There’s no reason to doubt that therapy will help in your addiction rehabilitation and recovery goals. However, finding the best approach impacts the success of your progress—and if you’ve tried one method and it wasn’t a good fit, it might be necessary to consider other options. Would motivational interviewing be more effective? Or cognitive behavioral therapy? Understanding the different types of therapy ensures you’ll make the right choice for your goals.
Why Isn’t Counseling Working for You?
The American Psychological Association indicates a few reasons why some people don’t get counseling, such as:
- Believing they could “handle the problem without treatment.”
- Thinking they couldn’t invest the time required.
- Not knowing where to turn to for services or what type they might need.
- Not trusting the confidentiality of the process.
According to PsychCentral, sometimes the therapy fit isn’t quite right because:
- You and the therapeutic method aren’t a good match. This happens for numerous reasons, so it’s always important to find a professional with experience treating your primary concerns and who has a collaborative approach so you both are on the same page about what will happen.
- You don’t trust your therapist. The relationship you build with a counselor truly matters. Known as a “therapeutic alliance,” the level of confidence and security you establish with one another takes a lot of work.
- You have misconceptions about the process. Therapy can be hard, uncovering deep-rooted issues or requiring you to shift perspectives. You have every right to ask questions. Your counselor, regardless of the type of therapy, should always be able to explain the process so you know what to expect and can create goals.
Whether you’re someone who’s never experienced therapy before, or you’ve had sessions that didn’t produce the results you wanted, it’s all too easy to believe the process doesn’t work or simply isn’t your thing. It’s important to validate your feelings and thoughts—but it’s also critical to recognize the importance of keeping an open mind until you find a method and a therapist that feels right.
Research Various Types of Therapy
You never need to feel as though you’re a square peg being forced into a round hole. There’s a therapeutic way to pursue healing and work through challenges that feels natural, even if uncomfortable at times.
For some people, going to rehab is their first opportunity to be in a therapeutic environment, so it’s important to do your research. For example, at Willingway, our primary focus is drug and alcohol treatment, but we’re also able to address depression, anxiety, PTSD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, mood disorders, and other general emotional problems, although our facility isn’t equipped to handle acute psychiatric symptoms that require immediate treatment or hospitalization.
However, we do offer other comprehensive therapeutic services, such as:
- Behavioral therapy
- Family therapy
- Gender-specific issue groups
- Group therapy
- Recreational therapy
We also take special care to be trauma-informed, especially for clients in our Tactical Recovery program for Veterans and first responders. Our board-certified professionals work closely with any individual who might need more focused trauma care by first stabilizing them physically and helping them become substance free so they may then begin effective trauma treatment through other resources.
During your aftercare assessment and planning, we help you identify other forms of therapy that might be beneficial to you in recovery, such as:
- Acceptance and commitment therapy
- Animal-assisted therapy
- Brainspotting
- Contingency management
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing
- Humanistic therapy
- Marriage and family therapy
- Motivational interviewing
- Multicultural therapy
- Music therapy
- Neurotherapy
- Positive psychology
- Psychodynamic therapy
- The Gottman Method
Deciphering Therapeutic Credentials
In addition to finding the right method, take time to understand what each type of therapist has to offer. This helps you find the best match.
- Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC): These mental health providers have doctoral and master’s level degrees and are trained to work with behavioral, emotional, and mental health problems.
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW): They have a master’s degree and advanced knowledge in diagnosing and treating mental, behavioral, and emotional issues.
- Psychiatrist (MD): This medical professional treats mental health conditions and prescribes medications as part of treatment if necessary.
- Psychologist (PsyD or Ph.D.): They have a master’s or doctoral degree and diagnose and treat various behavioral and mental conditions.
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT): These professionals have extensive knowledge in treating issues within the family and teaching clients how to build healthier relationships.
- Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (CADC): For individuals struggling with addiction, working with a CADC can help get you on the right path toward recovery.
Remember, you have every right to ask about their education, years of experience, and methodology before committing to long-term treatment.
Find More Progressive Solutions at Willingway
There’s a strategy to many therapeutic approaches, and some may be better suited to your needs than others. At Willingway’s Georgia and Florida addiction rehabilitation locations, we want to be the gateway to your future health. You’ll have access to medical doctors, licensed and certified counselors, licensed social workers, and a broad range of nurses and nursing assistants. Let us help you find a method of healing that you can trust. Talk to our admissions team to learn more.