Our Young Adult Transitions program is designed for individuals ages 17 to 29.
For some young adults, dealing with addictions can be a major challenge. The cycle of dependency hinders their ability to build a stable, self-reliant life. Addiction undermines young adults’ pursuit of independence by damaging:
As part of our program at Engage Young Adult Transitions, we offer addictions counseling to our young adults. We offer counseling for some substance addictions and for process addictions.
At Engage, our addictions counselor works side-by-side with each young adult to take an honest look at their relationship with substances or process behaviors like gaming, tech use, or pornography.
Using a relational, motivational interviewing approach grounded in reality, they help clients connect the dots between these habits and their goals for connection, independence, and health.
This isn’t about judgment; it’s about curiosity, ownership, and forward movement. The addictions counselor provides extra therapy sessions in addition to those with each client’s primary therapist and helps clients stay connected to the local recovery community by attending AA meetings and other recovery-based events together.
The goal is to create a space where clients can increase insight, make meaningful behavioral changes, and find balance in their daily lives. It’s about helping young adults build the awareness and motivation to live with more intention, freedom, and self-trust.
Our licensed addictions counselor provides dedicated therapeutic support for process addictions and substance abuse (alcohol, cannabis, and kratom). Services they provide include:
Addictions Counselor
We provide each client with a smartphone tailored to their clinical needs and independence goals. It is used to reshape their relationship with technology by limiting screen time and app access, providing guardrails, and with a process of phased trust with phone use.
We utilize in-house drug testing as needed, in collaboration with each young adult and their treatment team, to support accountability and informed clinical decision-making.
Here are some of the substances that we can address:
Cannabis is the number one drug of concern with young adults ages 17-27.
The 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) released data in late 2023 for young adults ages 18-25, showing:
Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD)
is prevalent, affecting 13.5% of young adults who used cannabis and met the diagnostic criteria for CUD. This is about 1.8 million people aged 18-25.
Impact on Brain Development:
The brain continues to develop into the mid-20s. Regular use of cannabis is linked to impacts on attention, memory, and learning.
Mental Health:
There is a strong association between frequent cannabis use and increased prevalence of mental health issues, particularly depression and suicidal ideation.
Cannabis-induced psychosis
is a real risk for some young adults. High-potency THC use is associated with an increased risk of psychosis and schizophrenia, particularly in individuals with a genetic predisposition.
Psychosis is a temporary break from reality triggered by THC, especially high-potency products. Symptoms include hallucinations, paranoia, and delusions. It’s most common in heavy users and those genetically at-risk.
At Engage we do genetic testing that can identify markers for vulnerability to psychosis. This helps us provide proactive addictions counseling as needed and with the best treatment approaches.
Kratom is a drug of emerging concern. The 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), estimated that 1.9% of young adults aged 18-25 (nearly 700,000 people) reported past-year kratom use. The real concern is its growing use among young adults due to its widespread accessibility and low cost..
Alcohol abuse is a significant public health issue among young adults ages 17+, with drinking patterns that are harmful despite negative consequences. As reported in the 2022 NSDUH survey:
There are many consequences, including acute risks such as blackouts, long-term brain damage, poor academic or work performance and strained relationships with family and friends among others.
Process (or behavioral) addictions typically arise when pleasurable behaviors are repeatedly used to cope with emotional distress, such as anxiety or depression.
Process addiction is a non-substance-related activity that a young adult continuously and compulsively engages in despite negative consequences.
These behaviors are highly accessible and normalized. They function similarly to substance addictions by activating neural pathways related to reward and reinforcement, and they can disrupt daily functioning, relationships, and mental health.
Similar to substance abuse, the person can develop a tolerance and require more of the behavior to satisfy their craving. And similarly, a young adult may require treatment that looks at the underlying issues in order to stop the behavior and recover.
Engage offers professional addictions counseling with the below services. We use a team model with the primary therapist and addictions counselor creating a coordinated plan of care for each client needing this service.
Being involved with process or substance addictions presents real challenges for growth to independence. The right support to overcome these addictions is key.
Engage Young Adult Transitions is a transitional living program and therapeutic community that assists young adults on their path to independence. Using attachment theory, we provide a foundation for forming connections, getting involved with the community, managing mental health, and building life skills for long-term success.
Engage offers structured autonomy and high support, without creating dependence. Our therapists and life coaches are here to honor the young adults’ need to gain independence and freely move to a more secure sense of self and their relationships.
Located just steps from Southern Utah University in Cedar City, we offer access to services seven days a week, including academic support, vocational training, career guidance, life skill coaching, mental health therapies, and recreational activities.
Our community offers high levels of therapeutic support that honors autonomy and independence while guiding young adults to a life of freedom, emotional wellness, and success.
Process addiction is a non-substance-related activity a young adult continuously and compulsively engages in despite negative consequences. Examples of such addictions are internet gaming, social media, Netflix and binge watching, gambling, and pornography.
A “little” may be fine. But sometimes stopping play can become more difficult. A process addiction is when it causes you harm and can be difficult to control.
We offer help with alcohol, cannabis, and kratom. We don’t work with benzos or methamphetamines,
No we don’t, but we can refer you to a service that does this.
They provide dedicated therapeutic support for process addictions and substance abuse (alcohol, cannabis, and kratom).
We provide each client with a phone tailored to their clinical needs and independence goals. It is used to reshape their relationship with technology by limiting screen time and app access, providing guardrails, and with a process of phased trust with phone use.
We utilize in-house drug testing as needed, in collaboration with each young adult and their treatment team, to support accountability and informed clinical decision-making.
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