Types of Therapy

It is often said that the opposite of addiction is connection. As such, group therapy is the most important component of any addiction treatment experience. The benefits of groups are many, including identifying with others who share similar issues and problems, the opportunity to see and learn from those who are in different stages in recovery, sharing of individual problems with the group and receiving mutual feedback, the opportunity to improve social interactions, and the introduction to a recovery community. This is a safe space where people get a chance to practice sharing openly and honestly about their vulnerabilities.

One specific type of group therapy that is especially helpful is called the process group, in which the counselor guides the group to process their interactions with each each other in the moment. This is useful because it helps individuals to become aware of conscious and unconscious pressures to connect and disconnect in automatic ways that may hinder them from being fully present. A positive group climate helps foster risk-taking, trust, and connectedness. People get a chance to figure out who they are without the need to "fit in," and to practice communication and stress tolerance skills.

Another type of group therapy used in addiction treatment is the psychoeducation group. It follows a more instructional format, in which the counselor discusses various topics that can help clients gain insight into their own psychology and behavior.

CBT is used to help people in recovery uncover problematic thoughts or feelings that may compromise their sobriety and lead to a relapse. It addresses the negative self-talk and negative core beliefs that are present in early recovery. This type of therapy is also useful in treating co-occurring conditions, such as depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. CBT helps clients identify the automatic thoughts and feelings that influence behaviors, which are often based in misperceptions and internalized feelings of self-doubt and fear. Thus, people try to self-medicate these painful thoughts and feelings by drinking or using drugs. Clients who learn and practice CBT skills learn how to challenge and re-frame the destructive or disturbing thought patterns that have a negative influence on behavior. CBT can help with recognizing triggers and riding out cravings.

DBT helps recovering addicts learn several types of skills that are practiced and applied to real life situations. These include mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and emotional regulation. DBT is used to help clients who experience intense reactions to certain emotional situations, primarily those found in family relationships. Learning how to cope with distress and regulate one's emotional response helps people stop using alcohol and drugs, and is also effective in the treatment of process addictions.

MI and MET are counseling approaches specifically designed to evoke internally motivated desire for change. They are often combined with other types of counseling and are an effective means of encouraging clients to engage in treatment. A counselor who isn't trained in motivational techniques may fall into the trap of arguing with the client, which often only pushes the client further away. Motivational counseling is flexible and accepting of resistance as a natural part of the change cycle, and empowers the client to work through their own resistance without being imposed upon by others. Clients often have some resistance to treatment, and are shown how to come to terms with the fact that there is a gap between where they think they are and where they actually are. Addicts are also helped to understand how their behaviors are impacting the life and relationships. Recognizing and accepting the real depth of the problem can be an eye-opener and can help elicit the internal desire to change.

Clients are encouraged to begin each morning with a mindful meditation exercise. This is a mental training practice that involves becoming open to the present moment. Basic meditation involves focusing your attention on your breath or on a mantra, observing physical sensations such as what you hear, smell, or touch, and noticing any thoughts that come into your mind. When a thought takes your attention away, you simply notice it without judgment and come back to the breath. Sometimes meditation involves mental imagery or muscle relaxation. This practice has hundreds of scientifically verified benefits for the body, mind, and spirit, including decreasing stress, alleviating anxiety and depression, and even help with physical pain. It changes the physical structure of the brain and creates long-lasting changes and positive healthy habits.