As a center for clinical excellence, we invest heavily in the following areas to ensure we provide a world-class client experience and drive the best possible long-term outcomes. The following practices help us achieve this objective:
An Emphasis on “Therapeutic Alliance”
At the heart of our approach is an emphasis on the quality of the collaborative relationship and emotional bond, also known as the “therapeutic alliance”, between the individual client and their primary therapist. That’s because the research is clear that therapeutic alliance results in better outcomes. Clinical studies now show, in fact, that therapeutic alliance is one of the single biggest predictors of positive treatment outcomes—regardless of the particular treatment modality (Proctor, 2014).
We therefore apply the following best practices for fostering and strengthening therapeutic alliance:
- We conduct ongoing trainings for our clinical staff in how to create and strengthen therapeutic alliance.
- We consistently measure therapeutic alliance according to standardized measures.
- Our clinical staff is trained and supervised according to these measures of therapeutic alliance, so that they can make real-time improvements in the care they provide clients.
At Beach House, we utilize all of these treatments, as part of a full continuum of care that enables us to provide whatever level of care a client may require—at any point in the life cycle of their disease:
Our Client-Directed, Outcome-Informed Approach (CDOI)
Our Client-Directed, Outcome Informed (CDOI) approach empowers clients to be active contributors to their treatment plan, and facilitates the collection and evaluation of real-time feedback, which in turn helps our clinicians improve treatment outcomes. Our section titled “Beach House Treatment Outcomes” contains more information about CDOI and how we employ it
Outcomes Tracking
Our team of clinicians employs evidence-based measurement tools for tracking and optimizing treatment outcomes. (You can find the data on our treatment outcomes here.)
First, because of its critical role in effecting positive treatment outcomes, the therapeutic alliance is our focus from Day 1 of treatment. That is when, in addition to administering an in-depth psychiatric assessment that helps us determine the personalized needs and goals of the client, the client is assigned to a therapist based on their responses to a “Goodness of Fit” (GOF) evaluation.
The GOF is a qualitative assessment tool that Beach House developed in order to gauge and optimize the therapeutic alliance for every incoming client. The instrument is closely modeled after other standardized indicators of treatment outcome, as evidenced from the latest clinical research (Proctor and Herschman, 2015).
Second, Beach House has invested in an independent third-party company charged with tracking and analyzing the outcomes of all of our clients. The data collected in this effort is the ongoing basis for future clinical research, and creates a feedback loop to improve client experience and outcomes.
Heal in an environment of medical and clinical excellence.
Clinical Supervision
Based on responses to the GOF (above), the best fit of therapist from among our team of skilled clinicians is assigned. Weekly clinical evaluation and supervision of therapy sessions follow thereafter.
This regular and ongoing assessment of the quality of the therapeutic alliance helps us track client progress and strengthen client-therapist connection and collaboration, which is so critical to positive outcomes. Indeed, studies have revealed that regular supervision of therapy sessions—via the evaluation of videotaped sessions, for example—is associated with better treatment outcomes (Proctor and Herschman, 2015).
Cinical supervision at Beach House is thus a formal and disciplined working alliance between a clinician and a more experienced clinical supervisor. Together they review and reflect upon each client’s case, with the aim of improving the supervisee’s work with clients, ensuring client welfare, and supporting the supervisee in relation to their work and professional development.
Clinicians receive one hour of clinical supervision for every 20 hours of direct service. Supervision involves a combination of group and individual supervision, including the observation and evaluation of actual clinical sessions. Our full-time clinical supervisors carry a caseload of up to 10 therapists.
Multidisciplinary Team Treatment Meetings
Our weekly multidisciplinary team meetings are a regular opportunity to review every client’s case from the perspective of those most closely involved in their care, including doctors, nurses, therapists, case managers, techs and other staff. The content of the meeting revolves around how the client is responding to treatment in the context of their treatment plan goals, so that, where necessary, adjustments to interventions can be made in order to achieve the best treatment outcome possible.
Family Program
A substance use disorder (SUD) is a disease that impacts the entire family system, which is why addiction is sometimes referred to as a “family disease.” If the family system is not changed, any gains obtained in treatment are likely to be lost quickly. Family therapy, which has been evidenced to improve treatment outcomes, addresses the addiction in the context of the entire family system, and works to restore the health of both the client and their family. Our family program provides an opportunity for families of clients to engage with their loved one using these family therapy tools for recovery, under the supervision of a licensed marriage and family therapist. Our “Family Program” section contains more details.
