Co-Occurring Disorder Treatment

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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Techniques

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps people understand the connections between their thoughts, emotions, and related addictive behaviors. CBT then focuses on helping patients develop the necessary skills to change these thoughts and reactions so they can better cope with their queues (or “triggers”) which lead to their unhealthy behavior.

Identifying these everyday queues is important as they typically involve people, situations, and emotions. Emphasis is placed upon teaching strategies for managing the stresses many feel during their day and developing coping mechanisms for healthier behavior.

This therapy is based on the principles of social learning theory and views unhealthy and addictive behavior as functionally related to serious problems in the person’s life. It suggests that addressing this combination of problems will prove more effective than focusing only on the addictive behavior. It does not consider the underlying causes for the unhealthy and addictive behavior as something that takes a back seat only to be examined once the addictive behavior is addressed.

Emphasis is placed on overcoming skill deficits leading to relapse. Educating the person on the skills they need to boost the person’s ability to cope with high-risk situations, including both relationship problems and other discomforts, such as anger or depression.

The program consists of 12 sessions with the goal of training the individual to use active behavioral or cognitive coping methods to deal with problems rather than relying on alcohol as a maladaptive coping strategy. The skills also provide a means of obtaining social support critical to the maintenance of sobriety.

Motivational Enhancement Therapy techniques (MET)

MET is based on principles of motivational psychology and is more focused on the design to produce rapid, internally motivated change. This treatment strategy does not attempt to guide and train the client, step by step, through recovery, but instead employs motivational strategies to mobilize the client’s own resources. MET consists of four carefully planned and individualized treatment sessions.

• The first two sessions focus on structured feedback from the initial assessment, future plans, and motivation for change.
• The final two sessions at the midpoint and end of treatment provide opportunities for the therapist to reinforce progress, encourage reassessment, and provide an objective perspective on the process of change.

SMART Recovery

SMART Recovery is a treatment method that we us to help individuals self-motivate to maintain their Recovery. Because major changes can be overwhelming, SMART has developed practical tools and social supports proven effective in supporting and sustaining successful long-term life changes from all self-destructive behaviors.

Vero Beach Recovery Center focuses on addictions to alcohol and other drugs, however, activity addictions (to behaviors like sex, relationships, spending, gambling, eating, exercise, and self-injury) can also be addressed through SMART Recovery. No matter your harmful habit, SMART can help you change it.

SMART is not just any mutual-support program. Our science-based approach emphasizes self-empowerment and self-reliance. There’s no lifetime commitment; you decide when the time is right to move on. You choose how to personalize your own plan for successful change. SMART can be used both as a stand-alone program or in combination with other recovery paths. SMART Recovery recognizes the only one who can become truly expert on your recovery is you.

Eye Movement Desensitization And Reprocessing (EMDR)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may affect individuals exposed to adversity. Eye Movement  Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based trauma-focused psychotherapy for  PTSD. There is still some debate about whether eye movements (EMs) are an effective component of EMDR. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Eye Movement Desensitization (EMD) treatment in reducing PTSD symptoms compared to a retrieval-only active control condition. We also investigated whether PTSD symptom reduction was associated with reductions in depression and anxiety, and improvements in quality of life. It is a fascinating therapeutic technique. Ask us more about this and other procedures.

Brainspotting

Brainspotting is a powerful, focused treatment method that works by identifying, processing, and releasing core neurophysiological sources of emotional/body pain, trauma, dissociation, and a variety of other challenging symptoms. Brainspotting is a simultaneous form of diagnosis and treatment, enhanced with Biolateral sound, which is deep, direct, and powerful yet focused and containing. Brainspotting locates points in the client’s visual field that help to access unprocessed trauma in the subcortical brain. Brainspotting (BSP) was discovered in 2003 by David Grand, Ph.D. Over 13,000 therapists have been trained in BSP (52 internationally), in the United States, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, and Africa. Dr. Grand discovered that “Where you look affects how you feel.” It is the brain activity, especially in the subcortical brain that organizes itself around that eye position.

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is a “whole-patient” approach to the treatment of substance use disorders through the use of medications, in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies. Medications used in MAT are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and MAT programs are clinically driven and tailored to meet the need of each patient based on the underlying substance.

Clinical Research suggests that a combination of medication and behavioral therapy can greatly improve the outcomes in successfully treating these disorders. MAT can act as primary therapy in giving the patient the initial cushion they need to reduce or eliminate drug use and, in many cases, help sustain recovery. MAT is also used as a preventive therapy to reduce opioid overdose.

MAT is primarily used for the treatment of the epidemic addiction to opioids. These opioids are found in such substances as heroin and prescription pain relievers that contain opiates. Based on the prescribed medication, MAT operates to regulate brain chemistry and block the euphoric effects of opioids and alcohol. This relieves physiological cravings and normalizes body functions without the negative and euphoric effects of the substance used.

In 2018, an estimated 2 million people had an opioid use disorder which includes prescription pain medication containing opiates and heroin. (SAMHSA.gov) MAT has proved to be clinically effective and to significantly reduce reducing the need for inpatient detoxification services for these individuals. MAT provides a more comprehensive, individually tailored program of medication and behavioral therapy that can address the needs of most patients.

Research also shows that these medications and therapies can contribute to lowering a person’s risk of contracting HIV or hepatitis C by reducing the potential for relapse. Learn more about substance misuse and how it relates to HIV, AIDS, and Viral Hepatitis.