CHALLENGE:

Clients often arrive with multiple mental health struggles and problematic coping behaviors, with over half of clients struggling with addiction. This high level of complexity can create challenges in establishing trust and engaging in therapy.

One key goal for the SSP is to help clients transition into the therapeutic process with greater safety, accelerating their readiness for the intensive therapeutic curriculum.

Furthermore, some clients arrive with extensive treatment histories, with their families viewing Capstone as an “ultimate” option. This creates a strong sense of urgency for therapists.

CHALLENGE:

Capstone has a well-established intensive curriculum including a variety of required activities that must be completed within a fixed time span of 90-96 days. The smooth integration of the SSP without disrupting existing services was essential. 

To ensure attentive care for each client, Capstone maintains a low therapist-to-client ratio of 1:2 and all therapists undergo training in advanced modalities, such as EMDR and Brainspotting. With a dense treatment process already in place, incorporating SSP required evaluating the best resource implementation to continue the flow of therapeutic delivery. Designing the delivery model and implementation plan, including the selection of ideal SSP providers and the timing of training and delivery, required careful consideration. 

Unyte assisted the Capstone team in implementing a treatment model that starts all clients with the SSP at the time of intake. All clients now start the SSP before fully engaging in other therapeutic activities, taking into account their established curriculum, therapists’ capacity and client needs.

Unyte assisted Capstone in onboarding 35 staff members, including leadership and therapists, so that everyone was prepared to deliver the SSP from the beginning of the implementation process and on the same timeline. This organization-wide training helped drive a collective shift toward a Polyvagal-informed approach at Capstone.

Capstone created a dedicated SSP Coordinator role responsible for starting the SSP with each client and managing delivery schedules thereafter. Identifying and empowering an SSP champion has been an important element in Capstone’s successful integration, and demonstrates Capstone’s strong commitment to and belief in the SSP. Other therapists eagerly took on the SSP delivery role when the SSP Coordinator was unavailable.

Unyte provided customized 1:1 and group clinical support for the SSP Coordinator and therapists. In monthly mentorship sessions led by an advanced expert mentor, Unyte and Capstone jointly reviewed SSP delivery methods used in complex client cases and explored the application of the main principles of Polyvagal Theory at Capstone.

Unyte met regularly with Capstone’s leadership team to ensure alignment with goals while optimizing the SSP model and mentorship process to achieve these goals.

The Unyte and Capstone teams. Left to right: Becca Lill (Key Account Manager, Unyte); Kayla Ann Wilson (SSP Coordinator and Intake Specialist, Capstone); Jeremy Carter (Clinical Director, Capstone); Marcelo Sena (Head of Business Development, Unyte)

Clients have become more regulated and open to engagement with therapists after the SSP.

Polyvagal Theory has become a shared language among all staff and therapists. It has effectively enhanced their engagement with clients and provided their clinicians with another tool to aid in the treatment process.

Capstone continued training new therapists as they joined the organization. In under two years, the number of staff trained in the SSP increased from 19 to 35, demonstrating continued trust in the SSP.

The improvements demonstrated in client engagement have given Capstone the confidence to explore expanding the SSP to its outpatient and residential women’s programs.

CASE STORY:

Adam, 14, exhibited shutdown behaviors, making it challenging for his therapist to engage in conversation. After starting the SSP and canine companion therapy, there was a noticeable shift. Over subsequent sessions, Adam gradually opened up, displaying more of his personality, making jokes and feeling a sense of relief from the weight he carried.

CASE STORY:

Caleb, 15, experienced frequent panic attacks that disrupted his daily life, often occurring without known triggers. Initially suffering three to four attacks per week, this occurrence fell to once per week after the SSP. With his enhanced physical condition, he became a leader in his group at Capstone, actively engaging in therapy and showcasing remarkable progress.

CASE STORY:

Ben, 20, suffered from lingering COVID symptoms, such as brain fog and mood swings, which hindered his academic pursuits and left him doubting his abilities. After undergoing the SSP, he found himself opening up emotionally, and his memory function and energy improved. Now, he is excelling academically with confidence.

Note: All names used in these case studies are pseudonyms.