Positive Directions is a non-profit behavioral health organization providing prevention, counseling, medication management, and support groups to adolescents and adults struggling with mental health or substance use disorders. Our History Positive Directions was established in 1971 in Westport, CT as a volunteer effort by people in recovery from alcohol addiction to bring awareness and prevention into school and community programs and support recovery. Since then, treatment and prevention programs have evolved to become more disciplined and outcome focused, and Positive Directions today emphasizes evidence-supported clinical treatment services and community-focused prevention programs. We are now a 501(c)(3) non-profit behavioral health organization working across the continuum of prevention, treatment, and recovery. Our outpatient clinic provides counseling, recovery groups, and peer supports to youth and adults who are struggling with their mental health, substance misuse, problem gambling or other addictions. We have also received state prevention and awareness funding continuously for more than 25 years, in recognition of our expertise as a provider of evidence-supported, data-driven, locally focused prevention programs to the communities we serve.

Positive Directions is a non-profit behavioral health organization providing prevention, counseling, medication management, and support groups to adolescents and adults struggling with mental health or substance use disorders. Counseling Outpatient counseling for adolescent and adult mental health and substance use If you are in immediate crisis, please dial 2-1-1 for mobile crisis or 911 for your local first responders. Be sure to add the Crisis Text Line (741741) and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-8255) in your and your family members' phones. For immediate help in accessing detox, call CT's Substance Use Access Line: 800-563-4086. Teletherapy Login Positive Directions is a leading non-profit behavioral health facility located in Westport, CT, serving both adolescents and adults. Our outpatient clinic is licensed by the CT Department of Public Health and the CT Department of Children and Families for the treatment of mental health and substance use disorders. Our outstanding reputation reflects 50 years of experience in meeting the needs of the communities we serve. We provide individual outpatient counseling to adolescents and adults, and can work with families as an adjunct to individual counseling. We also offer free recovery groups to our clients and their supporters, as well as short-term one-on-one peer support for youth and young adults . We see clients in person at our private and serene setting in downtown Westport, as well as online, where we serve clients throughout the state. Our clients benefit from an outstanding team of dedicated licensed clinicians who are empathetic, knowledgeable, and experienced in working with a variety of behavioral health challenges. Areas of Expertise Payment Options Areas of Expertise Anxiety Addiction Depression Grief Mood Disorders Problem Gambling Counseling: What We Do Payment Options We work hard to help people in need access behavioral healthcare regardless of their ability to pay Counseling: List Commercial Insurance Positive Directions accepts most forms of commercial insurance, including: Aetna Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Cigna Golden Rule Harvard Pilgrim Oxford Health Plans UMR United Healthcare If your insurance company isn't listed, we can help you determine whether your insurance plan offers out-of-network behavioral health benefits. Give us a call and we will help you determine your out-of-network eligibility. Public Insurance We proudly accept both: HUSKY Health/Medicaid Medicare Other Options We offer a sliding-fee scale for those in need. We are grateful to our donors who have enabled us to create a Treatment Fund to support eligible clients. If you have the means to contribute to the Treatment Fund, please know that your donations are gratefully accepted and enable people to receive or continue treatment at a difficult time in their lives! We accept private pay.

Positive Directions is a non-profit behavioral health organization providing prevention, counseling, medication management, and support groups to adolescents and adults struggling with mental health or substance use disorders. Training Workshops We seek to raise awareness and provide education to parents and community members, and to support schools in delivering the best curriculum. We can provide trainings directly, develop and deliver presentations based on local issues and data, and/or coordinate and identify speakers on a variety of topics. Trainings Our staff offer the following programs: Youth Mental Health First Aid* Question-Persuade-Refer* (suicide prevention skills training), in English or Spanish SPORT Prevention Plus Wellness* Johnny's Ambassadors: "The Dangerous Truth About Today's Marijuana" Opioid education and Narcan administration (including providing a Narcan kit), in English or Spanish Hidden in Plain Sight, a parent exploration of a teen bedroom to identify signs of drug use coupled with a discussion of prevention and response Parenting for Prevention Today's Marijuana: What Families Should Know (also available for older adults, What Seniors Should Know) Data presentations Custom speaker or panel events *evidence-based program For Youth & Young Adults Our CT Support Group project staff often serve as motivational speakers and offer workshops to youth and young adults: Personal story of journey to recovery from mental illness and/or addiction Peer Support presentations Coping skills presentations Community building Other Presentations Upon request, our clinical and/or prevention staff can speak at events and provide presentations for community coalitions and other groups. We also partner with groups such as MADD, NAMI, The Hub, and others to provide education that meets the community's needs.

