Arbor Vitae Behavioral Health

10/28/2025

Know the DANGER of KRATOM and spread the word. Educate your teens, friends, and family about this easily accessible, very dangerous drug. It is as addictive as heroin including the same withdrawal effects.

(WHTM) — The latest drug sending people to the emergency room is legal in Pennsylvania. It is called 7-OH, and it comes from a plant called Kratom, which you might have heard of, but 7-OH is …

10/05/2025

🧡 October is ADHD awareness month 🧡
This month is a time to break the stigma that ADHD is only about hyperactive kids, and instead shine a light on the real, raw truths while learning how to truly support and uplift our kids.

Did you know that ADHD brains work differently when it comes to dopamine?

Here’s how it might look like to people who don’t understand ADHD and how we can support these kids (or even some adults) in our lives

🔹 Interrupting or blurting out answers
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬: “Disrespectful” or “not listening.”
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: Their brain is chasing the dopamine hit of excitement, novelty, or immediate reward.
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭: Teach self-regulation strategies, offer outlets for ideas (like a notebook), and use positive reinforcement when they wait their turn.
🔹 Constant movement (fidgeting, tapping, pacing)
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬: “Disruptive” or “can’t sit still.”
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: Movement gives the brain little bursts of dopamine, helping them focus and regulate.
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭: Allow fidgets, flexible seating, or brain breaks. Movement doesn’t mean they aren’t paying attention, it often means they are.
🔹 Risk-taking or pushing boundaries
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬: “Defiant” or “reckless.”
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: Novelty and risk release dopamine, making them feel more engaged.
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭: Provide safe challenges, sports, games, creative projects, or problem solving tasks where they can channel that energy productively.
🔹 Hyperfocus on interests
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬: “Obsessed” or “ignoring everything else.”
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: When something lights up their dopamine pathways, they can lock in with incredible focus.
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭: Celebrate their passions, help them use timers/transitions, and connect less-preferred tasks to what excites them.
✨ The takeaway: What may look like “bad behavior” is often a brain seeking balance. When we understand the why, we can create strategies that support, not shame.

09/19/2025

✨Fun fact ✨This is the second time Kelly and Sarah coincidentally coordinated 🤓

09/10/2025

Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. There is help and support available. Your life matters and we care about YOU! Crisis teams are available 24/7 in most counties. Reach out if you need help or information. Our team is here for YOU! 🌳

A place that promotes healing and growth.

06/13/2025

05/28/2025

Let’s Go!!! Always learning! Always striving to bring THE BEST to our clients! Can’t wait to see what psychiatry nuggets come home to the Lake Region 🎉🥳

05/25/2025

We honor all of those that paid the ultimate price for our freedoms and their families on this Memorial Day 🇺🇸

Our office will be closed on Monday May 26th in remembrance.

05/06/2025

Mental Wellness is achieved by the suffering individual seeking help AND all of their friends, family, and community understanding how to support and care for them in healthy ways. KNOWLEDGE IS BLISS….IGNORANCE IS HARMFUL!

04/26/2025

Kristina Meyer, LCSW on LinkedIn says:

“Not Every Mention of Suicide Requires Hospitalization!

As mental health professionals, it's critical that we respond to suicidal ideation with clinical judgment—not fear. Too often, hospitalization is treated as the default response to a client expressing thoughts of suicide. But research and lived experience tell us a different story.

Hospitalization is not treatment—it’s crisis containment. And we must acknowledge that it doesn't always reduce risk. In fact, data shows that the highest risk of suicide is not before admission—but in the weeks immediately following discharge. The abrupt transition, lack of continuity of care, and disempowerment experienced during involuntary hospitalization can leave individuals feeling more isolated and hopeless than before.

This is not to say hospitalization is never appropriate. But we must move away from the reflexive assumption that suicidal ideation automatically equals danger or requires inpatient care. Suicidal thoughts are a symptom—often of distress, not necessarily of intent or plan.

Instead of defaulting to hospitalization, we should:

Conduct thorough risk assessments using evidence-based tools and collaborative safety planning.

Build strong therapeutic alliances that allow for open dialogue about suicidal thoughts.

Use community supports, crisis respite, and wraparound services when possible.

Advocate for system-level change that improves follow-up care post-discharge.

Our ethical obligation is not just to protect life—but to preserve dignity, autonomy, and trust.

Let’s lead with compassion, not liability.
Let’s treat, not just contain.
Let’s do better—for our clients and for the field.”

Not Every Mention of Suicide Requires Hospitalization! As mental health professionals, it's critical that we respond to suicidal ideation with clinical judgment—not fear. Too often, hospitalization is treated as the default response to a client expressing thoughts of suicide. But research and ...

04/01/2025

Take back the night - speaking up against sexual violence and healing together . Swing into Black and Brass Coffee co. in Hawley Pa on Wednesday April 30th at 4:30pm- event hosted by VIP Victims Intervention Program- join them for this event with guest speakers - survivor testimonies and awareness displays -

03/16/2025

WAMS Presents:
Online Safety & Social Media Awareness

Join us for an informative adult-only presentation about the impact of social media and online gaming, and how to keep our students safe in the digital world. All are invited to attend.

Date: March 26th
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: Wallenpaupack Area High School

Our students have been actively involved in the Sources of Strength program and have helped create this flyer to bring awareness to the importance of online safety. This presentation will also include important discussions on social media, online gaming, and tips for staying safe online. The presenter will be speaking to our students in the upcoming weeks as well.

To Reserve Your Seat: Call Wallenpaupack Area Middle School at 570-251-3057 for more information or to sign up.

We hope you can join us for this important conversation!

02/24/2025