Individual Therapy

What is Individual Therapy

Individual therapy is a one-on-one private conversation between a therapist or mental health counselor and a patient. Substance abusers usually begin their individual therapy in addiction treatment rehab centers by meeting with their therapist in individual sessions during their detox programs, continuing the work as you go through alcohol abuse and/or drug addiction treatment. Your initial therapy session will be a discussion about your life, your past, and any issues you are having, as well as significant events you have been through (good or bad). This will help the therapist determine in which direction to take your treatment.

Over time, you will come to understand more about your inner self, and the reasons behind your drug abuse, negative behaviors, and emotional issues. You will discover the changes you can make in your day-to-day life, as well as in your overall outlook, that will lead to a healthier lifestyle without drugs and alcohol. In individual therapy for addiction, you will also work to heal the underlying roots of your substance abuse through mental health treatment, dual diagnosis care (if needed), and behavioral disorders treatment within the setting of professional and welcoming rehab centers. You will gain new awareness and new ways of thinking, leading to an overall better quality of life. 

Types of Individual Therapy

Although in substance use disorders treatment each patient’s treatment plan may vary in the types of treatment involved, addiction treatment centers generally offer three main types of individual therapy for drug and alcohol abuse treatment. These are:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

In cognitive-behavioral therapy, patients learn coping skills and new behaviors to deal with big changes, stress, and other issues that are out of their control. This is the most commonly utilized behavioral therapy in drug rehab and alcohol rehab because it gives patients control over their own wellness, gain insight into their own actions and thoughts, and learn new ways to reshape negative and unhelpful thinking. In CBT addiction rehab you also learn skills to help you deal with physical and mental illnesses, overcome past traumas, learn to communicate more effectively, and strengthen relationships with others.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Dialectical behavioral therapy is a type of CBT individual counseling that is designed to help people who have a hard time controlling their emotions. DBT incorporates mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness into a program that, when used in an addiction recovery therapy program, can help patients recognize when they feel out of control and use learned methods, rather than drugs or alcohol, to overcome adversity.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Acceptance and commitment addiction therapies are used for individual therapy in addiction with trauma treatment because it helps patients understand, accept, process, and heal from pain. Patients learn that their thoughts and feelings are okay, and they are not “damaged”. Instead, they can learn to live a full life, dealing with challenges as they come as they strengthen and work towards aligning their lives with their core values.

How it Helps

These types of therapies for substance abuse are helpful because they help patients gain a new outlook on life. One-on-one therapy allows a person to be heard, and to address deep and personal issues while gaining skills and practical tools they can use to change the course of their lives and stay out of the pattern of drug addiction. Other benefits of individual therapy include patients being able to gain self-awareness, communication skills, and coping skills while learning how to set healthy boundaries and explore the possibilities life holds for them.

At Sylvan Detox, along with individual and group therapy, our integrated programs in residential addiction treatment include:

• Medical detox programs for drug detox and alcohol detox that include medication management and medication-assisted treatment programs if needed
• Group therapy
• Behavior health treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy
• Family therapy
• Trauma therapy
• Dual diagnosis treatment for those who need anxiety treatment, depression treatment, etc., and those with a co-occurring disorder alongside addiction like an eating disorder, PTSD, or another mental health issue
• Relapse prevention programs and life skills programs

If you are interested in an outpatient program after you have completed your residential treatment with us, we offer connections to outpatient rehab clinics in our nationwide network of substance abuse treatment centers with levels of care including:

• Intensive outpatient program
• Partial hospitalization program
• Men’s rehab or women’s rehab options
• Sober living homes in your area
• Peer groups, 12-step groups and other support systems

If you are suffering from cocaine addiction, heroin addiction, alcohol addiction or other drug or alcohol use disorders, please contact our team today. We can help you find yourself again through a customized addiction treatment program that includes individual therapy sessions.