Reactive Attachment Disorder Treatment Center & Clinic in North Mississippi

Learn more about reactive attachment disorder treatment at Millcreek of Pontotoc

Reactive attachment disorder (RAD) is rare, but very serious mental illness that develops in infancy or early childhood when children are not provided with the appropriate affection necessary for establishing healthy bonds and developing positive emotional attachments. When children are not given this compassion during the most critical stages of their development, they are at risk of not being able to ever feel a sense of safety in their surroundings. They are also denied the ability to learn how to appropriately trust others. These children will present with markedly disturbed and developmentally inappropriate attachment behaviors, such as rarely seeking comfort, support, protection, and nurturing from any type of caregiver or other attachment figure. While the presence of RAD can have a devastating impact on the lives of children and adolescents afflicted by it, there is treatment available.

At Millcreek of Pontotoc, a reactive attachment disorder treatment clinic in North Mississippi, we recognize the unique, and often overwhelming, challenges that come with having a child or teen who is suffering from reactive attachment disorder. Remaining sensitive to the needs of this population of children and teens, we offer specialized RAD treatment that is tailored to meet the individual needs of each child or teen who comes to our treatment center. Situated on 18 beautifully shaded acres of serene landscape, our 51-bed residential RAD treatment center provides caring and compassionate RAD treatment for children and teens who are struggling with reactive attachment disorder. In this safe and secure residential treatment clinic, the behavioral and educational needs of these emotionally disturbed children and teens can be addressed as they develop the skills they need to learn how to manage their symptoms, overcome their negative thought patterns, and take the first step towards the happy, healthy, and bright future they deserve.

Helping your child or teen get treatment

The presence of reactive attachment disorder is arguably one of the most difficult mental health conditions to watch a child or teen suffer from. You are likely feeling confused and heart-broken, desperately wanting to help your child or teen in any way that you can. It can be difficult to know where to start, but here are some things to keep in mind:

• Educate yourself on reactive attachment disorder. The greater an understanding you have about this illness, the greater insight you will have into what your child is experiencing.
• Foster a supportive environment for your child so that they that you are going to be there for them throughout every step of the treatment process.
• Research various treatment clinics in order to find one that will best meet your child’s needs.
• Maintain realistic expectations and celebrate small successes. Due to the severity of the nature of RAD, recovery will not be a quick process. Remain patient and encourage your child as each step forward is made.
• Remain positive. Children and teens are highly sensitive to the emotions of those around them and will pick up on any negativity that may be present.
• Recognize that, in order for you to be of the most help to your child or teen, you must take care of yourself as well. Find support groups for other parents who have children or teens with RAD or other types of mental health conditions, and lean on other people in your and your child’s life so that you do not feel as though you are facing a battle on your own.
• The most important thing to consistently remind yourself of is that there is no shame in seeking help. The sooner that your child begins engaging in treatment at a RAD treatment clinic, the greater their chance for success becomes.

Why consider treatment for reactive attachment disorder at Millcreek of Pontotoc in North Mississippi

When left untreated, the long-term effects that can result from reactive attachment disorder can be devastating. This illness can hinder a child from successfully developing both emotionally and socially, leaving them to experience great difficulty in interpersonal relationships. The symptoms of RAD can also prevent children and teens from being able to develop genuine feelings of compassion towards others, eliciting hindrances in their ability to develop and maintain significant, healthy interpersonal relationships. Additionally, children and teens who are suffering from reactive attachment disorder who do not receive RAD treatment are at an increased risk for experiencing anger problems, having an underdeveloped conscience, and struggling with control issues. Fortunately, with the implementation of appropriate RAD treatment, these adverse effects can be avoided.

Residential RAD treatment clinics are one option for children with RAD to receive the thorough, intensive care that they need. When children and teens enter into a residential RAD treatment clinic, they are walking into a safe and secure environment where their only focus has to be on healing. In this setting, children are given a structured, yet therapeutic, environment where they can confront their challenges, develop skills that can help them fight against those challenges, and learn how to interact appropriately with others. Additionally, in the safety of a residential RAD treatment center, children and teens with RAD are afforded the opportunity to learn and understand the importance of feeling compassion towards others while also learning how to develop an appropriate sense of trust in others.

Millcreek of Pontotoc’s treatment philosophy and benefits

At Millcretek of Pontotoc, a RAD treatment clinic in North Mississippi, we are dedicated to helping children and teens lead healthier, more productive lives. By using a multidisciplinary treatment team approach to care, our treatment clinic is able to afford our patients comprehensive treatment plans that integrate their specific developmental, emotional, behavioral, and educational needs into their individualized plans of action for receiving thorough care. All children and adolescents in our RAD treatment center benefit from having their own treatment teams, which are comprised of psychiatrists, clinical therapists, nurses, teachers, and other healthcare professionals who formulate their treatment plans in conjunction with parents or guardians. When your child or teen comes to our treatment center in North Mississippi for treatment, you can rest assured that they will be provided with the most optimal level of care possible in order to ensure that they leave treatment feeling successful, enriched, and fully prepared for the future.

