Therapy is an essential element of any rehabilitation program. Taking part in individual therapy sessions allow people to work through long-buried issues that could be driving their addiction disorder. The benefits of individual therapy pay off in learning to adapt the coping skills learned during your sessions to real-life situations. So the successful application of those techniques goes a long way in helping you stay healthy and sober.
What is Individual Therapy?
Individual therapy sessions consist of interactions with at least one therapist in a therapeutic situation. The term “therapist” applies to certified individuals filling a variety of roles. For example, “therapist” may refer to:
- Social Worker
- Counselor
- Psychologist
- Psychiatrist
- Marriage and Family Counselor
The therapist should be fully licensed by the state in which they are practicing. Gaining the trust of a client is essential for therapists looking to provide the right guidance. You typically establish joint goals with your therapist and use them as benchmarks as you progress through your journey.
How Does Individual Therapy Help Those in Recovery?
Once you get your body free from the toxins left behind by substance abuse, it’s time to work on the other parts of your mental and emotional health. Addiction and counseling go hand-in-hand untangling the underlying emotions and disorders that led to a substance abuse problem.
While therapy comes in many forms, behavioral therapies tend to be more effective in helping people deal with an addiction disorder. For instance, some common types of behavioral therapy found at a drug rehab center include:
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy — Focuses on assisting individuals in modifying how they respond to negative events. Therapists use each session to teach them coping skills that help them navigate these situations.
- Dialectical-Behavioral Therapy — Therapists focus on helping clients deal with stress, control behavioral responses, and learn how to deal with relationships.
- Contingency Management — Therapists provide different incentives to clients for continuing to avoid turning back to substance abuse.
Motivational Enhancement — Clients use individual therapy sessions as a chance to build up the motivation needed to continue the process of recovery. - Matrix Model — Therapists fill the role of teacher and coach. But they take a non-judgmental approach in guiding their clients through different techniques geared toward avoiding a relapse
Most sessions in an individual counseling program last around 45 to 60 minutes. The frequency of the sessions depends on the condition being treated and how an individual responds to treatment.
What are the Benefits of Individual Therapy?
The relationship that forms between a client and their therapist provides clients with the following advantages:
- Clients get reassurance that what they confide during their sessions will remain between themselves and their therapist
- Therapists have the freedom to adjust the pace of therapy sessions to meet the individual needs of a client
- Therapists can get more in-depth and personal with a client when it is just the two of them versus taking part in a group therapy session
- Clients can arrange sessions to occur at times that work best for them
- Individual therapy allows clients to relax at their own pace and develop a better system of communication than they would in a group session
The benefits of individual therapy can be experienced by those receiving treatment for a variety of behavioral, mental, and physical issues, including:
- Food issues
- Substance abuse
- Anxiety
- Irregular sleeping patterns
- Stress
- Anger issues
- PTSD
- Family problems
Often, people dealing with addiction experience fewer relapses when they commit themselves to regular individual therapy sessions. It’s especially helpful in treating those dealing with a dual diagnosis while participating in addiction therapy programs.
Individual therapy can be the key to ensuring your long-term sobriety. One of the major benefits of individual therapy is getting the opportunity to talk about private issues and work through them with someone you trust.
