BECAUSE OF YOUR SUPPORT
Hello,
Happy New Year to you all. I hope 2020 is off to a wonderful start for you, family and friends. Now that we’re a few days into the new year, it’s good to look ahead and think about what this year may bring us. But first, a quick look back.
In 2019, with the help of our supporters together we provided:
- 9,648 chairs for services – ages 6-81 years old.
- 550 individuals took the first step of recovery.
- 204 individuals are helped each week.
Our work together plays a pivotal role in securing better futures and in helping people find a more meaningful, rewarding life. On behalf of those who use our services, thank you to all who show your love and kindness through your help and support of The Morton Center.
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Priscilla McIntosh
Chief Executive Officer
The Morton Center, Inc.
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Winter Programming News: Spotlight on Yoga for Recovery - Open to the Community
Yoga for Recovery
, as provided for individuals enrolled in the Early Recovery Program at The Morton Center, has been a great success, and is now an integral part of our standard treatment of Substance Use Disorder. As part of our holistic approach to recovery, we have extended this service, and now offer weekly yoga classes open to the public.
Yoga for Recovery
is a class for beginners, so come join us and invite your friends every Monday evening from 5:00 to 5:50 pm. Donations accepted but not required.
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"The Doctor's Opinion"
Ashley Peak, MD, ABPN, ABAM
Medical Director
Treating Trauma
The current Surgeon General of California, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, is now mandating insurance reimburse-ment for the screening of Adverse Childhood Events (ACES) and trauma at pediatric visits. She knows what research insists: stress from trauma has a direct and mighty impact on quality of life, health, and vitality. Early interventions provide the most potential for healing, recovery, and resilience. At The Morton Center, we treat individuals suffering from the effects of trauma regularly. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is frequently under-diagnosed in patients with Substance Use Disorders. Symptoms include avoidance, hyper-vigilance, nightmares, insomnia, anxiety, paranoia, and hyper-arousal. Often, substance abuse is an attempt to minimize these symptoms, but chronically has the opposite effect and can frequently lead to more traumatic environments and experiences. We screen all of our patients for Adverse Childhood Events, adult trauma, and PTSD symptoms. We individualize our treatment plans based on symptoms, personality, socioeconomics, and other health issues. We utilize individual and group therapy, mindfulness training, yoga, art, medication management, gardening, and other evidence-based modalities to provide relief and restore functioning for our patients. I’m so proud of the staff here, but I’m amazed by the courage displayed through our patients every day. Vulnerability requires bravery, trust, and a willingness to question limiting beliefs and experiences. We are all in this journey toward healing together. Thank you for your referrals and continued support of our team mission!
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The Clinician's Point of View
Alexander Geiman, LPATA, LCADC
Trauma and Resilience
“As human beings we belong to an extremely resilient species. Since time immemorial we have rebounded from our relentless wars, countless disasters (both natural and man-made), and the violence and betrayal in our own lives.”
—Bessel van der Kolk, M.D., The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
When we hear the word trauma, we may cringe. We may also begin to think about our loved ones and consider that there is no way something of such grave caliber could ever have happened to someone we know, let alone ourselves. However, it is essential to have a discussion about trauma and the prevalence of traumatic experiences in our society.
We have come a long way from the times in which traumatic experiences were specifically categorized in terms of war-related experiences, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect. Trauma can be better understood as an incredibly difficult experience, which can be interpreted as intolerable events for short or prolonged periods of time. Adjusting the understanding of what defines trauma opens the door to reflect on various common experiences through a different lens. For example, simply hearing about someone else’s traumatic experiences may traumatize the listener if they are not trained to manage their response; this is known as vicarious trauma. Traumatic experiences can affect individuals in a variety of ways. Someone who has experienced a traumatic event often experiences social, psychological, spiritual, and physiological responses that have a lasting impact on how someone understands the world.
While it may seem easier to consider the negative impact of traumatic events, it is also important to acknowledge the experience of a traumatic event and bouncing back, otherwise known as resilience. Resilience – the act of persevering after hardship – is an integral element of the healing process. Bouncing back after facing adversity may not always happen in the way that we would expect; however, knowing that we are capable of surviving hardships and able to continue on with daily life is evidence of the resilient nature humans innately possess. Experiencing trauma does not create weakness in a person, rather it provides an opportunity to discover and hone our own strengths in the face of adversity.
