Individual Therapy in Scottsdale, Arizona

Perhaps one of the most difficult problems that you or your loved one could ever have to face is an addiction to drugs or alcohol.

The good news is that once you have made the choice to seek help, there are many options to get you back on your feet.

individual therapy

Individual therapy is one of the most common and critical therapies that is often used every day as part of a successful treatment plan.

Pinnacle Peak Recovery in Scottsdale, Arizona offers this therapy along with several others to help you get on the path toward a healthy and sober life.

Regardless of the type of program you look to for help with your drug or alcohol addiction, you will almost always find that individual therapy is a key component of the treatment plan. That is because it often viewed as a necessary cornerstone of a successful recovery. According to the American Psychological Association, an estimated 59 million Americans have received mental health treatment such as individual therapy in the past two years and approximately 80% of them found it to be effective.

What is Individual Therapy?

Individual therapy refers to the many different therapeutic techniques that are conducted between only a therapist and an individual client. In this private setting, many patients find that they are able to make substantial progress with the help of their therapist for a wide range of issues including drug and alcohol addiction.

During individual counseling, clients work with a dedicated drug and alcohol counselor who guides them through the process of becoming sober and maintaining their sobriety. This can include working through underlying issues and identifying triggers for substance use. This process allows you to investigate the contributing factors that initially led to drug or alcohol use so that you may avoid them in the future.

How Does Individual Therapy Help in Treating Substance Use Problems?

After the therapist and patient have identified any underlying issues, they can begin to address each of them. Typically, you will set goals for your recovery with your counselor so that you can mark the progress made in dealing with any potentially painful memories. As you make progress in this area, you may begin to feel less and less of a desire to use alcohol or drugs.
As a part of recovery, therapists also encourage clients to honestly assess their positive traits. When this renewed perspective takes hold, a much more positive internal dialogue can emerge. Once you have begun to recognize your strengths it can become easier to dismiss negative thoughts because you know that they are not true.

What Techniques are Used?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

One form of individual counseling that is effective for treating drug and alcohol addiction is cognitive behavioral therapy. This approach was developed in the 1960’s by noted psychiatrist Aaron Beck. He found a common thread between his patients who suffered from depression: they had persistent negative thoughts about themselves and the world around them. He referred to this pessimistic tendency as “automatic thoughts.”

In many cases, his patients did not realize that these automatic thoughts were influencing their emotions. This could be compared to a mental and emotional “operating system” such as those found in computers. The “operating system” was programmed to operate a certain way, perhaps through negative past experiences. In order to change the results of the operating system, changes to the programming needed to be made in order to influence the outcomes. He created CBT to help people identify these automatic thoughts and the behavior that is triggered by them. Once the unbalanced and often unrealistic nature of automatic thinking became clear to the patients, they had a pathway out of the self-consuming cycle of destructive actions. They gained the ability to identify the root cause of their self-destructive nature.

This approach has been successfully used for decades to treat substance use. If this therapy method is right for you, our compassionate therapists will guide you through your automatic thought processes to help you understand your actions and behaviors which can eventually allow you to change them.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Another individual addiction counseling approach that can be very effective is dialectical behavior therapy. Some individuals react very strongly to certain circumstances and can have a hard time regaining their emotional balance. For these people, DBT can be very effective for learning to regulate their emotions and responses.

Collaboration between the client and the therapist is a key component of DBT. It takes ongoing work to break free lifelong patterns of negative thinking that may have led to substance use. There are essentially four skills taught to our clients in Arizona who are undergoing dialectical behavior therapy: emotional regulation, balanced reactions to stressful situations, enhanced communication abilities, and introspection.

Dialectical behavior therapy was developed to give people the tools that they need to recognize tendencies to react strongly and make the necessary adjustments in order to decrease the intensity of their behaviors. This can be accomplished through acceptance and change which complement and balance each other in all aspects of life.

Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)

ART is an approach that is transforming lives by harnessing the innate healing ability of the human mind. Its principles are centered around replacing distressing images and memories with those that are positive or neutral. This process, known as Voluntary Image Replacement, doesn't seek to erase your past, but rather alter its emotional impact on you.

