Treatment

When all else fails, Yes We Can Youth Clinics provides a solution for many young people (aged 13 to 25) suffering from mental health issues, addictions and behavioural problems. Our approach has proven to be very successful: about 70% no longer needs intensive care after having completed our treatment programme. Our success rate is so high because we do not work alone, but together with our fellows and their parents or carers. Successful treatment requires a serious effort from all of those involved. The collaborative approach at Yes We Can Youth Clinics has proven to be a turning point in the lives of thousands of teenagers and young adults.

We have comprehensively outlined our treatment method with the aim to provide a proper insight into the execution of care delivered by Yes We Can Youth Clinics for the benefit of young people and their parents/carers. Please click HERE for a full description of our treatment method.

Our unique treatment approach

The Yes We Can Youth Clinics method is based on the principle of (positive) group dynamics. Our approach is both individualised and systemic. We use a tightly structured programme for fellows and parents/carers to gain insight into their behaviour and its origins. Based on this approach, new tools are developed for helping them to get their lives back on track.

Our healthcare professionals and experts by experience work on the basis of unconditional acceptance of all those involved. We do not shun confrontation. Problems can be discussed openly and can be shared with us.

The programme is run by a large number of professionals and it includes the following therapies:

• Individual therapy
• Group therapy
• Psychiatric consultation
• Cognitive therapy
• Effective therapy for addiction
• Psycho-education
• Family coaching & counselling
• Emotion/aggression regulation
• Trauma processing
• A challenging, diverse sports- and outdoor programme

Suffering teens and young adults often have low self-esteem, fear of failure, authority problems, motivational and/or communication problems. Their parents consider this behaviour to be very frustrating. Often they blame themselves or those around them for the unacceptable behaviour of their child. Read more about our treatment on this page.

Dual Diagnosis

Today, dual diagnosis is a reoccurring theme in mental healthcare. Young people with a dual diagnosis suffer from a psychiatric disorder, but also struggle with some kind of addiction. Substance abuse and psychiatric disorders reinforce each other and this complicates treatment.

Their psychiatric condition might even push them to start using alcohol or drugs. Substance use leads to more or intensified symptoms of the psychiatric disorder at hand. With most dual diagnosis fellows experience problems in all areas of life: school or daily activities, social interactions, family relations and often in financial situations. It is difficult to break this cycle.

Treatment of Dual Diagnosis

Many fellows already received some form of professional help for an extended time period. In order to treat dual diagnosis, it is important that both addiction and psychiatric disorder are addressed. It is critical that the integrated treatment programme focuses on both problem areas at the same time. Almost always, an intensive programme is required. Treating both problems simultaneously results in a reduction of psychiatric symptoms and puts a definite end to active problematic behaviour of teens and young adults.

Inclusion Criteria

Working with group dynamics, fellows need to be able to work in groups and be sufficiently motivated. They also need to demonstrate some capacity of self-reflection and possess a certain degree of comprehension skills. Please note: a basic proficiency of English is required. Read more about our inclusion criteria here.