Case Study Video
Micah at Admission
For over a decade, Micah had navigated psychotic episodes linked to polysubstance use, often fearing that sustained stability was out of reach.
At admission, Micah was in his second year of an undergraduate creative writing program, but was struggling and at risk of taking a medical leave or dropping out altogether without greater scaffolding and support. In his spare time, he was consumed by online sports betting with cumulative losses reaching thousands of dollars.
Diagnoses
- Schizoaffective disorder
- Substance Use Disorder (SUD)
- Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Eating Disorder (EDO)
Goals: In His Words
- Stay in my writing program and graduate (with honors?!).
- Maintain my sobriety and stop losing money online.
- Find a way to make money from what I love.
Treatment Schedule
Treatment Journey
- A defining feature of Micah’s progress was The Dorm’s supportive structure. Instead of being discharged during psychotic episodes, he was met with flexibility and guidance so he could continue working towards his goals.
- Micah actively engaged in a robust mix of CBT, DBT, Executive Function Coaching, and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), which helped him process past trauma. Motivational interviewing strengthened his commitment to recovery, while medication compliance and accountability supported relapse prevention, helping Micah resist the pull of impulsive behaviors, such as sports betting.
- In Psychosis & Mania (PM) Process Group, Micah found a safe, judgement-free space to connect with peers who were navigating similar lived experiences and “truly understood” the stigma and shame he was feeling.
- Spurred by a part-time role at a poetry café, participation in Narrative Therapy Group, and a newfound love of playing the guitar, Micah was driven to apply his coping and executive skills in new creative ways and social settings–often described as “in his element.”
Group Spotlights
Psychosis/Mania (PM) Process Group:
- Grounded in specialized, symptom-informed care, this group supports insight, stabilization, and skill-building for managing psychosis and mood elevation within a safe, structured environment.
- Objectives:
- Increase insight into psychotic and manic experiences
- Strengthen symptom recognition and early warning awareness
- Build practical tools for stabilization and management
- Skills Achieved:
- Increased insight into symptoms and personal experiences
- Greater ability to recognize early warning signs
- Improved use of coping strategies to support stability
- Objectives:
- 97% of clients gain valuable insight into their experience and learned tools and skills to manage symptoms
Narrative Therapy Group:
- Utilizing Narrative Therapy, this group supports clients in reshaping personal stories by externalizing challenges and building more empowered, meaning-driven narratives.
- Objectives:
- Externalize problems apart from identity
- Reframe difficult experiences
- Strengthen sense of agency and authorship
- Skills Achieved:
- Increased ability to view challenges as separate from self
- Greater capacity to construct meaning from lived experiences
- Enhanced sense of agency and ownership over personal narrative
- Objectives:
- 98% of clients learn to reframe difficult situations into more positive, empowering narratives
Micah Today
At discharge, Micah was finishing up his semester at a local university and making ends meet as a babysitter while also pursuing a career in freelance journalism. He couldn’t believe that he was finally able to maintain a structured routine of work and school while balancing interests that felt meaningful and creative.
His flair for creative writing started as an undergraduate major, but during treatment grew to become a positive outlet for Micah to reflect on his inner world and share his stories with others. As an alumni, he has started a writers circle with a focus on letting others share poetry and personal short stories.
