are extraordinarily complex. To be effective, treatment programs and interventions must specifically target and treat both substance use and mental health disorders at the same time. The most effective treatment is an integrated model that includes psychiatric, psychological, and addiction treatment services. Integrated treatment leads to higher recovery success rates. Fully integrated interventions work at the same time, in the same place, using the same treatment team.Substance misuse and abuse can occur at any age, however the majority of those with

substance use problems started using substances during adolescence and developed a substance use disorder by the age of 20-25. Because brain development is not completed until the age of 23-25, the effects of substances on cognition are greatly magnified.

Complex ProblemsChronic drug and alcohol use and abuse can cause physiological and neurological

damage. Furthermore, withdrawal effects, sleep deprivation, chemical imbalance, ADHD, anxiety, depression, traumatic experiences, thought disorders, nutritional deficiencies, detoxification complications, and increased stress levels all further compromise a client’s reasoning abilities.

• Excerpts from Dr. Hal’s Book Reflections (pg 3)

• Second Edition of Journeys book now available (pg 2)

• Meet NCS Therapist Bill Koski (pg 2)

• Online Resources (back cover)

Northland Counseling Services is a non-profit organization

whose mission is to provide kind, considerate, compassionate care

for people dealing with a life crisis, mental health issues, substance

abuse or relationship-related issues, with the goal of restoring

health and spiritual wholeness.

Designer/Editor: Tim BodeAssociate Editor: Marta Peterson

Production Manager: Shelley Batdorf

NORTHLAND C O U N S E L I N G S E R V I C E S

Solutions for Lifenorthlandcounseling.us

952-974-3999Chanhassen • Chaska

Maple Grove

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In This Issue

August 2018

A Lifestyle Resource Manual for Substance Use and

Mental Health Disorders

Hal Baumchen, PsyD, LP, LADC

SECOND EDITION

Journeys

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Meet Northland Therapist Bill Koski, MA, LICSW

Bill Koski, a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), received

his Master’s Degree in Counseling and Psychotherapy from Adler Graduate School.

He has over ten years of experience working in an outpatient mental health clinic. Bill uses a holistic perspective, incorporating Christian values and beliefs into his sessions when appropriate. He uses various interventions, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Adlerian techniques, Eye Movement & Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, and individualized anger management. He is also a certified Brain Health Coach.Bill was formerly at Nebula Counseling in North Branch, MN,

and has worked in both outpatient and inpatient settings. He also has extensive experience working with developmentally disabled adults. Bill sees clients in the Northland Maple Grove office.

Updated Journeys and Companion Workbooks Available

An expanded and updated verion of Dr. Baumchen’s Journeys co-occurring

disorders treatment manual is now available at JourneyToRecovery.com. Destinations and its companion workbook are also available, with a Journeys companion workbook coming soon. JourneyToRecovery.com is also home to a variety of other resources to help those with substance abuse and mental health issues.

Consider a Gift to Northland

A contribution to Northland is tax-deductible. To make a donation, please send a check, payable to “Know the Truth

Ministries,” to Northland Counseling, 7945 Stone Creek Dr, Suite 140, Chanhassen, MN 55317. You can also donate on our website, northlandcounselingservices.org. Just click on “Donate” at the top and follow the instructions.

Reflections ExcerptsHere are a few excepts from

Dr. Baumchen’s new book, Reflections: Insight for the Journey. To purchase a copy of Reflections, email marta.peterson@northlandcounseling.us or call her at (952) 777-8755. Books are $5 each, plus shipping.

Recovery is Not the GoalI’ve spent the

better part of the last 30-plus years helping people recover from substance use and mental health disorders. For me to say that recovery is not the goal may

come as a surprise, but in reality, the goals for people are as varied and different as the people themselves. For some, the goal might be to live without shame, become

an electrical engineer, go back to school, raise their children, get their license back, be honest, like themselves again, restore trust in a relationship, get a good job, or get married. Recovery is not the goal. It is the avenue to reach the goal. For most of my clients, sobriety and long-term recovery is the only road that makes their goal possible.

A Few Weeds in the GardenMost of us handle the

challenges of life amazingly well, without ill will or fuss. These small interruptions are common to us all, are part of life, and understood as such. Don’t consider yourself a martyr and unfairly treated when there are weeds in

your garden, ants at your picnic, and the weather grows cold. These ordinary trivialities of life are distressing, but not

catastrophic. The wise person, in spite of weeds, ants, and bitter cold, harvests the bounty of a garden, enjoys the picnic, and learns to ice skate in winter. The content person has learned to tolerate frustration and endure life’s plentiful array of inconveniences.

