Addiction affects more than the body. It also affects the mind, spirit, and soul. This is why sobriety isn’t just a physical process. Knowing the psychotherapy definition as it relates to addiction treatment may help you see why this type of therapy is so beneficial in rehab and beyond.
What Is Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy is also known as talk therapy or simply therapy. Many people struggle with issues in their lives, and they don’t always deal with them in positive ways. Sometimes, they turn to drugs or alcohol to make themselves feel better. The problem with this approach is that the issues don’t go away. The good feelings are only temporary. Plus, if addiction develops, the problem becomes much bigger. Psychotherapy commonly addresses the following issues:
- Aligning thoughts and actions toward a common goal
- Family dynamics and dysfunctional habits
- Emotion regulation and coping skills
A psychotherapist can help people face their issues and teach them more productive methods to handle stress and life’s difficulties. Psychotherapy is broad enough to include counseling for someone having trouble with everyday stresses like family and work problems to a person with a mental health issue.
Psychotherapy and Rehab
In a rehab setting, therapy is a big component in the recovery process. Maybe you turned to drugs or alcohol because you didn’t know how to deal with a problem. You might have tried to talk to someone in your family and been turned away. You didn’t feel listened to, so you did what you could to feel better, even if it was short-lived. A trained counselor can help you get to the root causes of your addiction. Once you understand why you turned to drugs or alcohol, you can find better ways to cope. Types of psychotherapy you may encounter in rehab include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Gestalt therapy
- Interpersonal therapy
- Group therapy
- Psychodynamic therapy
- Marriage and family therapy
A quality facility will carefully consider which approach will be best for you or your loved one seeking addiction treatment. As you talk through your issues and understand the reasons behind your dependency—including ones you might not have been aware of—you’ll also gain skills and tools that help you cope with difficult times in the future. Positive coping mechanisms can replace destructive habits like drinking or using drugs.
Start Your Recovery Today
Crestview Recovery in Portland, Oregon, is a treatment facility that will focus on your unique issues. Our experienced professionals provide individualized care in a supportive environment. We understand how beneficial psychotherapy can be for our clients, so our services include:
- Mindfulness meditation therapy
- Trauma therapy
- Family therapy
- Individual therapy
- Life skills rehab
- Dialectical therapy
- Holistic drug therapy
If you are struggling with addiction, mental health concerns, or a dual diagnosis, having a good outpatient mental health clinic nearby can help you get your life under control while developing positive, functional thought and behavior patterns. Our mental health treatment programs rely heavily on individual therapy, process group meetings, and the client-therapist relationship.
If you require need counseling for substance use disorder, we can provide it; however, our primary mental health therapists can treat many types of mental health concerns that are not limited to a dual diagnosis or substance use disorder. Even if you feel hopeless at this moment, we want you to know that recovery is possible.
Changing Your Life Starts Today
If you are ready to make the changes necessary to maintain recovery and avoid relapse, take the first step by contacting our Portland drug treatment center. Instead of letting addiction control you, reach out for the help you need to get control of your life. Call us today at 866.262.0531 to get information about pricing and availability.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