Positive Directions is a non-profit behavioral health organization providing prevention, counseling, medication management, and support groups to adolescents and adults struggling with mental health or substance use disorders. Our Support Groups Support Groups: Service Our current support groups are listed below. We add new ones from time to time so check back! And check out The Hub's regional list of peer support groups here . There are groups for individuals who are struggling and separate groups for their family & friends who are also affected. Alternatives to Suicide Support Group Every Tuesday at 7pm A free , non-judgmental, non-clinical, peer-led, and confidential drop-in space where people can share difficult thoughts and feelings around suicidal ideation / experience or self harm without being assumed to have an illness and without fear of involuntary intervention. Our group meets virtually via Zoom, every Tuesday night. Click below to get the link. For other peer-led suicide prevention meetings and supports, see our Suicide Prevention resources. Click Here for the Zoom Link Alzheimer's Caregiver Support Group Every Other Thursday at 10 am via zoom Our free Alzheimer caregivers’ support group is a lifeline for families. It is a place to turn to for advice and encouragement to help feel connected and give caregivers a sense of belonging and purpose. The group helps put our own experiences living with dementia in perspective and provides support and encouragement to move beyond a diagnosis. We share feelings confidentially, make friends, get help navigating the health care and legal systems, and learn from one another. To learn more, call or text Tom at 203-216-1800. RSVP SMART Friends & Family Group Thursdays from 6pm-7pm on Zoom SMART Recovery Family & Friends is a free weekly support group to provide people with the tools they need to effectively support their loved one, without supporting that person's addictive or harmful behaviors. SMART F&F is based on the CRAFT model , which is effective at helping someone acknowledge they need treatment. This weekly group will help you develop the coping skills you need and allow you to regain your peace of mind. Click for Zoom link 1:1 Peer Support for Teens and Young Adults By Appointment Our CT Support Group project manager, Quinn, is offering free individual peer support to teens and young adults in Connecticut. Quinn is a young adult Recovery Support Specialist trained in Intentional Peer Support. They draw from their own experiences to connect with participants and support them in moving towards their goals. To meet with Quinn, email qjannetty@positivedirections.org or text (475) 999-2605. Get in Touch SMART Teens (Ages 16-18) Every Tuesday from 6pm-7pm on Zoom *Starting March 24th, 2026* Looking to break free of negative self-talk or harmful habits, or to cope with anxiety or addiction? SMART Teens can help. SMART Teens is a free facilitated weekly support group where you will learn practical psychology-based tools and gain social supports to help you create successful, long-term, changes in your life. SMART Teens teaches you how to: build and maintain the motivation to change; cope with urges; manage your thoughts, feelings and behaviors; and ultimately live a balanced life. Get the link below: Click here for the Zoom link

Positive Directions is a non-profit behavioral health organization providing prevention, counseling, medication management, and support groups to adolescents and adults struggling with mental health or substance use disorders. Contact Us Positive Directions 90 Post Road West Westport, CT 06880 info@positivedirections.org Tel: 203-227-7644 Fax: 203-227-0037 Name Address Email Phone Subject Message Thanks for submitting! Submit Contact: Contact

Positive Directions is a non-profit behavioral health organization providing prevention, counseling, medication management, and support groups to adolescents and adults struggling with mental health or substance use disorders. Donate We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Your support, no matter how small or how large, will make a difference! Prevention & Education Support our community-based work to prevent substance misuse and suicide and bring mental health awareness to our communities. Donate Treatment Fund Help those who can't afford counseling to get the help they need. Donate CT Support Group Support CT Support Group, our online peer-developed resource for teens & young adults in CT who are struggling with mental health, substance use, or other challenges. Donate Support Groups Offset the cost of a support group. We offer free weekly groups related to suicide, recovery, and more. Donate General Donation Provide a donation for use where it's most needed. We appreciate your support for our organization! Donate Thank you so much for your support!

