Treatment for substance misuse/addiction involves an individual journey for each patient. While treatment methods can be similar, the journey is unique for each participant. Imagine Recovery in New Orleans addresses the challenging needs of those struggling with substance use whose goal is to make the changes necessary to live a lifestyle of sobriety. Treatment includes discovering the factors that led to the misuse, education for healthy lifestyle choices and continued support throughout life. Avoiding relapse is a direct priority in addition to providing a variety of experiential and cutting-edge therapies. Identifying and treating any co-occurring mental illnesses is essential for full recovery and future success and happiness.
ISubstance Misuse/Addiction and Mental Health Treatment Services
Substance misuse and addiction treatment at Imagine Recovery includes many diverse opportunities for therapy. Making the committed decision to leave alcohol and substances behind, each client will participate in their own individual plan for treatment. The possibilities may be difficult to discern, but once therapy begins our clients can begin to process change with new hope for a sober future. Initial decisions will match the results of the assessment and evaluation to the foundational terms of the treatment plan.
Outpatient Treatment (PHP, IOP)
Outpatient treatment may occur after the initial detoxification (when needed) and for some, residential treatment. Many clients that enter our substance use and mental health PHP and IOP programs do not need to go away for help; they get sober and well here. Outpatient treatment is an effective and manageable form of therapy. Unlike inpatient rehab, outpatient treatment allows an individual to live at home (or at sober living) and arrive at a daytime or evening treatment program at the facility. Outpatient treatment options work well for those experiencing a less severe addiction diagnosis.
With several outpatient treatment options; group, individual, and medication assisted therapies are utilized in treatment plans. Other types of therapy may be chosen depending upon the individual diagnosis. Transitioning into our men’s or women’s sober living facility may be indicated as a supportive step while in treatment with us and beyond. As the individual journey progresses and obstacles need to be addressed, additional therapy options may be used to meet new challenges.
Individual Therapy
Individual therapy builds a trusting relationship between the client and the therapist. Finding a match that is ideal for both parties is the goal to ensure open and honest communication. In therapy, the goal is to explore and heal past traumas, experiences, family history, beliefs and thoughts, and behavior patterns that resulted in and/or led to substance misuse and mental health issues. It is important to address all issues that may have caused a person to reach out for drugs or alcohol to ease their pain by self-medicating.
Medication-Assisted Treatment
Medication-assisted treatment, also known as MAT, can also be used in conjunction with individual and group therapy to ease symptoms that could interfere with the open and honest communication needed to focus on in therapy. Symptoms such as avoidance behaviors, depression, anxiety, and physical symptoms from long-time drug or alcohol usage can be alleviated through medication.
Group Therapy and Family Supportive Services
Group therapy and family supportive services are invaluable when treating substance use/addiction and mental health. Psychoeducational groups can provide essential educational insights concerning addiction and mental illness. Skills development groups offer healthy and positive lifestyle skills to maintain sober living. Cognitive behavioral groups address relearning behaviors, identifying triggers and changing reactive behaviors in a new sober world. Support for the individual and the family in a group setting builds a sense of empathy, encourages accountability and allows for using new communication skills to express emotions and feelings.
How Therapy Helps
Mastering communication skills while in treatment aids in recovery. Learning how to open up to communicate, take down walls and to speak in an effective manner offers hope for a sober future. Listening skills are developed to understand more clearly what others are communicating. Dropping defensive mannerisms to change negative behavioral habits is helpful in learning to listen. This is a foundation for a lifestyle habit of communicating effectively for work, lifestyle and relationships.
Learning how to establish boundaries sets our clients up for success in sobriety. Learning how to reinforce the positive choices, healthy coping mechanisms and to rely on sober relationships by setting boundaries in all aspects of life is a valuable tool. Boundary work involves individual therapy work with the personal therapist. Discussing setting boundaries in group and family therapies sets up a strong foundation for the addict to communicate the intention of a sober lifestyle.
