teens smiling and having fun at about Ascend Healthcare

Ascend’s founder, Effie Goldberg, has dedicated his life to helping teens who are struggling to find passion, purpose, and a place in this world. After working for decades as the Executive Director of a large non-profit organization, Effie felt a continuous pull towards the children in his community — children and teens he felt were struggling the most. 

Young people often feel misunderstood or disconnected from their families or peers, leading to experimentation with drugs and engaging in self-harming behaviors. Effie spent many years questioning how he could do better by the young people who were suffering and was ultimately inspired to start a program that emphasizes family, passion, and empowerment. It was through this lens that Ascend Healthcare was born. Take some time to learn more about Ascend here.

Bringing A Vision to Life

While Effie is not a clinician, he prides himself on his ability to build teams. As an independently owned and operated company, the team Effie pulled together is the heart of our program. Each member of the Ascend community —from the dedicated and dynamic clinical team to the experienced mentors — brings their own unique passions to the treatment we provide. They love the work they do and bring an unparalleled energy to the space that you feel from the moment you walk in the door. 

Ascend is a clinically driven program from start to finish, and every effort is made to ensure all of our clients are placed with the right clinician who can help them learn more about mental health. We individualize treatment plans and discharge recommendations to ensure every client has a care plan that caters to their needs.

Over the past several years, as people learn about Ascend, we have gained a reputation amongst families and professionals for its dedication to individual clients and positive treatment outcomes. 

  • Learn about Effie and the Ascend Team here.
  • Explore the Ascend Outcome Measures here.

What Treatment Typically Looks Like

Treatments at Ascend take place in a cozy home instead of an office or hospital. Most of our clients love the personalized feeling of this environment and relax much more easily with our staff and their fellow peers.

Once your child settles into our treatment center and learns more about Ascend Healthcare, we create a schedule that suits their needs. In addition to more conventional therapy techniques, Ascend also integrates experiential therapy modalities to provide your teen a creative outlet and access enjoyable activities.

Depending on the needs of your child, other care protocol may include:

  • Psychotherapy for underlying mental health concerns
  • Behavioral counseling that focuses on substance abuse education
  • Group sessions for social skills development and coping skills applications
  • Talk therapy to draw out the teen and chart a course to better health
  • Educational programming to make up for any lost time in school
  • Weekly family therapy with the entire support system

Healthy Diet and Nutrition

There is one element of mental health treatment that many people overlook — healthy diet and nutrition. Many people struggling with substance abuse and mental illness neglect their nutrition, but having a healthy diet is a major part of healing. At Ascend, we place a focus on nutrition with a nutritionist that ensures each teen receives balanced meals tailored to their unique needs. If someone has a health problem, our nutritionist creates a specialized meal plan just for them.

One of the things our clients all love about Ascend Healthcare is their access to a private chef!

Why Do Parents Hesitate to Call?

Many adults think that their teens are just going through a phase. Much like the so-called “terrible twos,” parents believe that adolescence involves significant behavioral changes or experimentation with drugs. Many parents don’t realize the full extent of the potential risk until they learn more about mental health, and by then, it can be too late. As soon as you suspect substance use or mental health/behavioral issues, we recommend you reach out right away.

Learn more about Ascend staff and programs today when you reach out to our team at 310.388.3713.