Testimonial

"I can't believe how much better I feel. I finally understand my situation, choices, and responsibilities. Y.E.S. freed me to get on with my life. I feel like I am back in control and my depression is lifting. Thank you!"

J.R., Santa Fe, New Mexico

Testimonial

"What a difference a week makes! We sorted out my problems and started solving them. I'm not hopeless, or blaming myself, or feeling like a victim. The weekly follow-up is great and I am staying on track."

R.I., Edmunton, Alberta, Canada.

When you're struggling with alcohol related problems we offer totally individualized help, whether you wish to stop now or moderate. It all begins with a week's intensive assessment, planning, and goal setting. This provides a foundation for the development of personal solutions to your difficulties, solutions based on your strengths, interests, and circumstances, not some preordained "program."

It's not unusual for people to know that they need some help in getting over their alcohol abuse and dependence, but not know how to start. You look at residential and long for the escape - isn't that what really fuels the alcohol abuse anyway? - but shudder at the cost and disruption. Then you look at outpatient and that seems like too little help for so pervasive a problem. So you do what we all do, sit back, sigh, and wait until the next crisis to go through the whole non-decision process all over again. Happily, however, Your Empowering Solutions, Inc. (Y.E.S.) now offers another possibility. We have incorporated a semi-residential component into our programs for people outside of the Los Angeles area. Individuals from as far away as Canada and New York have already taken advantage of this opportunity and you can too. This hybrid offers the best of both without the disadvantages of either.

How's that work?

The concept is fairly simple. Combine short term, intensive, outpatient treatment with a self-service residential aspect. What's that? Here's an example:

You know you need treatment and think you could use a little more structure and support than a single therapist or typical outpatient alcohol rehab program offers. But you don't need or want the bells, whistles, and expense of a residential setting. Instead you decide to work with us on your own custom designed solutions.

After consultation and preparation by phone and internet, On Sunday you drive or fly into town - with or without family- and checks into a good hotel near our offices. Monday through Friday mornings you are involved in intensive assessment, planning, goal setting, counseling and other activities. Afternoons are spent reflecting and recuperating and, yes, enjoying a bit of southern California's offerings. Evenings are spent developing new patterns, reading, writing, or just relaxing. At night you're sleeping better than you have in years. Friday is spent wrapping up details and devising how we will continue to work together for the following months. Rapport established, plans in place, you can return home confident and prepared.

What do your plans consist of? They will usually involve changes in your usual routines and schedules; breaking patterns that lead back to drinking; deciding what problem areas need to be addressed and which can be deferred; and planning how to handle friends and family who will either support or sabotage your efforts - most people will do some of both; and devising good follow-up procedures to insure that the momentum that's been generated doesn't get lost in the return home.

All of this can be accomplished in 5 days or so and provides you with a bit of respite and perspective while keeping much of the process under your control and at your discretion. Your success depends primarily on motivation and your belief that you can succeed. We offers choices and flexibility and allow you to pick what you need. Need a few more (or less) days? That's fine - design it in as you go along. Try it out, adjust it, reconsider it, adapt, and adopt.

All this empowering and self-actualization at one third to one tenth the cost of a typical residential program, and without the long, slow, process of most individual one-session-a-week therapist's practices. Plus, we specialize in alcohol abuse and the underlying issues only.

At Y.E.S. you get FIFTEEN TO TWENTY-ONE HOURS of individual personal counseling with both Dr. Barnes and Dr. Wilson, plus an additional 12 - 18 hours of individual aftercare counseling by phone. If you bring your spouse, they can be included in some or all of the counseling sessions, if you wish. In typical residential programs, you would be lucky to get 3 individual counseling sessions a week. In residential programs you mostly get group sessions with low level staff, plus a lot of "filler" - they need to keep you occupied, productively or not. At Y.E.S. there is no "filler" we get to know you and your concerns and then craft unique solutions that work for you and your life. Afterall, this is all about you. Give us a call today.

Behavior change succeeds when people are motivated, supported, and feel like their future prospects look better than their current realities. Success is the outcome of believing that it's possible and desirable. All of this comes from having faith in oneself, not in a particular program, and in finding help that is based on strengths, interests, and abilities, not weaknesses, "diseases," and a continuing focus on alcohol. Do yourself a favor. Call us and discuss what will work for you. Don't get sidelined into facilities that seek to mold you into their "program." Don't become just another dry drunk transferring your alcohol-focused life from bars to meetings. You deserve better than that. We'll help you find it.

