Harm Reduction Information Sharing Sessions

Sessions are on Sundays, 6:30pm - 7:30pm

About the Group

These are small, informal groups that emphasize expanding knowledge and skills to help individuals reduce harm from behaviors. Factual information sharing and participant sharing are emphasized. While there is a discussion emphasis, you decide how much or how little personal information you choose to share.

What is "Harm Reduction?"

Harm reduction is an approach that values non-judgment, fact-based information and practical strategies to help reduce risk and negative consequences associated with behaviors, particularly substance use. Harm reduction philosophy emphasizes client-centered services, a positive focus, and value of individualism, self-determination and human rights.

Benefits of Participation

Information that is reviewed and skills that are practiced are adding abilities to help you promote well-being and improved competence as you face the realities of life. Information and skills empower you to take positive action to protect yourself and to promote health and lifestyle.

How Do I Get Started?

Review the upcoming group topics on the sign-up sheets at Harborside - simply sign up for the sessions that will be of benefit to you. New sessions are added frequently so check the binders each time that you visit Harborside.

About the Facilitators

John Caldwell Lorenz has worked in harm reduction for nearly 20 years and has trained extensively at the Harm Reduction Therapy Center. He is a certified addiction specialist and has promoted and implemented harm reduction within buprenorphine clinics, homeless shelters, hospital emergency departments, and psychiatric wards. John has an interest in the concept of cannabis as a substitute and works towards further examination and implementation of this idea.

Jennifer Janichek, M.A., has been involved in harm reduction for nearly 10 years and believes that understanding this framework leads to healthier living. Jennifer's harm reduction experience ranges from needle exchanges to implementing housing first for chronically homeless individuals, to creating drug education curriculums for middle and high school students.

Psycho-educational Forums

About the Group

These are small, informal groups that provide information and allow for discussion about mental health. While there is an interactive emphasis, you decide how much or how little personal information you choose to share.

What Does "Psycho-Educational" Mean?

These forums create a space for education and discussion about psychiatric (mental health) matters such as depression, positive psychology, or co-occurring illness. Each week a different topic is discussed.

Benefits of Participation

Reviewed information will add to your ability to help you promote mental well-being as you face the realities of life. Information and shared experiences will empower you to take positive action to protect yourself and to experience improved mental health.

How Do I Get Started?

Review the upcoming group topics on the sign-up sheets - simply sign up for the sessions that will be of benefit to you. New sessions are added frequently so check the binders each time that you visit Harborside.

About the Facilitator

Jennifer Janichek received her master's degree in clinical psychology and has been working in the mental health and substance use field for eight years. She has extensive mental health and substance use assessment and treatment experience. Jennifer believes that information can be a vital first step towards personal reflection and self-discovery processes, as well as improved lifestyle.

Coping, Life and Social Skills

About the Group

These are small, informal groups that emphasize learning and practicing of skills. While there is a behavioral emphasis, you will decide how much or how little personal information you choose to share.

What Is a "Skills Group?"

Sessions focus on skill-building and revolve around learning and applying skills to lead a healthier life and to deal with life stressors. The goal of the group is that participants learn how to use and apply the skills in everyday life. Skills-group topic areas include:
• Interpersonal relationship/communication skills
• Stress and self-management skills
• Decision-making/critical-thinking skills
• Self-awareness/mindfulness skills
• Healthy lifestyle/skills for living well

What is a "Series?"

Each topic area has its own series. It is recommended that you sign up for the series in order. For example, you may first decide to sign up for stress and self-management skills 101, you would then sign up to attend the 102 session, then the 103, and so on. This will allow you to build off of your knowledge from the previous sessions. However, you may sign up for any group, at any time, regardless of your participation in prior sessions.

Benefits of Participation

Skills that are reviewed and practiced are adding to your abilities to help you promote mental well-being and improved competence as you face the realities of life. These skills empower you to take positive action to protect yourself and to promote healthy mental and physical health, as well as lead to more positive social relationships.

How Do I Get Started?

Review the upcoming topic series - simply sign up for the sessions that will be of benefit to you. New sesssions are added frequently so check the binders each time that you visit Harborside.

About the Facilitator

Jennifer Janichek, M.A. , believes that everyday life decisions involve benefits and risks, and that our decisions and behaviors are partially impacted by knowledge, attitude and skills.

Participation in this group can lead to adoption of healthier behavior and improved lifestyle.

