Failure to Launch Program
The "Launchpad" Program for Failure to Launch Syndrome
Our program is structured in distinct phases, moving from stabilization and safety planning to skill acquisition and ultimately, independent living. The core principle is a structured, firm-but-
supportive approach that shifts the burden of responsibility gradually from the parents to the young adult patient.
Phase I: Initial Assessment, Stabilization, and Safety (Weeks 1-4)
The immediate priority is to ensure the safety of the patient and establish a working alliance
with the family unit.
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Core Services:
• Initial Family Meeting: The program begins with the parents and the patient together to
establish clear ground rules, expectations for engagement, and program goals.
• Suicide Prevention (NCM Model): Every patient is assessed for suicidality using the
Narrative Crisis Model (NCM) framework and then assigned an NCM stage (I through
IV). This assessment and staging is an ongoing structured process of safety planning
and monitoring.
• Psychopharmacology Consultation: A thorough psychiatric evaluation will be
conducted. Medication management is initiated to address underlying mood disorders
(bipolar disorder, major depression), anxiety, and potentially the craving/withdrawal
symptoms associated with substance use.
Phase II: Addressing Substance Use and Family Dynamics (Weeks 4-12)
Once safety protocols and pharmacological interventions are underway, we pivot to addressing the most immediate behavioral obstacles to progress: substance use and unhealthy family dynamics.
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Core Services:
• CBT-Motivational Interviewing (MI) for Addiction (Individual Sessions): This is the
primary modality for addressing heavy marijuana use. MI helps the patient recognize the
discrepancy between their current lifestyle (dependent, depressed, using weed) and their
stated goals (e.g., independence, career). CBT components focus on identifying triggers
for use and developing healthy coping mechanisms.
• Life Coaching for the Parents (First), then the Patient: This is a crucial and often
overlooked element. Parents of "failure to launch" individuals often require
coaching first to change their enabling behaviors. We help parents set boundaries and
stop rescuing the patient from consequences of their behavior. Only once parents are
clear and in agreement on their role do we integrate the patient into joint coaching
sessions to negotiate new living agreements (e.g., contributing to rent, chores, seeking
employment).
• Family Therapy (Weekly): This service runs concurrently with individual coaching. The
focus here is on identifying and changing entrenched patterns of communication,
dependency cycles, and power dynamics within the family system that have maintained
the patient's "stuck" status.
Phase III: Skill Building and Self-Direction (Weeks 12+)
As substance use decreases and the family environment stabilizes, the focus shifts to internal
motivation, skill acquisition, and therapeutic insight.
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​Core Services:
• "Directing Your Life" Group for the Patient: This is a structured group setting that serves
as a practical workshop. It combines elements of vocational counseling, executive
functioning skills training (time management, organization), social skills development,
and goal setting.
• Dynamic Individual Psychotherapy: This ongoing, weekly therapy provides a deeper dive
into the underlying psychological factors contributing to the patient's condition, such as
fear of success/failure and unconscious resistance to adulthood. This insight-oriented
work is essential for long-term change and preventing relapse.
Additional Services
To make this program truly comprehensive, we integrate resources beyond our current center offerings:
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Service Needed Rationale Integration Plan
Sober
Living/Transitional
Housing
For patients whose home
environment is too volatile or
enabling, or who need structure
while job searching.
We vet local sober living facilitiesand help families create a plan for temporary transition out of the parental home.
Physical
Activity/Wellness
Program
Addressing depression and
addiction requires focus on
physical health and routine.
Partnership with a local gym or wellness center, integrating exercise into the "Directing Your Life"group structure.
Summary of the "Launchpad" Philosophy
The "Launchpad" program is an intensive, coordinated effort designed to transition a dependent young adult into an autonomous individual. It treats the family system as the client initially, leverages medication for stability, uses targeted interventions (CBT-MI) for addiction, and builds essential life skills through groups and coaching. By the end of this program, the goal is for the patient to be stable, employed or in school, living independently, and equipped with the therapeutic tools to manage their mental health long-term.
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