One Client's Experience with our 5 Day Program

I confess that I flew to southern California with a lot of misgivings. I almost cancelled the night before I left home. I'd talked to Dr. Wilson several times and he'd provided me with a lot of material, answers, and ideas. There hadn't been any pressure from him, and I appreciated that. It's probably why I didn't cancel- he left it up to me, confident that I'd make the right choice for myself. I liked that.

The first morning I met with Dr. Wilson and Dr. Barnes, in their offices was reassuring. Quiet surroundings, comfortable space without being showy or worse - shabby, like so many other offices I had seen. They insisted on being Ed and Mary Ellen, no pretense. They asked about my flight and hotel and if there was anything they could do to add to my comfort. Just their attitude was all I needed.

After going through the necessary paperwork Ed escorted me to a pre-arranged doctor's appointment, since I didn't want to work with my own physician back home. The doctor spent a lot of time with me and we discussed various supportive medications and he provided me with prescriptions for use if I decided I wanted to try that. I was amazed, no one was telling me what to do. Only asking how they could help.

Following that appointment, Mary Ellen, Ed and I had lunch and discussed the week's schedule. At their suggestion, and given I was tired from the stress and flight, I took the afternoon to relax, take a walk on the beach near my hotel, and simply settle in. That evening I began reading one of the books they provided but soon fell asleep. It had been a long time since I'd slept that well.

We met again the following morning at 9:00. We had long discussions about my drinking, triggering events, patterns, family involvement, and so on. They probed gently and offered insights for me to consider. We started looking at all of the aspects of my life: family, health, work, finances, recreation, social events, and emotional issues. Some areas were fine, others so-so, and a few had real problems in need of correcting.

Three hours went by, fast. "Enough," one of them said. "What should I do now?" I asked. A short discussion led to my decision to go golfing at a public course overlooking the Pacific. It was wonderful and I signed up for tee times for the following two days.

Evening found me doing more homework, reading, jotting notes, and reflecting over what I was learning. I also started thinking about going home and how that was apt to be. Mary Ellen and Ed had stressed being prepared - especially for negative reactions to my abstinence (I had decided that that was the right goal for me, though they would have worked with me to moderate my drinking if I wanted to do that).

The following days continued in that pattern: two and a half to three hours of very intense counseling; lunch; golf; a walk on the beach; dinner; homework; and eight to ten hours of sleep. I felt better than I had in years.

At the end of my seven days I felt ready to return home and to all of the possibilities and problems that were still there. I understood that not all of the problems involved in my drinking were within my control to fix, and that my alcohol abuse was more of a symptom than a cause. There was going to have to be a lot of ongoing behavior change on my part if I wasn't going to slip back into old patterns.

Nevertheless, not all of the problems were mine. I was learning how to detach from other family members and to let them assume responsibility for fixing their own problems.

In conclusion I can say that my experience was nothing like what I expected, and feared. The focus was on my strengths and interests, not my failings. We planned for my future and didn't waste time dwelling on the past. I received permission to live a better and happier life and to leave my alcohol abuse behind me. I can't imagine how I accomplished so much, but I did, and there has been more peace at home than I can remember feeling for years and years.

Give us a call to discuss the specifics of your situation. You'll be glad you did. Call us toll free at 888-541-6350

Planning Your Stay in Southern California

Within a 60 minute drive from our offices, you can see most of the famous and fun sites that the Los Angeles area offers - the beaches, Universal Studios, Disneyland, the Aquarium of the Pacific, Malibu, Rodeo Drive - these are just a few. We are also close to the lovely beaches of the South Bay, a fabulous whale watching site, whale watching cruises and world class golfing at Trump National Golf Course in Palos Verdes.

Our clients have stayed at a variety of local hotels, including the Marriott Hotel and the Doubletree Hotel in Torrance, CA and the Best Western and Portofino Inn in Redondo Beach. If you are looking for a place to stay, we can recommend these or you can search hotel sites on the internet looking for places you would prefer, in either Torrance, CA or Redondo Beach, CA.

Clients usually fly into Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) but some fly into Long Beach Airport. Both are convenient to our offices.

Call us today to arrange your 5-Day Program.
888.541.6350