Finding a type of therapy that best suits your needs is a crucial step on your way to addiction recovery. There are many different types of therapy, and no method is one-size-fits-all. You might have to try out several different types of therapy before finding the best method, or you may find that you want to use multiple different types of therapy in combination with each other. Each type of therapy uses a different method to enhance your skillset and emotional tools.
The Benefits of CBT
CBT or Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is a common type of therapy found in addiction recovery treatment centers, used often for both drug and alcohol addiction. CBT is a type of talk therapy that focuses on therapists and patients working together to create goals and plans to help the patient make progress towards a successful recovery. Don’t give up on CBT if you have one bad session. Finding the right therapist may take time. You want a therapist that motivates you. The effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy will depend on your ability to be open and honest with your therapist, as well as your ability to work together so you can reach your goals.
CBT will help you have a structured schedule and space to work on your coping mechanisms, as well as interrogating negative emotions and behaviors. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is designed to give you skills that you can use whenever you find yourself in a stressful situation. These skills should help you stay calm, process your thoughts and emotions, and react to the situation in a way that is both positive and constructive. Before you start CBT, it’s important to think about the goals you want to accomplish with your therapist.
The Benefits of DBT
DBT or Dialectical Behavioral Therapy is a newer type of therapy that has been found to help people struggling with both drug and alcohol addiction. It is based on CBT and was originally developed to help people with BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder). Dr. Marsha M. Linehan created DBT to focus on skill training and emotional regulation to help people who struggle with suicidal thoughts and tendencies. Unlike CBT, DBT focuses more on acceptances of your thoughts and emotions. Patients have found that DBT is less criticizing than CBT because it focuses on self-acceptance and improving a client’s motivation for change.
DBT also focuses on communication, enhancing a client’s skill set, initiating new behavior, and establishing confidence. Additionally, DBT stresses a focus on mindfulness. DBT can involve one-on-one therapy, phone coaching, and skills training. Similar to CBT therapy, finding the right DBT therapist is key. You want someone who makes you feel understood and comfortable. Phone coaching can help you prevent relapse after treatment, giving you the ability to contact a therapist whenever you are experiencing stress or coping with negative feelings or thoughts.
The Benefits of EMDR
EMDR or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, established in 1989, is a therapy usually used to help patients who have experienced trauma. During EMDR, a patient will reflect on his or her emotional trauma while following a therapist’s hand movements. This allows the patient to reprocess his or her emotional trauma and gain control over the emotional response they had during the experience.
EMDR focuses on altering the way that memories are stored in a person’s brain so he or she can reflect on them more healthily in the future. Oftentimes, people who have experienced trauma try to ease their pain or PTSD symptoms through substance abuse. EMDR can help recovering addicts pinpoint the contributing factors to their addiction, which may help lessen the person’s urgency to do drugs.
The Benefits of ACT
ACT or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy has been around since the 1980s. This method was developed by Dr. Steven B. Hayes and is based on CBT. ACT stresses mindfulness and psychological flexibility. It focuses on interrogating the feelings a client may have towards how he or she perceives the cause of his or her addiction-related symptoms. With ACT, there is an emphasis on being emotionally present to improve a person’s physical and mental health.
Being present requires disengaging in negative thoughts, ultimately making addiction recovery more attainable. Practicing mindful tactics includes attempting behavioral changes, getting rid of negative thoughts, detaching yourself from negative inner experiences, staying in the current moment to reduce depression and anxiety, accepting feelings or thoughts, and valuing the important parts of your life, such as family.
Your addiction recovery journey requires finding the right type of therapies that fit your unique needs. Deciding between CBT, DBT, EMDR, ACT, or a combination of therapies will take time and patience. It may take you a while to find a therapist that makes you feel like you can be honest and open. You want to work with someone who makes you feel comfortable in a judgment-free zone.
The good news is that Shoreline Recovery Center is here to help. At Shoreline Recovery Center, we offer a multitude of different types of therapy that can help you along your recovery journey and prepare you for what type of therapy you may find helpful in aftercare. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Addiction recovery is not something you should have to face alone. If you or a loved one is struggling to find the right therapy to help them with addiction recovery, please call (866) 278-8495 today.
