Treatment Philosophy

The treatment program at the The Hook Center is dedicated to enhancing the psychological, emotional, and interpersonal functioning of its residents. Efforts to help residents modify dysfunctional behaviors and to teach improved coping skills are accompanied by an emphasis on accepting and respecting residents as individuals with diverse backgrounds, interests, and abilities. By using positive feedback and encouragement in a non-coercive manner while minimizing the use of punishment, The Hook Center program helps residents grow into healthy, adaptive individuals with a capacity to appropriately manage themselves and to use non-destructive means to deal with their conflicts and frustrations.

In learning to identify maladaptive thoughts, feelings and behaviors, residents come to understand and anticipate the consequences of negative choices and learn to replace these with more effective and lasting solutions to their problems. Residents thereby learn to avoid self-defeating styles of responding to the demands and expectations of their environment. Through the teaching of coping and social skills and by guiding residents to develop alternative ways to handle their difficulties, the program encourages residents to develop a strong, healthy and adaptive sense of self-confidence and self-esteem. In teaching residents appropriate verbal and nonverbal expression of feelings, the program helps affirm and enhance the resident's sense of self-control and optimism.

The Hook Center utilizes a multidisciplinary treatment approach. Team members include an on site and consulting: clinical psychologist, counseling therapist, recreation therapist, psychiatrist, education specialist, dietary consultant, residential care supervisors, and mental health technicians.