Positive Directions is a non-profit behavioral health organization providing prevention, counseling, medication management, and support groups to adolescents and adults struggling with mental health or substance use disorders. Emily Melnick Survey Evaluator Emily Melnick, M.A. is an independent evaluation consultant and principal of Emily Melnick Consulting, LLC. During the past 20 years, Emily has conducted a wide variety of health and social service-related program evaluations at the federal, state, and community level. Emily has worked with diverse groups of non-profit agencies, local health departments and community coalitions, employing both qualitative analytic methods (focus group and structured interview facilitation and analysis) and quantitative methods (survey development and implementation) to assess progress towards multiple objectives over time. She works closely with her clients to establish realistic outcomes, and design systems to collect and analyze data to inform programmatic decision-making. As the local evaluation consultant for the Fairfield Cares Community Coalition, as well as three other community-based substance abuse prevention initiatives, Emily works with diverse stakeholders concerned with improving health outcomes throughout Connecticut. Emily’s recent work also leading local health departments through their national accreditation strategic planning process. Emily received a Master of Arts from the University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration in 1996. Emily Melnick: Team Members

Positive Directions is a non-profit behavioral health organization providing prevention, counseling, medication management, and support groups to adolescents and adults struggling with mental health or substance use disorders. Emily Farrell Office Administrator & Clinic Coordinator and Advanced Clinical Intern Emily holds dual roles at Positive Directions including Office Administrator & Clinic Coordinator and Advanced Clinical Intern. Emily is currently completing a Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Sacred Heart University. Emily has experience working with adolescents, families, and adults. She is passionate about creating a strong therapeutic alliance with her clients by utilizing a person-centered approach. Emily's therapeutic style draw's primarily from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and strengths-based approaches. Emily is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy and is a Certified Anger Management Specialist. Emily utilizes Mindfulness-Based Interventions and Solution-Focused Techniques to help clients improve emotional regulation, develop healthier thought patterns, and cultivate positive change in their lives. By utilizing Play Therapy techniques, Emily often incorporates therapeutic activities in session to make the experience interactive, engaging, and impactful for adolescent clients. She cultivates a safe space for all clients by leading with empathy and compassion. In her free time, Emily enjoys spending time with her friends, family, and mini dachshund! Emily can be contacted via email at efarrell@positivedirections.org or by phone at 203-227-7644. Emily Farrell: Team Members

Positive Directions is a non-profit behavioral health organization providing prevention, counseling, medication management, and support groups to adolescents and adults struggling with mental health or substance use disorders. Clarice Grens, APRN Clarice received her Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Western Connecticut State University and my Master’s Degree from Fairfield University. She spent her career working in mental health and oncology. She has been a nurse practitioner for many years in local hospitals and at the West Haven VA. Clarice prides herself on being a patience, empathic and introspective practitioner who views clients in a holistic manner. Her work is a team effort where she engages together to find optimal solutions to mental health issues and come up with a treatment plan that embraces all facets of a client's life. She is a prudent and meticulous prescriber of medication when clinically indicated and feels medication can provide a useful purpose in delivering relief to clients. She feels both medication and therapy are most effective. Clarice provides medication management for symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, antepartum and postpartum, body acceptance, self-esteem issues, and mood disorders. She also provides genetic testing, EMDR, CBT, Motivational Interviewing, and NADA ear acupuncture. She can help you to build on your gifts and talents to energize you to achieve your goals. Her goal is to help create a therapeutic balance for every individual with respect, compassion, and professionalism.

