As a full-time student at an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), Jayden struggled with managing symptoms of his anxiety and depression and issues with attachment while also sustaining sobriety. Following a traumatic hospitalization, Jayden came to The Dorm for further support, feeling lost and alone. At intake he underwent further assessment and was diagnosed with panic disorder, anxiety and borderline personality disorder (BPD).
Treatment and Life Goals
Jayden worked alongside his treatment team to:
- Learn how to form healthier and affirming relationships – make friends who “get me”!
- Gain skills to help sustain remain sober
- Navigate the transition between full-time school to full-time work
Treatment Plan and Recovery Journey
Individual Therapy
Jayden developed a strong rapport with his treatment team, in part connecting over their shared racial background. The strong therapeutic alliance was beneficial to Jayden’s individual therapy sessions, where his team utilized the following modalities to facilitate recovery:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), to help him change negative and unproductive thoughts around his academic and professional abilities.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), to provide Jayden with skills around interpersonal effectiveness to find various sources of social support and further build affirming relationships.
Clinical Coaching
In clinical coaching sessions, Jayden’s coach provided:
- Harm reduction strategies, targeting his patterns of substance use with the aim of reduce its negative consequences.
- Psychoeducation as related to his issues with attachment, sharing resources and knowledge around forming healthy relationships.
- Support to better manage the demands of college and treatment
- Working on improving sleep hygiene habits
⭐ Spotlight: BIPOC Process Group
Offered as a safe and supportive space for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) clients at The Dorm, BIPOC Process Group is where clients can discuss their experiences, challenges, and unique intersectional identities. With the facilitation and support of a licensed clinician, young adult clients will often explore how ethnicity, race, nationality, religion, SES, and acculturation impacts their lives, while providing support to one another.
- For Jayden, BIPOC process group was a critical outlet where he could be confident exploring and embracing his lived experience with peers who understood.
- The validation and mutual peer support made Jayden feel “supported and seen”. This, in turn, helped him be more engaged in treatment and able to build on clinical gains he was making in therapy and coaching sessions.
100% of clients at The Dorm report that the BIPOC Process Group:
- Is a positive therapeutic experience that supports their mental health recovery journey
- Are happy with the group facilitators and their contributions
January 2026
Group Therapy
Quick to provide emotional support, Jayden was engaged and reflective in group therapy sessions. A few groups Jayden felt a strong connection to were:
- Seeking Safety Group, a group catered to clients with self-identified trauma, providing a space to process traumatic events and experiences.
- Relapse Prevention Group, where Jayden found camaraderie with others on their sobriety journeys and learned skills and strategies to decrease the likelihood of relapse.
Community Clubhouse
Jayden has been described by his treatment team as a role model for other clients and a supportive member of The Dorm community. Through his dedication to treatment and natural mentorship, Jayden motivated clients in their own recovery journeys. He sustained warm relationships with Dorm staff and forged lasting friendships with other Dorm clients.
Parent Coaching and Family Therapy
Jayden’s treatment team worked extensively with his parents, providing psychoeducation around navigating the ups and downs of care. In parent coaching sessions, Jayden’s team provided his parents with ways to practice nonjudgment around having a child in treatment and skills to increase openness.
Academic, Careers and Vocational Support
During Jayden’s time at The Dorm, he was both able to return to college and successfully graduate with a Bachelor’s degree. His care team was instrumental in helping him get back on his feet after the psychiatric crisis, providing assistance around navigating academics, as well as his transition to full-time employment.
Jayden Today: Outcomes
Following Jayden’s graduation from college, he now works full-time in financial services. He remains in contact with friends made at The Dorm and has opted into joining The Dorm’s alumni network. Jayden continues to take care of his mental wellness through attending outpatient therapy, exercising regularly, maintaining sobriety, and spending time with his sober friends.