Learning and incorporating healthy coping skills is another benefit of treatment at Imagine Recovery. Addicts learn that addictive behaviors are often established as the result of a stressor in life. The addict did not possess the education needed for establishing a healthy and positive coping mechanism so the choice was alcohol or drugs to alleviate discomforts of the stressor. Learning how to identify possible stressors or “triggers” is a benefit of obtaining healthy coping skills for a sober future. Behavior changes are the result of a thorough cognitive behavioral therapy program.
Therapies We Offer at Imagine Recovery
Imagine offers many creative and experiential therapies along with traditional cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing. Our services include therapy modalities of which you may not be familiar, but are proven to be highly successful and engaging. Our clients love being here and learn something new each day from a variety of therapeutic lenses.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy is transformative for individuals seeking tangible skills to assist with substance use and mental health challenges.
Emotion Regulation
The overall goal of emotion regulation is to reduce emotional suffering. There are several techniques available ranging from mindfulness to self-compassion. The goal is not to get rid of emotions, but better manage challenging ones. Some individuals will always be more emotional than others, and they can have tools to help balance soothe them.
Mindfulness
The goal of practicing mindfulness skills for most people is to reduce suffering and increase happiness. This can also help people be more present and accept things for what they are. For some, a goal of mindfulness is to experience reality as it is. For others, it can help them develop self-awareness, let go of the past or better understand their own behavior.
Distress Tolerance
These skills enable people to survive immediate crises without making things worse. They can calmly problem solve or stay rational during stressful moments. They can better accept reality when understanding they can’t change it and it’s not how we want it to be. Distress tolerance can also help people develop emotional maturity and patience as they won’t be as emotionally rattled by everyday circumstances.
Interpersonal Effectiveness
The basic goal is for participants to learn how to be effective in interpersonal interactions. This helps their interactions with others produce the outcomes they want. These skills teach participants how to achieve their goals without alienating the other person or losing their self-respect. Interpersonal effectiveness skills are also necessary for strengthening current relationships. Additionally, they are useful for finding and building new relationships.
Psychodrama
This new and evolving group therapy option involves the use of role playing to explore and describe past trauma and pain the addict has experienced. The addict begins to form a trust factor with a broader element of people to build relationship skills as well as learning to create self efficacy. The process can seem complex to facilitate, but facilitated with an experienced therapist can be a successful vehicle in building gaining new perspectives for hurtful past experiences. Addiction treatment in New Orleans involves this type of therapy which begins in a group setting and ends in individual discussion with the personal therapist.
Narrative Therapy
Narrative therapy is founded on the idea that we make meaning of our lives through the stories we live out as we interact with each other. These stories are shaped and constrained by the stories that are carried in our social, political, and interpersonal contexts — the ideas in our culture that we take for granted as “reality” are carried in these dominant storylines. When we feel stuck in stories that don’t measure up on some cultural scale of performance, we can restrict the possibility to perceive a better life. Imagine Recovery’s Narrative Therapy groups aim to help people experience some of the alternative storylines that already exist in their lives that may have been overshadowed or forgotten — stories with themes and plots that are in line with more empowering, more satisfying, more hope-filled futures. Such stories are always there if we look for them. The goal is to explore alternative stories to better match who we are and want to be, bringing about positive change and better mental health.
Mind-Body Medicine Skills
Mind-Body Medicine Skills focus on the interactions and connections of the mind and body. This occurs by using various forms of concentrative and expressive meditations, as well as mindfulness. These skills and techniques help regulate the nervous system to better navigate life experiences. From shaking and dancing to autogenic training, Imagine Recovery integrates mind-body medicine skills in all groups to promote holistic, community healing, learning, and self-care.
Begin Treatment at Imagine Recovery in New Orleans
If you or someone you know and care about is in need of substance use and mental health treatment, we are capable, ready and eager to assist in the immediate needs of the person struggling. Contacting our professional staff can lead to the successful assessment, evaluation and medical examination to initiate the treatment process. Imagine Recovery has successfully treated many who have become addicted to alcohol or drugs and also have a mental illness. We look forward to speaking with you or your loved one, the sooner the better. Visit our admissions page today so we can get the road to recovery started as quickly as possible.
Reach Out for Help Today!
Contact Imagine Recovery today to start treatment or ask about our programs. We’re here to guide you to the help that you or your loved one needs. Visit our admissions page for more!
