Mountainside Treatment Center

03/16/2026

Nitrous oxide is often perceived as harmless because the effects are brief. The experience passes quickly, which can make the risk feel minimal.

What is less widely understood is that repeated exposure can interfere with critical neurological processes in the body, leading to serious and sometimes irreversible nerve and spinal cord injury.

When short lived effects mask long term harm, awareness becomes essential.

Start Living informed and educated.

03/16/2026

Mountainside is hosting an upcoming CEU training in New York City focused on trauma informed care in early recovery.

Treating Trauma in Early SUD Recovery: Attuning to the Nervous System

Friday, March 27
9:00 am to 11:30 am
243 W 18th St, New York, NY

This training will explore how nervous system attuned clinical approaches can support sustained recovery while addressing the ongoing impact of trauma.

Learn more and register:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/treating-trauma-in-early-sud-recovery-attuning-to-the-nervous-system-tickets-1984324372615?msockid=08839e5a273e67d12764894126ee66eb

This training explores how trauma-informed, nervous system-attuned clinical interventions can support sustained abstinence & reduce trauma.

03/12/2026

It has been a great few weeks connecting with students and emerging professionals at several recruiting events across the region. Our team always enjoys the opportunity to talk with people who are passionate about helping others and interested in building meaningful careers in behavioral health.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to learn more about opportunities at Mountainside Treatment Center. The conversations were thoughtful and inspiring, and it was encouraging to see so many students interested in building careers that support mental health and recovery.

If you are interested in learning more about career opportunities with our team, we encourage you to explore our open roles and connect with us.

View current opportunities here: https://www.mountainside.com/about-us/careers/

03/10/2026

Policy changes don't eliminate dependency — they change the landscape people navigate to find help.

With Connecticut's kratom classification now in effect, Mountainside's clinical team is turning attention to a critical next question: what does this mean for the thousands of people already using kratom daily?

Mountainside's Director of Clinical Integration, Jana Wu, is one of a small number of national experts in kratom dependency treatment. She has been on the ground in Connecticut as products come off shelves — and leading community education efforts to help families and providers understand what to watch for.

Read the full press release: https://loom.ly/jatOZd4

Connecticut has banned kratom statewide as a Schedule I substance. Mountainside clinicians report kratom-related treatment admissions have nearly tripled in one year.

03/06/2026

Connecticut has officially reclassified kratom as a Schedule I controlled substance, making the possession, sale, and distribution of kratom illegal in the state.

This decision reflects growing concern among regulators and public health leaders about the risks associated with kratom, particularly as highly concentrated products and extracts have become more widely available in recent years.

As legislation and research continue to evolve, clinical understanding of kratom use and kratom addiction is becoming increasingly important. Mountainside continues to advance education and treatment approaches in this area, with clinical leadership closely following emerging research, regulatory developments, and patient outcomes related to kratom use.

Our team remains committed to helping individuals and families navigate kratom addiction recovery through evidence-informed care, specialized clinical expertise, and compassionate support.

If you or a loved one are seeking support related to kratom use, Mountainside offers a free virtual Kratom Support Group designed to provide education, connection, and guidance.

Learn more and join the group here: https://www.mountainside.com/resources/support-groups/virtual/ltk-support-group/

Join our Support Group to explore the impact of kratom use on health, relationships, and finances, and analyze cost-benefit of using it.

03/06/2026

In honor of Black Balloon Day, we are sharing Sometimes I Imagine Your Funeral, an overdose awareness short film written and directed by Vince Dixon, based on the lived experience of losing a loved one to fentanyl.

Through the story of siblings Max and Chloe, the film explores grief, anger, and love, showing the complex impact of overdose on families. In 2025, over 107,000 people in the U.S. died from drug overdose, a loss that leaves lasting effects on friends, siblings, and communities.

We are sharing this film to raise awareness, honor those affected, and spark conversation about the importance of support, understanding, and prevention. By sharing stories and opening dialogue, we can help prevent future loss and remind those struggling that help and hope are always available.

Watch 'Sometimes I Imagine Your Funeral' here: https://loom.ly/X342uDw

SOMETIMES I IMAGINE YOUR FUNERAL is a powerful short drama about addiction, overdose, and sibling grief. As Max prepares to eulogize his sister Chloe after a...

02/27/2026

28 years ago, Mountainside opened its doors. And every day for the last 28 years, these are the people who have shown up for the hard days and the hopeful ones, the breakthroughs and the setbacks, and believed in you no matter what.

Before they were your advocates, your peers, your champions...they were these kids. We believe in you before you believe in yourself.

Addiction isn’t a choice.
Mountainside is.
 

02/26/2026

Change does not require ideal conditions, only the willingness to begin.

02/20/2026

This Black History Month, we recognize the Black leaders, clinicians, researchers, and advocates who transformed how we understand mental health, trauma, and recovery.

Their work challenged stigma, exposed inequities in care, and pushed the field toward more ethical, culturally responsive, and community centered approaches. Because of their leadership, conversations around healing are more informed, more inclusive, and more grounded in lived experience.

The way we approach treatment today is shaped by decades of research, advocacy, and systems level change led by Black pioneers in mental health.

This month and every month, we honor the voices that moved the field forward and continue to shape the future of care.

02/17/2026

The Lunar New Year brings fresh energy and new intentions.

This year marks the Year of the Fire Horse — traditionally associated with movement and decisive action.

In recovery, change doesn’t usually begin with a breakthrough moment.
It begins with a decision.

One appointment.
One conversation.
One different choice.

A single step, taken with intention, can shift the direction of your life.
This season isn’t about doing everything at once, it’s about beginning.
Start living.

02/14/2026

“To me, recovery is love because love is what saved me.”

This Valentine’s Day, we’re sharing a letter from alum Alison to Ariana — a powerful thank you to the person who showed her compassion and helped her find her way back to herself.

Alison’s letter is a reminder that the most life-changing kind of love is often rooted in patience, belief, and showing up when it matters most.

02/09/2026

We believe in you before you believe in yourself. Start Living