Not all clients who need help with an addiction are willing or able to take time away from their busy schedules to enter a long-term residential drug and alcohol treatment program. For them, intensive outpatient rehab / intensive outpatient program (IOP) is a reasonable and effective alternative to spending 14, 28, or even additional days away from home.
Types Of IOP Therapy Available
Clients who choose an IOP can benefit from a number of different types of therapy. Since each client who starts this process is different, the first step in the process is to conduct an assessment to ensure that everyone gets the appropriate care. Examples of the types of programs offered under this treatment model include:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Family Therapy
- Pharmacotherapy
Personalized, Holistic Treatment
A holistic approach is used to treat the client’s mind, body, and spirit. Clients are assigned to a primary counselor who works with them individually throughout their course of treatment. During this process, clients learn the skills they need to substitute new thinking patterns for old ones which led to them becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol initially.
Along with individual counseling sessions, clients can take yoga classes and learn how to meditate, along with other holistic options as part of their treatment program. These activities can help them relieve stress and learn how to quiet the mind. It’s an important skill for anyone living in the hustle and bustle of modern society, but can be especially effective for recovering addicts who can benefit from extra practice learning how to deal with stresses and strains of modern life. If they have a lower-than-average tolerance for challenging situations, then they need to develop their coping skills to be ready to deal with challenges and temptations when they come up.
Benefits Of Intensive Outpatient Rehab Therapy
An intensive outpatient treatment program offers a number of benefits for clients, including:
- Ability to continue to work or go to school while in treatment
- Flexibility to maintain a regular schedule while attending treatment sessions
- Opportunity to get support from family, friends, and the community while attending therapy sessions
- Ability to practice strategies learned in treatment right away, rather than having to wait until after being discharged from a long-term live-in treatment program
- Ability to make adjustments in treatment strategies based on real-life experiences soon after applying them
- May be able to afford more sessions, since it costs less than inpatient treatment
The ability to practice these techniques right away may result in a greater likelihood of maintaining sobriety over the long term. This treatment model may also lead to a greater sense of self-confidence, since clients are given the opportunity to practice their new skills while they are still in treatment, and have a great deal of support available to them, as opposed to having to try to deal with triggers that may make them want to start drinking or using drugs again after they have left live-in programs.
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