The Drug Rehab Sober College and the Southern California Neuropsychological group, headed by Dr. Michelle Conover, recently began a collaborative effort to help better treat young adults suffering from drug and alcohol addiction.
Dr. Michelle Conover's resume is long and filled with honors. A few highlights of her resume include studying at UCLA, Pacifica Graduate Institute, Fielding Graduate Institute, working with all types of patients from PTSD victims to people with Alzheimer's, children to adults. She opened her own private practice in 2003 with the goal of providing a better type of treatment. She explained, "People often go to the doctor's office and have to wait for an hour for a fifteen minute appointment. I wanted to give people the positive experience that they deserve when seeking help." The pairing of the Southern California Neuropsychology Group and Sober College is collaboration between two non-traditional based treatment teams.
Neuropsychology combines the study of brain functions with knowledge of psychology. A major portion of neuropsychology centers on screenings to see how to best help clients. Dr. Conover offers mini screenings to the residents. The screenings test attention, concentration, executive functioning, verbal and visual memory. The assessments provide a snap shot of the brain that allows Sober College's treatment team to better help the student and the student to be conscious of how they perceive the world around them.
Dr. Conover explained about how neuropsychology can help train people's brains to think differently. "Depression is comfortable and familiar for many addicts and alcoholics. I try and make them aware of this trend, give them a positive experience, and help them to see life more optimistically." Our brain tries to preserve energy, by taking familiar paths of thinking; therefore, causing us to repeat unhealthy and destructive behavior simply because we do not know another way to behave and think. Dr. Conover helps students become aware of these trends. Students are made aware not only of their positive thought processes, but also the parts of their thinking that is causing them to suffer or not live up to their full potential. The students are also given several suggestions on how to change some of their processes. It is as if Conover is a Brain Detective. At her private practice, Dr. Conover tends to use some non-traditional fitness regimes.
"I'm a real gamer," Conover explained, "I like to use video games to try and help people work out their brains. It has proven to be very effective for my clients." The Southern California Neuropsychology Group has been heading up the BEAMZ Project, which combines music and the ability to interact with a cartoon show. The game and companion cartoon are meant to help provide a brain workout for young children. She is also working on a virtual reality game that will help returning soldiers that suffer from PTSD. The game allows the soldiers to create an "avatar" and live out social interactions with others before they actually happen. The program challenges participants to interact outside of the virtual world to gain points to further their progress. The Southern California Neuropsychology group is definitely ahead of its time.
The collaborate efforts between Sober College and the Southern Neuropsychology Group have allowed students to gain an understanding of themselves that otherwise would not be available. Sober College Clinical Director Loree Cohen, LCSW, said, "Dr. Conover has helped us to better understand how to help our students both in and out of the classroom. This relationship allows us to utilize more innovative techniques and methods to assist with positive change. Combining the expertise of Dr. Conover with that of the SC clinical team provides our students with a comprehensive approach to mental health, communication, and psycho education. Sober College offers Dr. Conover a progressive environment with the clinical support needed to accomplish her work."
Sober Collegeis a small private institution providing alcohol and drug treatment environments for young adults age 17 to 25. The Sober College curriculum builds core competencies in life skills, employment, academics, emotional well-being, and fitness.