Treatment can be short or long-term, based on the type of therapy and the therapist’s approach. A common approach is to use “talk” therapy, which usually involves regular sessions with a psychologist. These may be face-to-face or via video conference, depending on your location and preferences. Some forms of talk therapy include:
Interpersonal and family therapies help you improve relationships and learn to express emotions in healthy ways. Psychodynamic therapy helps you understand your early experiences and underlying emotions that may be influencing your thoughts and behaviors. Art therapy uses creative expression (like music, dance or drawing) to promote healing and help you explore your emotional and mental health.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy teaches you to change how you think and act by using specific tools to manage emotions and behaviors like anger, fear and grief. Contingency management uses rewards and privileges to encourage compliance with treatment guidelines, such as attending counseling or taking your medications as prescribed. Motivational enhancement therapy uses strategies to increase your willingness and readiness to enter treatment.
As people move through different stages of recovery, their treatment must change with them, as interventions that are effective early in treatment may be ineffective and even harmful later on. For example, a client who has successfully overcome chemical dependency must develop the ability to cope with conflict without turning to chemicals for escape or self-soothing purposes. Treatment must therefore shift from a focus on addressing symptoms to a broader goal of preventing relapse by helping clients identify and eliminate personal deficits that threaten recovery.