Understanding Each Individual’s Needs Through a Substance Abuse Evaluation
The Dunes’ strategy for designing recovery plans starts with a alcohol and drug addiction evaluation of each client’s physical, emotional, and spiritual status.
- Detailed psychosocial review
- Careful completion of a nurse’s questionnaire
- Complete physical
- Blood work
- Recreational assessment
- Comprehensive evaluation by a psychiatrist
- Consultation with our spiritual counselor
Addiction Evaluations Allow Us to Focus on the Individual – Creating Individual Recovery Plans
What is a substance abuse evaluation? The psychosocial includes a review of each client’s previous experiences with attempts at recovery at other facilities, legal history, a concise alcohol and drug use history, and a basic genogram. A genogram is a visual representation of a client’s family relationships and medical history. More revealing than a traditional family tree, the genogram allows Dunes staff to work up a useful profile that facilitates visualization of each client’s relevant hereditary patterns and psychological factors that are potentially impacting relationships. It is useful in identifying patterns of behavior and in recognizing hereditary tendencies relevant to recovery planning.
Clients are screened for co-existing disorders and conditions. This screening is fundamental to The Dunes approach of individualizing client recovery plans which are created and reevaluated with the client and the clinical team on a weekly basis.
At The Dunes on Long Island NY, clients are involved every step of the way. This starts with the substance abuse evaluation process which serves as the basis for creation of their Dunes recovery plan goals. Client involvement continues through the formulation of a structured post-Dunes regime of recovery activities that feature support and accountability that traditional programs lack.
We know this essential evaluation process and deep collaboration with clients is a key differentiator in The Dunes approach to helping clients conquer their addiction problem and pursue long term recovery.
The Dunes recovery philosophy is focused on assisting clients in the adoption of new productive behavior patterns that can break the destructive cycle of addiction and lead them to overall wellness. Depending on client wishes a spiritual plan component may be integrated into the overall recovery plan—both during their time at The Dunes and after they leave.
Addiction Assessments Help Us Create Long-Term Recovery Plan Goals
Elements of each client’s recovery plan will commonly include:
- Relapse prevention strategies and tactics
- Methods for establishing sober relationships,
- Education pertaining to mastering emotionally mature management of anger and other potentially destructive emotions
- Adoption of life skills designed to make life more satisfying and enjoyable
- Identifying ways to have fun without alcohol and other drugs
Through education in various settings at The Dunes, special attention is placed on the neurobiology of addiction, negative self-talk, self-esteem, mature expression of emotions, communication, and adoption of recovery-reinforcing coping mechanisms. We firmly believe this education component of the recovery plan reinforces key information that effectively helps clients clearly understand the need to change in positive ways so they can succeed at breaking free from addiction.
With the foundation of an extremely comprehensive initial assessment followed up with continued weekly clinical team evaluations, our clients are encouraged to ask themselves: How did we become who we are? Where are we stuck? Who do we want to be? How can we get there? At The Dunes, clients receive the help they need to start honestly answering these questions and take the next crucial steps—participating in laying the foundation for building a new life based on long term recovery.