The Core-Systems Model:
What Makes It Make Sense?
The Core-Systems Model helps restore families by identifying root causes—moving beyond labels and quick fixes to lasting transformation.
Dr. Adrian Hickmon—Founder & Clinical Architect of Capstone Treatment Center and creator of the Core-Systems Model—has worked with thousands of families across more than three decades. What he’s learned is that most self-destructive behaviors are not disorders to be suppressed, but survival strategies born in the absence of connection.
The Core-Systems Model is an integrated clinical approach rooted in neurobiology, trauma theory, spiritual formation, and family systems. This model has been the foundation of Capstone’s success and is now being used across multiple clinical settings. Rather than focusing on quick fixes or surface-level interventions, this model retraces the roots of trauma, attachment wounds, and unhealed relational systems to find what truly makes sense underneath the pain.
- Poor Decision Making / Bad Influences?
- Combatting Depression & Anxiety?
- Failing to launch?
- Chronic Discomfort?
- Abusing Substances?
- Overcoming Abuse?
- Sexual Compulsions?
- Compulsive Video Gaming?
- Healing Trauma?
- Anger Outbursts?
- Family Conflict?
- Grief?
At Capstone Wellness we view our client’s struggles through a core systems lens that looks at the whole picture, not just a puzzle piece. We focus our efforts on our three core systems to create lasting and healthy change. Success is not found in one of the core systems alone, but rather in doing the work necessary in all three areas.
THREE CORE SYSTEMS
Coping Behaviors
/ Eruptions
We all know what a volcanic eruption looks like. A visible explosion of lava, ash, and smoke that is sometimes a catastrophic event. Eruptions get all of the attention. In what ways can our response to our hurt be like that of a volcanic eruption? Unhealthy coping behaviors cause painful repercussions and suffering to individuals and those close to them. Eventually these are visible for all to see. Unhealthy coping mechanisms mean something. Whether a cry for help, an attempt to survive, relieve pressure, or medicating pain, eruptions can have mighty consequences. If a volcano was erupting and it was possible to jam a giant rock into the top and end the eruption, like putting a cork in a bottle, what would happen next? The magma reservoir underneath would push its way out and erupt at another location on the mountain. If we “corked” that eruption like the first, what’s next? Sound like a whack-a-mole game? Therapy approaches that treat only the the current eruption and not the core underlying issues work the same way. A whack-a-mole game with a life, marriage, or family. The core of magma beneath the surface drives volcanic eruptions – with human beings, it’s a person’s deeper pain, emptiness, numbness or fear that drive their eruptions. Healing the core is vital to stopping the eruptions and keeping them stopped.
Core
Think of this system as the core underlying issues that drive poor choices and generate eruptions. The core is made up of hurts, emptiness, and disconnection, mostly powered by toxic shame the most damaging aspect of trauma. Where healthy shame says, “I did something wrong,” the toxic shame message is, “something is wrong with me.” Two very different internal messages. What could cause a message like that to exist? An experience of being hurt, rejected, abused, left out, neglected, betrayed, and more, can all carry with them an internal message of toxic shame. How is a toxic shame message reinforced?
Unhealed trauma, including Big T, Little T, and Chronic T, allows toxic shame messages to persist. Feelings of self loathing, insignificance, emptiness, and not belonging. Being excluded or disconnected from healthy peers and mentors. A belief that you are stuck and unable to change. These are all examples of underlying messages that fuel the fire leading to an eruption.
Context
The Context can be thought of as the environment in which the core and eruptions exist. The context influences eruptions ability to improve or worsen. Each system interacts with and affects the other two. The context’s systemic effect on the core and the eruptions lies on a continuum from being toxic on one end to being healthy on the other end. Even in the healthiest families, there are changes that need to be made to meet the challenges of the core and the eruptions. But those changes are not necessarily from something bad to good; instead, they are often from something that worked a generation ago in a different time and culture but not now, or perhaps worked with other children but not this one. The context often includes a family language of relationship learned from decades of survival mode by prior generations: conflict avoidance, frozen emotions, reacting in anger, or an achievement or performance-based value system are examples of this system.
With more than 25,000 hours of supervision and clinical experience, Dr. Hickmon has presented internationally on addictions, trauma, parenting, and marriage. Dr. Hickmon holds a Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Virginia Tech University, other credentials include: LPC, LMFT, LADAC, CSAT-S, CMAT-S, CTT, AAMFT.
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