Program Activities

Travel club

Participation in this club will be at the expense of the resident or responsible paying member of the resident.

Once a year travel within the 50 states or abroad (must have a passport for abroad trips).
Staff supervision will be provided based on the number of traveling residents.
Medication for all will be brought on the trip for the length of the trip and extra medications for emergency extended stay.
Travel insurance for each person will be obtain for all trips taken.
Consent forms will be signed by residents and/or paying family members
Shared room accommodations (males and females separate)
All tours/activities done as a group
meals and non-Alcoholic drinks included in price: includes breakfast, lunch and dinner
Price does not include snacks or souvenirs. Resident will need their own personal money for this.

Volunteering/Community Involvement

Helping others is a blessing and can be rewarding for all involved, whether being on the giving or receiving end. When our residents are willing to give of themselves through their time and efforts, it helps with reducing stress, combating against depression, keeps the individual mentally stimulated and provides a sense of purpose in life. Our participants in the volunteer club will:

Have multiple opportunities to volunteer in the Houston area community
Be driving by staff to location (possibly 2 to 3 days a week) to volunteer
Be supervised by Next Step Behavioral Houston residential care counselors or interns
Be expected to share their experience and feelings with group members in a process group
Opportunity to coordinate efforts within the community with staff
Lunch will be provided, if volunteers have not returned to campus by lunch time
Opportunity to create a newsletter for NSBH to highlight our community involvement (potential paid work-program assignment. TBD)

Exercising

Daily physical activity is essential to our overall health and mental stability. Our residents will be encouraged to participate in some level of physical activity. A requirement of physical activity will be included in their treatment plan as a requirement of at least 2 to 3 days a week. Residents will have the option to join the local YMCA in the community (expense paid by resident or paying family member), walking, Zumba, yoga, bike riding and/or hiking. There will be a variety of options presented to residents weekly.

Social Outings

It is important for residents to have the option to participate in social outing out in the community. This program is vital to the healing process in their treatment. When the residents can engage and interact with other members in the community, this can become therapeutic. It also can be helpful for those individuals that isolate and stay to themselves. We want to encourage as socialization and we do that by offering options such as:

Going to the local museums
Attending the zoo
Going to local plays at the Miller Outdoor theatre
Going bowling as a group
Going on a ferry boat ride in Galveston
Going to the beach in Galveston
Going fishing/Crabbing
And many more options…

Meal Preparation

Residents will play a part in the preparation of meals. They will be educated on kitchen and food safety. This will include planning the weekly menu, researching healthy recipes, grocery shopping for ingredients with staff member, setting of the table and cleaning after meals. These are life skills that are necessary for living independently outside of Next Step Behavioral Houston doors. Residents participating in preparing the meal will be supervised and supported by residential care counselor/staff.

Nurse Education Group

There will be a monthly facilitated group by the nurse regarding health-related medical issues/concerns. It’s an opportunity for Q/A and to be educated on different health topics. All residents are encouraged to attend.

Spirituality in Recovery

Spirituality is the holistic approach to recovery at Next Step Behavioral Houston. We understand that some residents may benefit from familiar religious practices while others may not. Spirituality can be a religious attachment or a way of gaining insight about ourselves and a way of making sense of our personal life’s journey. Residents have the option to explore their spiritual practices that works best for them. This can be explored through prayer, attending church services, studying written text, group discussion with other resident, meditative exercising, creative writing and/or art.

Substance Abuse Group/12 Step-Program

Our substance abuse program will be led by our licensed chemical dependency counselor (LCDC or LCDC-intern). The group will provide education on substance misuse, stress management, thinking patterns, as well as addressing issues directly related to alcohol and drug use. Participants will also participate in a 12 Step-Program under the supervision of the LCDC or intern.
o Individuals with substance use with be subjected to random drug testing

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)

CBT is an evidence-based practice used to help residents understand the thoughts and feelings that influence behaviors. CBT is commonly used to treat a wide range of disorders, including phobias, addictions, depression, and anxiety. To see more description, see ‘what we treat’ tab.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

DBT is an evidence-based practice. It was developed to better treat individuals with borderline personality disorder but has proven to be effective treatment for other forms of mental illness. DBT is fundamentally based on the principles of acceptance and change. Also, DBT has four modules that aim to help clients discover a life worth living. The modules are:

Mindfulness
Distress tolerance
Emotional regulation
Interpersonal effectiveness

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