The Dunes East Hampton is a strong believer that a blend of holistic treatment and clinical services are needed in order to help people recover from drug or alcohol addiction. Therefore, in addition to our unique holistic treatment offerings, we have a comprehensive lineup of tried-and-true clinical services, as delivered by licensed counselors, therapists and similar professionals.
Our inpatient addiction treatment program is highly customized to the individual, so it’s unlikely any one client will be directed to participate in every single form of clinical treatment we offer. Nonetheless, to get a better idea of each of our clinical treatment offerings, here’s more on each of those services:
Addiction Education
Addiction is a disease that affects both the brain and the person’s behavior. Concrete neuroscientific evidence says that brain and body chemistry change with addiction.
Thus, we deliver addiction education, which provides an understandable review of the chemical impact alcohol and drugs have on the body and mind – such as increased tolerance, cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
We place particular emphasis on the client’s personal understanding of where they are most vulnerable and how to utilize the tools they are given in rehab to prevent relapse. Clients leave our addiction education group with practical knowledge of how this disease expresses itself physiologically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
EMDR affects how the brain processes information, similar to what occurs during the dream phase of sleep (known as rapid eye movement). Utilizing light and guided by a trained therapist, clients explore past trauma in a safe, controlled environment. EMDR does not erase trauma, but helps clients view the disturbing experience as a less distressing experience.
EMDR is approved and utilized by The World Health Organization, American Psychiatric Association, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and the Department of Defense as an effective treatment for PTSD, trauma and other psychological distress.
Find Out How Our Clinical Substance Abuse Treatment Helps Maintain and Advance Your Recovery:
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a short-term, goal-oriented psychotherapy treatment that takes a hands-on, practical approach to problem-solving. Its goal is to change patterns of thinking or behavior that tie into people’s difficulties, and to change the way they feel.
An important advantage of CBT is that it tends to be short, taking 5 to 10 months for most emotional problems. At our inpatient facility, clients attend one session per week, with each session lasting approximately 50 minutes. During this time, the client and our therapist work together to understand what the problems are and develop new strategies for tackling them.
CBT introduces our clients to a set of principles that they can apply whenever they need to – ones that will last them a lifetime.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a specific type of cognitive behavioral therapy that is designed to help individuals accept and regulate their emotional responses.
DBT therapy with a trained therapist at The Dunes helps enhance daily living skills so that clients are better equipped to deal with issues they will face during recovery from alcohol or drug addiction.
The goals of DBT are to:
- Build self-esteem
- Improve interpersonal relationships
- Ultimately enjoy a better quality of life.
Trauma Therapy
In many cases, addictive behavior is rooted in some form of trauma, such as emotional or physical abuse, or the death of a loved one. By turning to alcohol or drugs to numb pain or grief, the individual postpones true healing from the event, which can drive him or her further into addiction.
Substance abuse is a false remedy for the negative feelings that result from trauma. Through various types of therapy (such as EMDR and CBT, which are listed above) at The Dunes, clients can process trauma-related memories and feelings so they can learn to regulate these negative emotions and start trusting others again.
Relapse Prevention
The key to relapse prevention is to understand that relapse begins weeks, sometimes months before you pick up the first drink or drug. There are often certain triggers or warning signs that are present long before someone starts to abuse substances again.
In relapse prevention, clients learn the about the many steps to relapse so that they can understand and prevent it before it happens. We introduce and practice tools and techniques that help clients be better prepared to face these warning signs and ultimately prevent the relapse from occurring.
Internal Family Systems
The Internal Family System (IFS) model of psychotherapy offers a clear and empowering method of understanding problems. It also provides a forum for both therapist and client to enter into a transformational relationship in which healing can occur.
IFS views each person as an “ecology” of many parts or sub-personalities, each of which plays an important role within all of us. Sometimes, due to life experiences – such as trauma, domestic violence or sexual abuse – these different parts are forced to disorganize in unhealthy and conflicting ways.
IFS is designed to reorganize and resolve these conflicts. Once resolved, we can honor each of them and restore ourselves to harmony by gaining an understanding of the origins of our addiction.
Motivational Interviewing
Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a form of psychotherapy that explores internal motivations and resolve any ambivalence to help to elicit change by meeting a “client where they are at”.
MI has been shown to be effective in treating addictions as it ignites incentive and initiates change. In MI, the therapist is a person of support that works closely with an individual to want to make a change through empathy and supporting self-efficacy. MI does not employ confrontation, but rater validates an individual to see the discrepancy between their current situation, past behaviors and goals for the future. Therapists employ reflective listening which fosters an element of respect and trust to allow one to personally see their own conclusions on change and fear. Ultimately, motivational interviewing brings self -empowering positive transformations that help to provide for long-term recovery.
