Princeton House Behavioral Health recently initiated a program for girls age 13 to 18 who are dealing with mood and behavioral issues.
Called Supporting Adolescent Girls Emotionally, or SAGE, the program provides a supportive environment for girls to explore development issues that are unique to girls as they transition into young adulthood.
According to PHBH Women’ Program director Nathalie Edmond, many young women find adolescence challenging and need additional support.
“Often, however, they are not comfortable discussing problems in a co-ed environment, which is why we established a program specifically for girls,” Edmond said in a statement.
Girls wrestling with the pressures of adolescence may struggle with depression, anxiety and low self-esteem. Some may try to cope through dangerous behaviors such as self-injury, alcohol and drug use or high-risk sexual activity. Girls may develop disordered eating patterns, display aggressive behavior and socialize with older crowds. Others will withdraw from social interaction.
The SAGE program is designed to help girls develop healthy communication skills and positive self-esteem and to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorders and the full spectrum of traumatic disorders.
The program provides Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills training and structure to reduce self-injurious behavior and to increase the ability to manage emotions. Additionally, girls in the program receive psychoeducation on issues related to body image, safety, loss, relationships, trauma, and substance use.
Families in the program participate in a weekly psychoeducation group
SAGE opened in November at the PHBH Princeton/Women outpatient center, 1000 Herrontown Road, Princeton.
As with other services of the Women’s Program, patients receive a comprehensive evaluation by a board certified psychiatrist, an individualized plan of evidence-based treatment, group and individual therapy, family intervention, expressive therapies, such as yoga, art, and writing, education about mind-body connections in maintaining physical and emotional health and medication management.
The Women’s Program was recently named a Top Performer for “Client Perception of Care” by the Association for Ambulatory Behavioral Health.
More information is online at princetonhouse.org.
