Crisis Intervention and Intensives
Teen Discovery begun as an alternative to drug rehabs and wilderness programs. Our Discovery Program has been very successful as an option for parents who do not want to send their children away or have tried the "away" programs with marginal or negative results. We are a concierge service for HNW families with unique issues.
The Discovery program is done almost exclusively in-home. We come to you. We work with you and your child and bring with us all the services and professionals they would see in a rehab. Your child is not one of many in a facility but you and your family are our exclusive concern.
The disruption to your child's schooling and life is minimal. They will most often continue in school and life activities.
We also bring a full array of services no away program can attempt. These include meeting friends and family, teachers, counselors, coaches and everyone who can assist in bringing hope and help to pain and confusion. You know the stress of taking your child for countless assessments, drug tests, therapy sessions, academic coaching or consulting, etc. Then your own sessions with therapists, lawyers, psychiatrists, coaches etc, trying to deal with the situation. It consumes the life of your family. We bring almost all of that to you.
The Discovery program does the work of healing and change by building positive change where that change needs to happen and grow. It does not consist solely of a talk sessions in an office that is artificial and seldom brings about real change in real life in your home and family environment.
The Discovery programs initial duration is 120 days. The cost is comparable to sending your child to a rehab. We believe the spectrum of services we provide are broader, deeper, longer lasting and don't require the repetition rehab cycle sold by addiction professionals as the only road to recovery. We also do not employ a team of marketing consultants or spend millions of five star facilities and services. We are serious about life and change. What you invest in your child and family's life, is not a vacation with some mental health attachments, but focused, life-changing help.
An essential part of the Discovery Program is our My Life Scene program. It is an intense eight week program of self-discovery, guided by a coach. It uses profiles from Positive Psychology as well as the Gallup StrengthsFinder and Values In Action. We have the parents take them as well as a part of understanding the family.
Please be advised that we only work with a limited number of families at any one time and there is often a waiting list. Call Mark Demos at (425) 492-4300 today to determine availability.
“We had nowhere left to turn. We didn't know where to look next. A friend of my husband's told us about the experience they had when their son dropped out of college and basically out of life.
They had found a program in Seattle, really a person, Mark Demos, who came into their lives and change started. It was one of the hardest fights of their lives with lots of ups and downs, but their son is back.
Our situation seemed just as dark. The program was different from anything we had ever tried. It was about what was right with Matt. Mark and one of his sons who worked with him, helped him find out what was right and where he fit. Most of all he learned that his life mattered beyond all was surrounded him."
Sarah D, Seattle, Wa.
Phase 1 - Intervention and Stabilization
Bringing stability to a crisis or chaotic situation is always our first goal. Nothing of any real value can happen until control of an out of control system happens. Chaos must be calmed.
During this period we will meet with your family. We will speak with any mental health, law enforcement, lawyers, school personnel and others who we believe can assist in bringing stability and growth. We will bring our director, a psychiatrist and a licensed professional counselor.
There are even times where runaway children of clients have to be located and brought back to the home. We have helped locating runaways with the help of private investigators, local and federal law enforcement.
Most of the cases we work with involve serious substance abuse issues. We would recommend a detox, either in home with medical assistance, or a brief visit to a facility.
"Mr. Demos and his organization first started working with clients of mine who needed the additional out of office support that I could not give. His approach was novel. He interacted with many of my clients is ways that I sometimes wish I could but professionally was limited.
I grew to rely on Mr. Demos as a trusted professional and so did the people he worked with.
I have had many clients report back to me and share the deep caring and connection he was able to provide. His ability to bring a team of peers to work with and support many of the teens and young adults was a brilliant approach. They need strong and stable people their age to show them the way."
Dr. Christian Harris, M.D. - Psychiatrist Seattle Wa.
Phase 2 - Assessment, Change and Positive Forensic Profiling
The Teen Discovery Intensive experience begins with a thorough information gathering period. This is a time where we get to know your family. Relationships need to be formed and trust established for real change to happen.
We need to be clear on our direction and goals. We will begin to address major issues that are standing in the way of change. Working closely with parents and the child are essential. Getting support from family members and others who are a part of the child or client's life, is crucial and create a new and powerful system for lasting change.
The focus of this period is building a Talent DNA Profile. We have found that simply "getting" people clean or dry does not change their lives long term. They must be refocused and their lives built on their positive strengths, talents and character.
Our methodology is based on identifying and building the innate talents of an individual. This is both a time to slow down, refocus and for us to assess the client's performance and life engagement.
We will design a strategic course of action and plan for change. We then start making those changes happen. We don't just talk about issues. The program requires action and change! Endless sessions of talking and emoting are not our approach. Action and change are!
Phase 2 will take approximately 30-45 days.
"Teen Discovery came in and took control. When you discover that your son is doing things you never dreamed of or even knew existed, it shakes your world. The internet became a world of deception and connection that could have destroyed him and our family. That is no exaggeration.
The speed at which Teen Discovery and their team came in, took control, got our son tested for every drug possible, educated us on technology from phones to apps that disappeared, to searching his deleted files, texts etc was amazing.
What was even more amazing was their ability to connect everyone in his life and ours in a quiet, calm and directed way to bring stability back. Our son is back in school. A plan for change and growth for all of us in place. Teen Discovery ROCKS!!!
Jim and Sue - Dallas, Tx
Phase 3 - Life Coaching and Talent Engagement
We will continue to work with clients for a for a period of three months. We will maintain appropriate contact and continue to work with your family by Zoom, phone, text, email and in person where possible.
We believe it is important to have in person contact with our clients on a regular basis. This requires we spend 3-5 days a month working on important issues. This means if you are not in Dallas, we will come to you and continue contact where you and or your child lives.
“I really do appreciate everything that you have done for me. I was lost and hopeless before we started working together. So lost I felt so much pain but couldn’t even cry because I didn’t understand it. You have really allowed me to see the world clearly and use every day as a way to better myself and the world around me through understanding who I am as a man and a person.
I’m really excited about the future for the first time in my life. It has been a long and grueling process to get to this point. But it’s nice to finally be here and continually try and think of ways to keep bettering myself in the world because there is always more to do. I really understand now that I have a lot to offer this world and I am confident that I will be able to fulfil my purpose.
Thank you. I hope I can impact people’s lives just like you have impacted mine.”
Charlie B 22 years old - San Francisco
Insurance and Client Confidentiality
Teen Discovery is designed to respect and protect our clients confidentiality. We do not accept insurance. For some of our services such as psychiatric and Licensed Professional Counselors, clients can request an individualized bill to submit for insurance. In many instances, educational consulting can be used from 529 Plans and education accounts.
This allows our clients to feel safe and be able to talk and engage in new behaviors and patterns of productive living without worrying about what will be in their file or some government database.
We do all our testing in-house. From broad spectrum substance abuse tests to a variety of other tests as deemed appropriate.
The testing and profiles we use are based on Talent and Strengths analysis. We will consult with mental health professionals who are part of your child's experience and take into account whatever treatment they have been working on. Much of what we do in terms of assessment is found in Positive Psychology, Talent Management and Character Development.
We have both a consulting psychiatrist and licensed professional counselors who work for us and know when it is appropriate to refer.