LAW OFFICES OF XYZ
Your firm’s tagline goes here.
Alternatives Professional Counseling, Inc.
Alternatives
strives to enable
financially
challenged
clients to
receive the help
that may not be
possible
elsewhere.  
Alternatives
accepts most
major insurance.


Alternatives is
always willing to
provide
information, and
on request,    
informational
materials,
including
training or
orientation to
Alternative’s
available
programs.


The availability
of concurrent
DV and CD
treatment in
one agency that
provides:   
Better client
accessibility, and
comprehensive
progress goals.
Alternatives Programs

Domestic Violence Perpetrator Treatment Programs

Alternatives Professional Counseling has taken a pro-active stance against domestic
violence which continues to be a serious, nation-wide problem.  Alternatives offers
comprehensive therapy and educational learning opportunities for client’s to “break
the cycle of violence”  that is often found in family relationships.  Client focus is on
achieving cognitive and behavioral change, utilizing directed learning, specific
mandatory assignments, and personal process within gender specific group
sessions.  The Domestic Violence Program is  progress linked, rather than time
linked.  Change must be observed in order to progress in the program; time in
place is not enough. This decreased  focus on session numbers allows participants
to apply learning and increased coping skills in all of their interpersonal
relationships.  

At the initial intake for the program, the client is asked to complete screening
material and is interviewed in order to better understand the individual situation.   In
addition to the mandated recommendation there may also be recommendations for
a substance abuse/dependency evaluation, a mental health evaluation or parenting
classes (if children are involved and or witness to violence).  *Intake assessment for
the Domestic Violence Program is such that it allows staff to develop and
individualized treatment plans that can encompass many factors and needs:
Mental Health
Chemical Dependency / Substance Abuse
Parenting Issues
We assess the clients positive attributes to empower the individuals potential to
change current behaviors.  Participants in the program complete the
MRT®
Domestic Violence Program as well as other mandated tasks in the program that
require accountability per the WA Administrative Code, challenging old beliefs,
achieving and committing to behavioral change.  The Domestic Violence Program is
a minimum of one-year in length.  

Unique Program Features:
The Domestic Violence Program is a clean and sober program, we do random
urinalysis in client groups.  Alternatives addresses the CD/DV connection often
found in conflicted and violent relationships.  Asking individuals to remain clean and
sober increases learning capabilities and retention of information learned.
Individualized treatment planning allows clients that need substance abuse treatment
to attend concurrent treatment regimens in the same location without the schedule
conflicts encountered with outside programs. This option also results in reduced
monetary cost to clients.
Gender specific program groups.
Domestic Violence Treatment Provider for in custody clients.
Program intake evaluation for clients in legal custody.
______________________________________

Alternatives is an active member of the Domestic Violence Task Force in Thurston County and follow
treatments standards as established, we are committed to following the guidelines specified in
Washington Administrative Code 388.60.

Victim Services

For each domestic violence perpetrator, there is a victim.  In many of these
situations, the abuse is more than just the physical violence that finally brought the
police.  Abuse is usually a control issue: physical, mental, emotional, and/or
economic control over another.  Over time this can cause misery and loss of self-
confidence and self trust-for the victim, which may cause him or her to return to the
abusive situation over and over again.  We are authorized by The Crime Victims
Compensation section of L & I to provide victim services.
With a domestic violence charge often goes a no-contact or protection order by the
court between the victim and the perpetrator of the violence.  In order to have the
no contact order lifted the victim must apply to the court, and the court most often
will request a recommendation from a Domestic Violence Treatment Provider.  
Most Thurston County Perpetrator Treatment agencies follow the guidelines of the
Domestic Violence Task Force of Thurston County.  
This requires that a
perpetrator must be in treatment for at least eight sessions and exhibit some
cognitive and behavioral change.
This gives the counselor a period of time to:

Obtain enough collateral information, to be able to assess the lethality of the
perpetrator and the situation.  To work with the victim.
To provide a cooling down period.  To allow both the victim and batterer to have
some time to reflect on the issues without having to return to the same situation
where issues still exist without resolution.   The major goal is to provide protection
for the victim, the secondary goal is provide new communication skills, and coping
strategies, so that a return to the situation will not repeat old patterns.

