Soteria house
Soteria House is a Therapeutic Community Residence for the prevention of hospitalization for individuals experiencing a distressing extreme state, commonly referred to as psychosis. We believe that psychosis can be a temporary experience that one works through rather than a chronic mental illness that needs to be managed.
We practice the approach of “being with” – this is a process of actively staying present with people and learning about their experiences. Soteria believes in the power of each individual’s wisdom and intuition and we believe that strong relationships provide opportunities for powerful transformation.
Soteria House provides:
- A safe, non-restrictive, home-like environment.
- Flexible, non-judgmental, person-centered services.
- Specialized, inter personally-driven support
- 24-hour staffing
- Coordination with community services providers and other resources, such as housing, education and employment assistance
- Six months of aftercare support
- Optional psychiatric consultation
Creating Alternatives in the System of Care
The predominant treatment available for initial experiences of psychosis entails the prescription of antipsychotic (aka neuroleptic) medications and inpatient hospitalization. However, a significant portion of individuals going through the experience are not interested in this form of treatment and alternative forms of care are not readily accessible, especially to those with limited resources.
Soteria offers an alternative approach to the experience of psychosis by providing person-centered adaptive care. Soteria has on-site psychiatry, but treats psychiatric medication as a personal choice and offers alternative modalities, including dream-work, breathwork, herbalism, and meditation.
RESOURCES Offered
We believe that there are many approaches to well-being. Staff is available to assist residents in exploring and developing tools to support their individual wellness.
Resources offered within the house:
- Healthy nutritious meals
- Creative expression – art, music, writing
- Engaging with nature
- Exercise
- Re framing crisis as an opportunity
- Meditations, role plays, guided relaxation
- Opportunities for gaining increased understanding of hearing voices
- Sleep hygiene assistance
- Network meetings with family and friends
- Psychiatric medication
While Soteria is cautious in its use of psychiatric medication, it is not anti-psychiatry. Our approach views psychiatric medication as one of many tools than an individual can utilize in navigating distress and crisis. As with all tools, we encourage residents to make informed choices around medication through a process of weighing risks and benefits.
Expense Comparison
Psychosis is considered to be one of the most expensive mental health conditions. Frequent and long-term hospitalizations combined with high rates of disability among individuals diagnosed with a psychotic disorder carries a high price tag.
Soteria is remarkably cost effective compared to inpatient hospitalization, largely due to its less restrictive nature. The comparative nightly costs per individual range from:
- $1,862 at the Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital (post-Irene)
- $547 at Soteria
Additionally, by providing early intervention services, there is a great likelihood that Soteria will improve the long-term functional outcomes of residents. There is a documented trend that the number of people enrolled in Social Security Disability for a psychiatric disability has exploded in recent years, growing from 1.25 million Americans in 1987 to 3.97 million Americans in 2007. Soteria hopes to combat this trend and support individuals to go on to lead meaningful lives in the community. By focusing on abating distress, building resilience and identifying future goals, individuals are able to obtain functional recovery.
APPLY For Services
Please click here to access our secure inquiry form for the Soteria residential program. Applications are received and reviewed on a rolling basis. All of your responses are secure and confidential. Once your application has been received, a member of the Soteria team will contact you within 1 business day. Please note that main line staff do not have information about the status of applications.
