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Do I really need expensive individual therapy? Why is it better than group therapy anyways?

One-On-One Therapy

The therapist working in the drug rehab facility should be either a psychologist, psychiatrist or trained addictions therapist, and they should have experience working with recovering addicts.

Although the inclusion of regular sessions with a therapist does increases the costs of a rehab stay, they are an essential part of any comprehensive addictions treatment.

Private therapy can heal on many levels, and working with a therapist to increase self awareness benefits recovering addicts beyond simply recovery from addiction; but the three main goals of private therapy in drug rehab are:

  1. To uncover the basal causes to abuse, and to understand why substance abuse behaviors occur, and how best to eliminate these basal causes to abuse.
  2. To work with the recovering addict to develop a tailored and reasonable plan of action for the continuing sobriety once released into the community.
  3. To continue to work with the recovering addict through aftercare, to assist the recovering addict through the challenges of abstinence, and to modify the relapse prevention plan as needed.

Therapists can also help the recovering addict deal with any co-occurring mental issues, and may advise appropriate pharmacological symptoms management when appropriate.

All Benefit From Individual Therapy

While no one approach to recovery works best for everyone, and some may benefit more from 12 steps programs, and others find cognitive behavioral avoidance strategies most helpful; all in recovery benefit from one on one contact with an addictions professional, and without this core aspect of a recovery program, it can be difficult for those in recovery to truly consolidate and ultimately apply the teachings of rehab.

Learning What Compels You to Use

Without private therapy with a trained professional, some of the root causes of abuse remain undiagnosed, and without appropriate awareness of these triggers to abuse, there is little hope for long term sobriety once re exposed to these situations or people that prompt substance use.

Without continuing private therapy in drug rehab aftercare, the needed use avoidance techniques of rehab can become seemingly less applicable to the changing realities of newfound sobriety. Continuing therapy in drug rehab aftercare helps recovering addicts to better understand how the use avoidance techniques of rehab apply to their current reality, and helps to develop changing strategies to deal with emerging stresses and temptations.

Aftercare therapy does not need to occur with the same frequency as in rehab, but occasional sessions with a private therapist are enormously beneficial.

When selecting a rehab program, be sure to evaluate the level of private therapy in the drug rehab, and consider the expertise of the professionals providing this therapy and the relative commitment of the drug rehab to continue providing therapy during the aftercare period.


Page last updated 23/05/2014

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