Positive Directions is a non-profit behavioral health organization providing prevention, counseling, medication management, and support groups to adolescents and adults struggling with mental health or substance use disorders. Mood Disorders Mood disorders, also known as affective disorders, consist of general emotional states that intervene with a person’s normal functioning on a daily basis. Feelings of extreme sadness or depression, coupled with a fluctuation to extreme happiness (mania or hypomania) may occur. Examples of mood disorders include: Major depressive disorder Bipolar disorder (Bipolar I and Bipolar II) Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) Dysthymia Symptoms Having a mood disorder may affect daily life activities. Due to the various types of mood disorders, each may involve different symptoms. Some major symptoms of mood disorders are: Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed Loss of appetite or overeating Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much Fatigue Crying Anxiety Low levels of energy or unusually heightened levels of activity Impulsivity Feeling hopeless or worthless Difficulty concentrating Difficulty with decision-making Feelings of guilt Irritability Thoughts of dying or suicide Positive Directions’ Approach to Mood Disorders: At Positive Directions, we understand that Mood Disorders can interrupt and negatively impact a person’s daily activities including work, school, and personal relationships. Our approach in working with clients to address their symptoms is collaborative and client-driven, and we work to meet the client where they are at to tailor treatment to their individual circumstances. Upon admission, a comprehensive intake evaluation is completed to gather a history of the client and learn more about the symptoms they have been experiencing. This helps us to gather a comprehensive picture of the impact the clients’ symptoms have had on their lives and allows us to tailor our approach to the client’s needs. Starting with this information, we then develop an individualized treatment plan for each client that is tailored to their needs and goals. The treatment plan is the guide-post for the work we do in session, and progress toward treatment goals is evaluated and measured during each counseling session. Additionally, we periodically review this plan with our clients to ensure that we are consistently working toward and updating goals and objectives as appropriate. Based upon the treatment plan, services are provided to address individual needs and teach clients the skills and tools necessary to gain insight and understanding, work to decrease negative or undesirable symptoms, and improve their overall quality of life. Our counselors also work closely with family members as appropriate, educating them about mental health, and supporting their involvement in their loved one’s treatment. When providing these services, a variety of clinical techniques are utilized such as cognitive behavioral, motivational interviewing, solution-focused and dialectical behavioral tools. Our clinicians are trained in a variety of effective treatment modalities, and treatment is tailored to specific individual and family needs. Furthermore, our clinicians connect with outside providers as necessary, and are able to make appropriate referrals to additional providers should the need arise in order to collaborate and provide comprehensive treatment. Our approach is designed to assist people in improving the quality of their lives. Mood Disorders: Service

Positive Directions is a non-profit behavioral health organization providing prevention, counseling, medication management, and support groups to adolescents and adults struggling with mental health or substance use disorders. Margaret Watt, MPH, MA Prevention Director, TurningPointCT Project Director Margaret joined Positive Directions in July 2020 as Director of Prevention after serving as a regional leader in behavioral health for almost eight years, as Executive Director of the Southwest Regional Mental Health Board and Co-Director of The Hub. In those roles she worked with a wide variety of stakeholders on initiatives to support the integration of mental health and substance use; to improve prevention, treatment and recovery; and to promote peer support. In 2017 she won the Policy Leadership Award from the Keep The Promise Coalition in recognition of her advocacy work. In 2021 she was honored to join the board of NAMI CT. Prior to her career in behavioral health, Margaret worked for 12 years in global health and eight years in education. She also has experience as a grants and publication editor. Margaret received her MPH from UNC/Chapel Hill, her MA in Education from Columbia University, and her BA from Harvard. She is fluent in Spanish and French. You can reach Margaret at: mwatt@positivedirections.org or by phone at 203-227-7644 ext. 827 Margaret Watt, MPH, MA: Team Members

Positive Directions is a non-profit behavioral health organization providing prevention, counseling, medication management, and support groups to adolescents and adults struggling with mental health or substance use disorders. Events Please see our upcoming events listed below. If you are interested in one of our support groups, please click the button below to see our current listings! Support Groups Youth Mental Health First Aid - Free Certification Training Thu, Jul 23 Burroughs Community Center More info RSVP Multiple Dates Free QPR Suicide Prevention Training Fri, Jul 31 Positive Directions More info RSVP