Types of reactive attachment disorder treatment offered at Millcreek of Pontotoc in North Mississippi

At Millcreek of Pontotoc, located in North Mississippi, we understand that making the decision to place your child or teen into a residential treatment clinic can be difficult. We also understand that the process of doing so can seem intimidating, which is why we strive to make the admissions procedure as smooth, easy, and streamlined as possible. In an effort to be as accommodating as we can be, our treatment center’s highly trained and qualified staff is able to conduct psychosocial assessments over the phone, or in person, so as to allow for the admissions process to be a quick one. Once admitted for care, every child and teen will undergo a thorough evaluation process that includes physical, educational, psychological, and psychiatric assessments, the results of which will be added to the information provided by the initial psychosocial assessment. This thorough evaluation process allows the staff at our treatment facility to gain a full understanding of each child’s or teen’s unique developmental, emotional, and educational needs. Taking into account all of the information received throughout the course of these evaluations, an individualized RAD treatment plan is then devised for each child or adolescent. The various aspects of the therapeutic interventions that your child or teen will be afforded as part of their RAD treatment plan may include the following:

Medication management: In some instances, the implementation of psychotropic medications may be beneficial in helping to alleviate the distressing symptoms of reactive attachment disorder. Such needs will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Each child or teen will meet with a psychiatrist at our treatment clinic at least once each week in order to ensure the therapeutic effectiveness of any medications that are prescribed, as well as to make any changes that may be necessary.

Individual therapy: Individual therapy sessions at our treatment center are held for 60 minutes at least once each week and are designed to be a time for children to meet one-on-one with their therapists in order to discuss any concerns they have, to track treatment goals, and to work on personal skills-building. Additional sessions at our treatment center can always be added depending on a child’s needs or when specifically requested.

Group therapy: Children and teens in our residential RAD treatment clinic participate in 60 minute group therapy sessions five times each week. The majority of the groups are based on a cognitive behavioral therapeutic approach and include discussions on topics such as goal-setting, social skills, peer pressure, aggression, following rules, and bullying. All group topics are tailored to address specific issues that pertain to the children and teens participating in each particular group, so the topics will vary.

Family therapy: At our RAD treatment clinic in North Mississippi, we believe that family involvement is paramount in eliciting successful treatment outcomes. Patients and their families participate in 60 minute family therapy sessions at our treatment center at least twice each month. However, additional family sessions can be added at any time depending on a patient’s needs or when requested.

Clinical staffings: Each child or teen in our RAD treatment center is provided with two staffings during their first month in North Mississippi, and one staffing per month for each subsequent month that he or she is in our care. These staffings at our clinic provide patients and their parents or guardians with specified times to meet with their treatment team in order to discuss the child’s progress in all areas of treatment, including therapeutically and academically.

Experiential therapy: In order to provide a well-rounded approach to treatment, children and teens are offered additional therapeutic options as part of their RAD treatment plans. These options include art therapy, play therapy, and daily recreational therapy.

Education: While participating in treatment at our RAD treatment clinic in North Mississippi, all patients will attend our fully accredited, onsite therapeutic day school. Classes are held from 8:00am-2:00pm. All classes at our treatment center are taught by teachers who are certified to teach children with special needs, and classes are held in small classrooms with low student-to-teacher ratios in order to ensure that all academic needs are fully addressed.

Continuing care and levels of treatment for reactive attachment disorder

At Millcreek of Pontotoc, a RAD treatment center in North Mississippi, discharge planning starts at the time of admission. Throughout the course of RAD treatment, each patient’s progress is closely monitored in order to make sure that all RAD treatment goals are successfully reached and that appropriate recommendations for aftercare can be made. All referrals for aftercare services are made based solely on each patient’s present level of functioning at the time of discharge, as well as based on their skills set and the challenges that they may still be facing. Our staff will work with each patient and their family in order to set up any aftercare appointments or services that will help the patient remain successful. Additionally, when it is appropriate, our RAD treatment at our clinic can work with adolescents and teens in getting them set up with part-time jobs following their discharge.

For those families who are still in need of intensive services, but whose children or teens no longer require a residential treatment center, we often refer to MYPAC in order to facilitate wraparound services. MYPAC stands for Mississippi Youth Program Around the Clock and is an intensive wraparound service that provides patients and their families with home therapy services.

Some patients at our RAD treatment clinic will benefit from transitioning from our residential treatment center to our therapeutic day school treatment program as part of their step-down process as they re-integrate back into their home lives. Patients taking part in this RAD treatment option will receive weekly group and individual therapy sessions, along with monthly family therapy sessions and multidisciplinary treatment team meetings with their psychiatrist.

Whatever your child’s or teen’s ongoing needs may be, you should feel assured that the staff here at Millcreek of Pontotoc in North Mississippi will do everything in our power to help them continue on their path to success.