Chemical Dependency - Substance Abuse Program Services






Alternatives utilizes the MRT® [Moral Reconation Therapy] program within the
scope of current accepted therapeutic regimens for  Substance
Abuse/Dependency, Parenting Therapy and Domestic Violence Programs.  MRT®
is a systematic step by step treatment strategy designed to enhance self image
through accountability, responsibility and the development of higher states of moral
reasoning.  This is the same program that is currently used within drug courts and
correctional facilities. All treatment staff are certified to provide the MRT®
program.  
Alternatives provides chemical dependency assessments for those suspecting that
they may have a substance abuse or dependency problem, and for individuals with
legal issues associated with chemical use, i.e., DWI, alcohol or drug use associated
with another crime.  Assessment may be requested by Guardian ad Litem’s,
DCFS, Domestic Violence Treatment Agencies, or Legal Representation.   
Alternatives is approved and certified by the state Division of Behavioral Health
and Recovery.

Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery

Substance abuse/dependency assessments, DWI assessments, deferred
prosecution evaluations.
Alternatives provides both Outpatient and Intensive Outpatient Programs, Relapse
Prevention and Continuing Care programs..
Intensive out patient treatment from intake to continuing care programs, with
individualized treatment plans throughout the entire course of treatment.
Alternatives staff is certified to present and teach alcohol and drug information
school [ADIS].   

Adolescent Substance Abuse/Dependency Treatment Program

Currently not available due to discontinuation of State and County funding.
Alternatives is available to make referral to an appropriate agency
.

Anger Management Program

The anger management program is a cognitive learning and achieving behavioral
goals to reduce consequential behavior and thinking.  It offers client’s learning
specific skills to reduce stress, understand underlying feelings behind self generated
anger.  The program offers achievable goals through specific lessons in a
progressive workbook.  The program is variable in length, client’s are asked to
meet exit criteria of understanding, learning and assignment mileposts.  The program
is group oriented to provide support and feedback from individuals attempting to
meet common goals.
The program is offered on a sliding fee scale, it open ended in that client may enter
the group at anytime.
Progressive learning and milepost achievements through workbook    
assignments.
Experiential learning towards behavioral change.
Completion based exit criteria.  Means improved outcome on goals.

Parenting Therapy & Education Program

The children involved in domestic violence as participants or observers, as well as
the children of those abusing or dependent on chemical substances, require special
understanding in order not to become future abusers and users themselves.  Our
parenting therapy dovetails with our other programs.  Within this program based on
Moral Reconation Therapy, with special anger management components for each
session, individuals, and couples confront their own parenting styles, values, and
methods of discipline.  The program also focuses on domestic violence and
chemical abuse / dependency and how they impact the family.  The program is in
part process oriented, this gives clients the opportunity to express their views and
discuss individual situations that they face in providing a healthy, safe place for
children to grow and learn.  Each session has a psycho-educational component.  
The sessions are open ended and self paced.  The program takes a minimum of
twenty hours to complete.  All participants receive a comprehensive workbook,
this allows participants hands on and visual mapping of tasks and progress!
Individuals or couples may start the program at any time.  Sessions on:

Parent Values
Parenting Young Children
Handling Children's Problems
Parenting Adolescents and Teens
Problems in Adolescents and Teens

With the components listed above, Parenting Therapy at Alternatives offers more
than just classes, lectures and videos.  The therapy staff offer years of experience in
providing family and multi-family therapy as well as group facilitation in both
residential treatment, and outpatient treatment settings
Chemical
Abuse/
Dependency
Treatment
Program

Anger
Management
Please
scroll down
for program
list.
Programs listed
on the right are
some of the
course offerings.  
Alternatives
provides other
programs and
modalities.  
Please contact
the agency for
further
information.

Parenting
Family
Alternatives now offers Saturday group sessions
on Saturdays.