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The Research
When Trauma Slips into Addiction
by Deena McMahon
First published in The Chronicle of Social Change,
Dec.17,
2018.
Living in fear. Terrified no one will come, yet terrified someone will. No relief, just fear and dread. No sense of control and a profound sense of isolation. This can be the experience of a person with a traumatic story.
The daily struggle to keep trauma-related memories locked down and out of mind is exhausting. Over time, a person can develop skills to cope. Even after years, though, on a bad day, those coping skills are overwhelmed and the traumatic memories surface. A bad day can come on because of something as simple as feeling fatigued or overly busy, trying to meet unrealistic expectations, or having an argument with family or friends. These all cause stress and when stressed, our defenses weaken. Traumatic memories can also surface when a person is relaxed or happy, even asleep — times when our self-protective barriers are lower...
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Reading List
The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are
by Brené Brown
When our embarrassments and fears lie, we often listen to them anyway. They thwart our gratitude, acceptance, and compassion - our goodness. They insist, “I am not worthy.” But we
are
worthy of self-discovery, personal growth, and boundless love. With Brené Brown’s game-changing
New York Times
bestseller
The Gifts of Imperfection -
which has sold
more than 2 million copies
in more than
30 different languages,
and
Forbes
recently named
one of the "Five Books That Will Actually Change Your Outlook On Life" -
we find courage to overcome paralyzing fear and self-consciousness, strengthening our connection to the world.
A motivational and inspiring guide to whole-hearted living, rather than just the average self-help book, with this groundbreaking work Brené Brown, Ph.D., bolsters the self-esteem and personal development process through her characteristic heartfelt, honest storytelling. With original research and plenty of encouragement, she explores the psychology of releasing our definitions of an “imperfect” life and embracing living authentically. Brown’s “ten guideposts” are benchmarks for authenticity that can help anyone establish a practice for a life of honest beauty—a perfectly imperfect life.
Now more than ever, we all need to cultivate feelings of self-worth, as well as acceptance and love for ourselves. In a world where insults, criticisms, and fears are spread too generously alongside messages of unrealistic beauty, attainment, and expectation, we look for ways to “dig deep” and find truth and gratitude in our lives. A new way forward means we can’t hold on too tightly to our own self-defeating thoughts or the displaced pain in our world. Instead, we can embrace the imperfection.
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Staff Spotlight
Katherine Phillips, LPATA
Katie Phillips received her Bachelor of Science in Art and Associated Studies from the University of Evansville in 2008. After relocating to Louisville in 2009, she later went on to receive her Master of Education in Counseling and Personnel Services with a concentration in Art Therapy from the University of Louisville.
Katie believes that creative art-making is an intrinsic activity that is ignored far too often; she hopes that through art therapy, others can learn to reconnect parts of themselves with which they have lost touch. In her free time, Katie enjoys ceramics, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
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New Podcasts:
Curious Conversations
Welcome to
Curious Conversations
with Amy Travis, Counselor at The Morton Center, and Lynette Green, Digital Marketing Manager and Brown-Forman Spirit Member.
Curious Conversations
is sponsored by the Morton Center and Spirit; an employee resource group at Brown-Forman with a mission to create an environment where all employees and guests feel welcome regardless of whether or not they drink. These conversations are meant to encourage people to learn about substance use disorder, and how it effects relationships all around us. The content for these curious conversations is born out of The Morton Center’s
Concerned Persons Program
offered every Tuesday evening at 5:30p. Click the links below the listen to each podcasts.
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Support The Morton Center
More than 23 million Americans have a drug or alcohol abuse problem, but only 10 percent will get the treatment they need. Your tax-deductible donation will help us provide services to individuals that otherwise could not afford treatment, and provide support to their loved ones.
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About The Morton Center
The Morton Center is a full-service addiction recovery facility offering professional counseling and therapy, as well as prevention and educational services, for individuals and families struggling with substance abuse issues. Since 1984, our customized, holistic approach has helped to reengage individuals and their families with lives of meaning and purpose often lost in addiction.
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Contact us:
The Morton Center - 1028 Barret Avenue, Louisville, KY 40204
ph. 502-451-1221
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