ETHOS Treatment opens a center in Wyomissing

New outpatient clinic to help people with mental health issues, substance use disorders

ETHOS Treatment LLC, an outpatient clinic providing mental health and substance use disorder treatment, has opened a location in Wyomissing, Berks County. The new center began seeing patients on June 19. It serves adults and adolescents using a combination of individual counseling and small group and family therapy.

The center at 1150 Berkshire Blvd. is the fifth location for ETHOS, which operates treatment centers in West Goshen in Chester County, Plymouth Township and Collegeville in Montgomery County and in Philadelphia.

“As people continue to reel from the after-effects of the COVID pandemic and the continuing emotional, economic, and social pressures of our times, the need for licensed, comprehensive and effective help has never been greater,” ETHOS co-founder and chief clinical officer A. Michael Blanche, said in a statement. “Our new location will bring our 100% client-centric care to even more people in need of support.”

Clinician owned and operated, ETHOS Treatment was officially started in 2017 — with its first location in West Goshen. Founders Tom Connell, Mike Blanche, Ned Moore and Brendan Young came from different areas in the substance use and mental health industry but had long discussed the need for a better intensive outpatient program, ETHOS Director of Marketing Samantha Osterlof said.

She added that they identified a need to help fill gaps in outpatient services.

Choosing Berks County

In deciding to open in Berks County, Osterlof said the company saw a need there in terms of mental health and primary substance use outpatient programming, “especially the demographic that may need evening or hybrid hours — professionals.”

“We’re very excited to come to Berks County because there are a lot of wonderful providers, and we’re excited to work together with the community to fill in the gaps,” he said. “Because sadly, there are plenty of people to serve. We just want people to get the right care.”

The ETHOS Approach

According to Mental Health America, about1 in 5 adults in Pennsylvania has a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder, other than a developmental or substance use disorder — while 16% of adults in Pennsylvania have a substance abuse disorder. About 5% of Pennsylvanians have had serious thoughts of suicide, according to information provided by ETHOS.

ETHOS provides intensive outpatient programs with a threepronged approach — individual counseling, small group therapy and family therapy. It is an approach that the company said maximizes the potential for “long-term, sustainable” recovery.

The company says that by offering intensive treatment — three to four times a week — clients get timely assistance in overcoming obstacles related to mental health or substance use issues.

Clients are placed into a small group that includes others in a similar age bracket and facing similar issues.

Most clients will also participate in one family therapy session each week, to “engage family members in the healing process, and “support family in repairing damaged relationships,” according to the website.

“We really believe the group, the family and really being able to concentrate on that client individually is going to really help somebody,” Osterlof said. “Once we get access to care, we need to be able to keep people in it so they can get better.”

Help for teens

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, almost half of adolescents (13-18) have experienced a mental health disorder, including (but not limited to) anxiety, depression, substance disorders, or eating disorders.

Research also indicates that 50% of all lifelong mental health illnesses begin by age 14, and that 60% of youth with major depression do not receive mental health treatment, according to information provided by ETHOS.

The demand for mental health services for adolescents is high, but availability is often limited.

Osterlof said ETHOS is looking for an adolescent clinician to support and expand its work in Berks County, “because we have the ability and want to be able to provide services for those 13 and above in the adolescent category.

“Again, the need we’re seeing is for adolescents to really get treatment and access to care as soon as they can,” she said.

Substance use disorder services for adults

ETHOS offers different substance use disorder programs for young adults 18-29, and adults over 30.

“The multifaceted ETHOS approach to treatment is highly individualized and relapse resistant,” Blanche added. “We help people find their authentic selves, free from substance use disorder.”

ETHOS therapists perform comprehensive evaluations and provide individual, family and small-group therapy, with a focus on emotional skills building, healthy coping mechanisms, relapse prevention, and trauma-informed care, according to information provided by ETHOS.

Other mental health services

The new ETHOS location in Wyomissing will also serve people with clinical depression, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and mood regulation issues.

ETHOS also offers several specialty tracks, including support for gambling disorder, a men’s trauma group, first responders and primary alcohol group. In development is a women’s trauma group

ETHOS Psychiatric Services provides medical evaluations for people participating in one of the mental health intensive outpatient programs. Psychiatric services also provides medication monitoring.

To learn more about ETHOS, visit https://www.ethostreatment. com.

— ETHOS co-founder and chief clinical officer A. Michael Blanche