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Show New Prevention .'Centenli helps fight addiction, depression ? f - ' " . . " . , - Zs t ; ";. , : V t. I ' n, r a :-' ' i i T ' Ail t J Lj I .' . J by RICK BROUGH Record staff writer People have a natural desire to change their consciousness, to escape in some way from their daily lives, said Park City Prevention Center Director Susan Carcelli. Even children do it, when they spin around in a playground to make themselves dizzy. The problem occurs when people seek an artificial chemical change and it keeps them from functioning in daily life. At that time, a place like the Prevention Center comes into in-to the picture. Carcelli became the new director of the Prevention Center this fall, succeeding Bob Pingree. Carcelli's background is in mental health, but she said she is still learning learn-ing about changes in consciousness that are addictive. As she spoke, she gestured to a book on her desk, Chocolate to Morphine. "We help to look at ways to change consciousness so they are not (done) . in ways destructive to your social and work life." Consciousness-changing doesn't have to be bad, she said. It can be 1 change made through drugs is also ' available through non-drugs." In counseling patients, the goal is to find what drugs they have used through their lives. Then the counselor determines if patients can accurately estimate their usage. Usually, if patients have problems with drugs, they will underestimate their usage. The most common problem she has encountered with the center's clientele, she said, is depression. But that's lucky, she said, because treatment treat-ment for it is known. But the center also does personal counseling, runs DUI classes and cocaine recovery support groups and offers marital and family therapy. Carcelli is a third-generation native Calif ornian ("That's sort of rare") who did her undergraduate work at the University of California at Davis. She came to Utah State University in Logan on a fellowship, earned a master's degree and last spring completed her doctorate in psychology with an emphasis in professional pro-fessional scientific psychology. She worked at a counseling center at USU, the Bear River Mental Health organization and the Hillside ' School, a facility for emotionally disturbed adolescents. She also served serv-ed an internship at the University of Arizona Medical Center in its emergency room. If the name Carcelli sounds familiar, that's because her husband, hus-band, Larry, also works at the Prevention Center as a counselor for the Timpanogos Mental Health Center. The couple were married in 1982. Susan jokes that Larry took the position because "it was his turn to look for a job." The center works under the auspices of Summit County. And county health director Steve Jenkins has been very helpful, she said. Staffer Staf-fer Michelle Sarazine has been a big help by putting the center's books in order, she said. And Carcelli is also assisted by full-time staffer Polly Neville. She is hopeful the Summit County Commission will approve her request re-quest for a part-time staffer this winter season. The Prevention Center, she said, is at a maturing stage. "It is established in people's minds as an agency that is available to help v them," said Carcelli. Susan Carcelli, at Prevention Center helm. prayer, meditation or exercise like walking or backpacking. Artificial changes are not confined to drugs such as alcohol or tobacco. Food can he a drug. too. But. she said, "Any |