New Method Wellness is a Dual Diagnosis Addiction Treatment That Supports Couples & Families Facing Mental Health Issues

Susie Hopson-Blum entered the recovery community when she graduated from a treatment center in Southern California in 1988, and she not only remained sober but became a vocal leader and mentor for others battling addiction, depression, and mental health challenges.

After her recovery, Susie started working as an alumni coordinator for the treatment center where she was once a client. By getting in touch with alumni and creating a support net for them, Susie saw that the most successful alums had a spouse or family member behind them, and she wanted to create a treatment and recovery program that would involve the family from day one.

Since 2006, New Method Wellness has helped thousands of clients foster a healthy state of mind and body.

Alongside Ed Blum, Susie created New Method Wellness to be a place of healing and hope for individuals, couples, and families struggling with addiction issues.

“It’s her passion that drove this into being,” said Brook McKenzie, the Director of Clinical Outreach. “As an advocate for mental health, she felt there was something more that could be done to treat the whole person plus the family.”

Susie’s holistic approach to addiction recovery is the foundation for New Method Wellness, a licensed and accredited treatment center in Orange County.

The New Method Wellness team specializes in treating substance abuse addiction with on-site drug and alcohol detox facilities, and every client is assigned two therapists who take the time to get to know clients and design custom treatment programs that fit their needs — and their family’s needs.

New Method Wellness can offer primary treatment, dual diagnosis, private treatment, family group support, outpatient treatment, and extended care to help clients move forward with their lives.

“We want to empower the individual to take responsibility and avoid the victim mentality,” Brook said. “We use holistic techniques and interventions to get into solutions and address issues. That’s how we start from day one in a loving and accepting way.”

Evidence-Based Programming Meets People Where They’re At

New Method Wellness is not a typical treatment center. The team doesn’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to therapy, so it has gone to great lengths to create multiple avenues, techniques, and treatments that can be customized to fit the person and their family.

The first step is to understand a new client’s story. The onboarding process includes a questionnaire for the client and interviews with family members. New Method Wellness may ask a spouse or loved one to write a bio that explains what’s going on with the client and the larger family unit.

This hands-on wellness center in California supports individuals and families on the road to recovery.

The clinicians rely on this data to get insight into underlying issues, craft individual treatment plans, and identify opportunities for family support and coaching. The more information they have, the more personalized their care can become.

“Individualized is the word of the day,” Brook said. “Every family is unique. Every person has a unique story and family system, and that’s so important to take into account in a treatment program.”

New Method Wellness often works closely with significant others and spouses who are hurting as a result of a partner’s addiction. The group therapy programs can help couples address negative emotions like anger, confusion, or guilt, and work on rebuilding and strengthening their relationship.

People from all walks of life and all types of relationships enter the New Method Wellness program in hopes of becoming healthier and happier. Whether they’re dating, engaged, or married, couples have to face addiction problems as a team and engage with one another to foster a more positive frame of mind.

“It comes back to our tagline — the healthier I am, the healthier partner I’m going to attract,” Brook said. “The better I feel, the more attune I’m going to be with my partner.”

70 Staff Members Take on 24 Clients at a Time

New Method Wellness employs a multidisciplinary team of licensed clinicians and addiction professionals who take the time to learn about individual clients and their families when working on a treatment program.

Wellness team members outnumber clients by more than a 2-1 ratio, and they are passionate about providing the highest quality of treatment possible.

“We have a staff of 70 for a client base of 24,” Brook said. “That tells you the story right there.”

An array of mental health programming ensures clients and families leave with the tools to continue healing.

The treatment center’s culture of caring starts with the leadership team. Brook said the four co-owners of the center show up every day to support staff members and get to know clients. They make an effort to not only learn the names of all clients, but to understand their personal story as well.

Family members and loved ones have the opportunity to get to know the leadership team, and even get their cellphone numbers, so they can leave the program feeling seen, heard, and valued by the treatment center.

New Method Wellness does a great job of taking care of clients, and it also looks after the mental health of staff members. The dual diagnosis treatment center offers plenty of personal time off and benefits to ensure that individuals are happy coming to work every day and don’t feel burned out by their jobs.

“That has a big impact,” Brook noted. “When the staff is healthy, happy, and contented, I promise you it has a big ripple effect on the client base.”

Continuing to Support Alumni & Their Family Members

Once a client completes the on-site treatment program, the work isn’t finished. New Method Wellness encourages continued progress and personal growth by maintaining active alumni support groups.

The alumni groups allow individuals to stay in touch with the recovery community and discuss their experiences in dealing with life after treatment. These discussions can touch on a multitude of topics and include updates ranging from a child’s graduation from college to a couple’s decision to go to counseling.

The New Method Wellness team takes pride in its robust alumni program. This community gives hope to people who are entering treatment for the first time or struggling to stay on track after leaving a program. They can look to the success stories from alumni for inspiration and guidance, and that can be a powerful motivator for an individual, couple, or family.

Looking to expand, the New Method Wellness team is currently putting more focus on following up with an alum’s family members as well and creating support groups specifically for the family of a recovering addict. Brook said these support groups could be held in person or through video chats, but the goal is simply to stay in touch and help with the healing process.

“It’s a great way to empower family members to share their experience, strength, and hope with others who have walked a similar path,” Brook said. “There’s going to be ups and downs and many challenges along the way, and people need to hear that there is hope.”

New Method Wellness Has a Big Impact on Mental Health

When a person is struggling with mental health issues and addiction, it has many ripple effects on personal relationships, finances, career prospects, and family dynamics. A proper treatment and recovery program has to be flexible enough and astute enough to address all those varying issues and create a support system for everyone who’s hurting as a result of addiction. That’s why New Method Wellness has developed a holistic and family-oriented approach to treatment.

New Method Wellness emphasizes the importance of the family’s role in addiction treatment and recovery. This center gets spouses, parents, siblings, and other family members involved in the process and makes sure they feel supported and empowered every step of the way.

“For the relationship to succeed, both parties have to work together,” he said. “Both parties are going to get an opportunity to make significant changes. That way you’re not putting the burden entirely on the client or the spouse.”