Online Support

Groups are on Wednesdays, 7:00pm - 8:30pm

About the Group<

This clinical service is an online support group that provides therapeutic and social support and information about drug use, misuse and addiction for individuals who feel they might benefit from participating in such a group. While there is an interactive emphasis, you decide how much or how little personal information you choose to share.

What is an "Online Support Group?"

These are self-empowering, science-based, mutual-help, online groups. The topics and activities are comparable to other in-person therapeutic support groups, but the experience is on the Internet. The group is anchored by SMART Recovery (self-management and recovery training). Meeting participants are limited to Harborside Health Center members and the meeting is hosted by a trained facilitator.
When is the Online Group Held?

Online meetings are held every Wednesday from 7:00pm to 8:30pm.

How Do I Get Started?

Check out the website http://www.smartrecovery.org for more information. Inside the binder at Harborside is an information pamphlet for you to take home to direct you in participation.

If you have any questions related to this service please contact the facilitator, Jim Dickey, at Jim@JDickey.com .
Benefits of Participation

Addiction research tells us that finding and belonging to a supportive social support network is important for improved well-being and change. Shared experiences and similar goals of those around you help to empower you to make desired changes.

About the Facilitator

Jim Dickey is a trained and certified online SMART recovery facilitator with over 20 years in addiction recovery. Jim has had personal experience at live-in recovery programs, as well as extensive knowledge of and experience in group therapy sessions and 12-step groups. Jim values evidence-based programs and believes that clinical services need not focus on abstinence from all substances, but rather lessening of harm that substance use, misuse or addiction may cause.

Individual Consultation, Assessment and Referral

About Individual Consultation and Assessment

This clinical service is meant for patients who feel they have a substance misuse or substance dependency issue. This service provides an avenue to consult one-on-one with a trained professional to discuss and assess the following:
• Your benefits/harms related to substance use
• Specific life domains impacted positively and negatively by substance use
• Co-occurring mental health issues
• Goals and readiness for change. The assessment results inform treatment discussion, including further community treatment options, as well as recommendations for clinical services offered at Harborside.

What to Expect from Your Consultation and Assessment

Expect to participate in two 50-minute sessions. During the first session you will complete, with a trained counselor, appropriate formal assessments. This is mostly a question-and-answer session. In the second session, assessment results and next steps will be discussed and referral recommendations will be approved.

How Do I Get Started?

For your first session please sign up in the binder at Harborside. Your second session is scheduled with the counselor for one week later at the end of your first session.

Benefits of Participation

This service will allow you to further assess your current situation and your goals. Information will be given as needed regarding available supports, harm reduction techniques, and normalization of experiences. Recommended concrete next steps will be given and appropriate service referrals will be provided to you.

About the Facilitator

Jennifer Janichek recieved her master’s degree in clinical psychology and has been working in the mental health and substance use field for eight years. She has extensive assessment and treatment planning experience and believes that assessment can help to start a personal reflection and self-discovery process necessary for change.

Individual, Brief, One-on-One Counseling

About One-on-One Counseling

This clinical service is meant for patients who feel they have substance misuse or substance dependency issues. These are goal-oriented sessions with a present-day focus. This service will last up to 10 sessions and sessions are 50 minutes in length.

What to Expect from Counseling

During counseling you can expect to complete goal planning and assessment of goal progress, as well as participate in guided, self-discovery discussion and skill learning.

Conversations will focus on drug use, and the positive and negative impact on common life themes such as romantic relationships, physical health or psychiatric status, etc. You will explore areas of your life that you want to explore and change.

How Do I Get Started?

For your first session please sign up on the sign-up sheets found at Harborside. Continuing sessions are scheduled with the counselor at the end of each session.

Benefits of Participation

Promotion of self discovery will help the participant to evolve his or her understanding of thoughts and behaviors. The participant will be given information so that thoughts and behaviors can be altered to reduce barriers to progress and to obtain set goals. It is the goal that participants will build a solid understanding of the risk/benefit analysis framework, have increased coping skills and increased motivation for desired change, as well as stress relief options and an expanded social network.

About the Facilitator

Jennifer Janichek received her master’s degree in clinical psychology and has been working in the mental health and substance use field for eight years. She has extensive assessment and treatment planning experience and believes that goal setting, skill building, personal reflection, and self-discovery processes are helpful for everyone.