According to Doctors Nicholas Guenzel and McChargue in their clinical write-up, Addiction Relapse Prevention, “One primary concern in addiction treatment is the high rate of relapses within a short period after even the most intensive treatment. Many studies have shown relapse rates of approximately 50% within the first 12 weeks after completion of intensive inpatient programs that often last 4 to 12 weeks or more and can cost tens of thousands of dollars.” However, many of these relapses are preventable if proper action steps are taken. One prime way to do so is to transition to attending therapy in an outpatient program after inpatient.
The Importance of Attending Therapy in an Outpatient Program for Long-Term Recovery
Outpatient programs can be an integral part of any long-term recovery plan. However, all outpatient programs are not created equally. If an outpatient program does not offer a continued comprehensive array of treatment modalities, then the chance for relapse may become significantly higher. It is important to remain engaged and active in an outpatient program, and attending therapy can help with this.
However, it is not just the quality of the outpatient program that matters. It is also the responsibility of the individual to remain active and accountable in their own right. Recovery is about acceptance, acknowledgment, and action. Attending therapy can be a big part of that action aspect.
However, it is also true that when an individual feels disengaged from their outpatient program and their therapy sessions, it is not always wholly on them. They may just not be responding to the type of therapy that they are participating in. When this happens, it is important to take a new tact and try something fresh. The good news is that there are plenty of therapies to engage with in an outpatient program.
What Types of Therapy Are Effective for Addiction Recovery
Just as there is no one recovery or specific outpatient program that is going to be effective for everyone, there is no type of therapy that is going to be overarchingly effective either. That is why it is important to know the options of therapy out there, as well as be willing to try multiple types of therapy. This is especially true if one does not seem to be working.
While there are many forms, the three primary forms of therapy fall under the categories of psychotherapy or “talk” therapy, experiential therapy, and group therapy. Of course, there are also more neuroscientific forms of therapy, such as eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and family therapy, but both of those also tend to significantly off of the primary three.
Utilizing Psychotherapy
When people envision what they feel therapy looks like, many of them are most likely picturing something that resembles psychotherapy. That is because psychotherapy is generally the “talk” therapy that is often portrayed in television and film when a client sits on the couch and discusses their life with a professional.
While, yes, this image is often accurate, psychotherapy is certainly more varied and complex than merely “talking.” The most recognized forms of psychotherapy are cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and its offshoot, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).
Regarding addiction, these two therapies involve getting to the underlying root causes of the negative behaviors and actions that an individual takes. Once these underlying emotions are uncovered, then the client and therapist can begin to address them in order to start to change those associated behaviors. Psychotherapy can be highly effective for treating trauma as well.
Utilizing Experiential Therapy
Now, experiential therapy can actually be somewhat broken down by its name; “experiential” is about having experiences. Of course, like psychotherapy, it is more complex than simply taking part in activities.
Experiential therapy, such as nature immersion therapy, drama therapy, equine-assisted therapy, and art therapy (just to name a few), are about expressing oneself through the engagement of a physical act and discovering what emotions and cognitions that evokes. Then a specialized experiential therapist can help determine what those feelings and thoughts may mean in order to begin to work on them.
Utilizing Group Therapy
Now, group therapy can be particularly effective for individuals in addiction recovery and outpatient programs. This is because it helps individuals engage with others that have gone through similar situations. Often, this is referred to as “shared experience.”
Shared experience not only shows individuals that they were not alone when they were going through their struggles with active addiction but also that they are not alone in recovery. It is also a good way of further integrating into the broader recovery communities.
The Importance of Attending Therapy in the Outpatient Program Here at Lantana Recovery
Here at Lantana Recovery, we don’t believe in a short-term “fix.” No, we believe in long-term healing. We understand that relapse is sometimes a part of recovery, but we also know the ways to make it less likely, which includes attending therapy in our outpatient programs.
The iconic American philosopher William James once said, “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” That is all we aim to do here at Lantana Recovery. Make a positive difference in people’s lives. One client at a time.
Individual therapy is a key part of our outpatient program at Lantana Recovery. However, many people may not know what outpatient programs entail. Many clients are intimidated at the prospect of attending individual therapy because they are unsure how to open up about their problems to someone they don’t know. Yet, individual therapy is crucial for helping clients get to the core underlying issues of mental health and/or addiction, so it is best to learn how to navigate and prepare for it. For more information on what individual therapy sessions look like in Lantana’s outpatient program, the benefit of attending them, and how to prepare yourself for what individual therapy will bring, call us today at (866) 997-2870.