Living Above Your CircumstancesLiving above my

circumstances allows me to live in peace and not be upset by every wave of negativity that spills on my shoes. For those who work or live with substance use disorders, this can be

an essential trait and a skill to be honed. When things don’t go right, I will be okay because I am the one who chooses how I will respond. Even during the darkest night, I’m going to be standing strong and confident, waiting for the sunrise I know is coming.

A Lifestyle Resource Manual for Substance Use and

Mental Health Disorders

Hal Baumchen, PsyD, LP, LADC

SECOND EDITION

Journeys

REFLECTIONS

Hal Baumchen, PsyD, LP, LADC

A Daily Guide to Establish Your Recovery

Insight for the Journey

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Common Cognitive ImpairmentsA chronic substance use disorder can compromise intellectual

functioning, reduce reasoning, and sabotage processing ability. A client’s memory may be impaired and processing speed may be lowered. The ability to focus, concentrate, and sustain attention may be diminished. Judgment is often reduced, which makes it difficult to link one’s choices with the consequences that inevitably follow.

In addition, a client may have a lowered insight into their mental health and substance use disorders and therefore have limited ability to seek needed treatment. Abstract reasoning is more difficult for these clients; they will need concrete and practical treatment materials.

Designing Engaging and Strategic ResourcesJourney to Recovery materials are all designed with these

information processing difficulties in mind. In some treatment programs, the curriculum is chosen in a haphazard, almost random way that does not accommodate the client’s processing deficits. The curriculum materials I’ve created for Journey to Recovery are

designed with five major purposes in mind. These are to simplify use, improve retention, maximize impact, increase motivation, and establish mastery. Materials designed with these purposes in mind make treatment interventions for co-occurring disorders much more effective.

Simpler is Better

The Journeys curriculum is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in theory, which requires the client to recognize past cognitive or thinking errors and create challenges for each thought distortion. Because the treatment for co-occurring disorders is exceedingly multifaceted, specialized resources are required. Our secret to working with the complications of co-occurring

disorders was not to make the interventions more complex, but rather make the interventions simpler. The materials we have developed are client-ready and easy to understand without being demeaning or belittling. The materials we use in our treatment programs are fundamentally different from other curriculums.

Being Different Makes a DifferenceBecause thinking processes are temporarily reduced, we have

created a curriculum that is easier to comprehend, more concrete, and helps generate more discussion. This is all in an attempt to bring doable mastery to recovery; materials are relevant and practical. The client-ready lessons are designed to be relatable and engaging with checklists, colored text, pictures, and graphics. This user-friendly layout helps clients stay with the material, absorb more, and retain the information longer. Remember, good resources are necessary for good treatment.

Good Treatment... (cont. from pg 1)

Dr. Hal Baumchen is executive director of Northland Counseling Services. A licensed psychologist,

licensed alcohol and drug counselor, and an ordained minister, he has over 30 years of counseling experience.

Opening for Therapist in Chaska or ChanhassenNorthland Counseling has an opening for a full-time, licensed therapist in our either our Chaska or Chanhassen location. Qualified

candidates will be licensed in the state of Minnesota as an LPCC, LMFT, LICSW, or LP. We are especially interested in a clinician who works with adolescent males and substance use issues.Interested candidates should send a resume and cover letter via email to tim.bode@northlandcounseling.us.

NORTHLAND C O U N S E L I N G S E R V I C E S

7945 Stone Creek Dr., #140Chanhassen, MN 55317

If you received this newsletter from a friend or colleague and would like to be added to our mailing list, or if you would like to receive it electronically, please email your name and address (or email address for an electronic version) to marketing@northlandcounseling.us.

Online Resources at northlandcounselingservices.org

Northland Counseling provides a variety of resources on our website, www.northlandcounselingservices.org.

Inspirations and CompassesDr. Baumchen has written many short pamphlets as resources for clients and

caregivers. The Northland Inspiration series looks at mental health issues from a Christian perspective, while the Northland Compass series offers a foundation-level look at a variety of mental health topics.

Dr. Hal’s BlogDr. Hal’s blog posts on co-occurring disorders from the Journey to Recovery

website (www.journeytorecovery.com) are also available on the Northland Counseling website. The blog offers helpful tips for those living with both mental health disorders and substance use issues. Look under Resources > Journey to Recovery.

Recommended ReadingA list of recommended books by Neil T. Anderson and others is included under the Resources menu on our website.

Free in Christ DVDsThis five-part seminar with Dr. Baumchen is available to order on DVD. Look under Resources > Know the Truth Ministries.

The Northland NewsThe current issue and past issues of the Northland News are also available on our website under Resources > Publications.