A question we often encounter is: how is ART different from Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)? While both therapies utilize bilateral stimulation to aid in processing traumatic memories, the similarities stop there. EMDR can take many sessions and an extended period to produce results. In contrast, ART stands out due to its accelerated approach. Significant outcomes can typically be seen within one to five sessions, providing relief in a fraction of the time.

This efficiency proves especially useful in treatment for various reasons. Firstly, timing is key when addressing past trauma. Starting deep trauma work too quickly can unintentionally cause more harm. Secondly, the period of your treatment might not allow for the many sessions that EMDR typically needs. We don't want to bring up traumatic memories without a clear route to resolution. This is why we favor ART over EMDR as our primary eye movement therapy method.

The strength of ART lies not just in its speed but also in its proven effectiveness. Scientific research shows that ART can significantly reduce symptoms of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. Therefore, it's not only a faster track to recovery but also a path to long-lasting change.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

Substance use treatment is one area of medicine that has rapidly evolved in the past few decades. Many years ago, if a person sought professional help to combat depression, panic attacks, or some other condition, they would be asked about their substance use. If they indicated that they had a problem with drugs or alcohol they would often be referred to a treatment center until they completed a rehabilitation program because health care professionals believed that the personality disorder was most likely caused by substance use. Professionals used to believe that if the addiction was conquered, the depression, anxiety, or personality disorders would vanish organically.

Shortly before the transition into the 21st century, this type of thinking changed. In many instances, people turn to alcohol, drugs, or a combination of the two because they have an underlying mental condition, not the other way around. Once this realization was widely accepted, dual diagnosis therapy was born.

The conditions are now viewed as overlapping challenges that must be treated together. Each issue will be addressed in the context of the other which increases the likelihood of a successful rehabilitation. Our therapists are certified as dual diagnosis professionals who are trained to help you or your loved one recover from multiple types of issues at the same time.

What Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Programs Offer Individual Therapy?

When you have made the decision to seek help for your issues, you will soon find that there are many different routes you can choose from in terms of the type of rehab you attend. These include:

Inpatient (inpatient): With inpatient care, clients reside at our program facility in Arizona 24/7 for the duration of the program. The rehab facility provides rooms, meals, and treatment, making it easy for you to focus on recovery instead of logistical details. This level of care is best for many people who are seeking help because it oftentimes allows you around-the-clock access to licensed, trained therapists and professionals who can help you with any issues or concerns. This is also when detoxification (detox) may take place if needed. Your days may be filled with counseling sessions, meetings, group therapy, holistic treatment, and other activities.

Intensive Outpatient (IOP): This type of treatment is very similar to inpatient treatment with the exception of overnight boarding. During IOP treatment, you will attend classes, one-on-one therapy sessions, meetings, and participate in other activities at the rehab facility but sleep at another location. Typically, this is a nearby sober living home. The majority of your days will be spent at the facility. This is an excellent option for clients who are ready to step down from an inpatient level of care.

Outpatient: A traditional outpatient program is less involved than intensive outpatient or inpatient treatment. With this type of care, you may only attend classes and meetings a few days each week and will likely meet with your counselor and treatment coordinator once each week to check in on your progress.

Aftercare: Once you have successfully completed either an inpatient or outpatient program, your work is not done. Addiction is a life-long struggle that will require active work on your part well into the future. Aftercare services allow you a chance to stay in touch with fellow alumni, keeping your sober support network close at hand to help you prevent relapse.

Is There Individual Therapy For Drug Rehab Near Me in Scottsdale, Arizona?

If you or your loved one are struggling with an alcohol or drug addiction, you don’t have to face it alone. If you are located in the Scottsdale area, we are a top rated drug rehab for your therapy needs. Some people also find that a change in location can aid their recovery and we accept clients from all over Arizona and the entire United States. Pinnacle Peak Recovery is a licensed treatment facility that offers nationally recognized evidence-based treatment options for all of our clients.

We recognize the fact that individual counseling is a vital part of recovery from drugs or alcohol. However, no single approach works for every single person which is why personalized treatment programs are created for each person who enters our recovery program.
With this in mind, our staff specializes in many different types of therapy including cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, EMDR, and dual diagnosis treatment so that we are able to provide the best treatment no matter what type of background you may have, past issues you may have experienced, or what current issues need to be addressed.

Call Us Today for Help

If you or someone you care about is in need of treatment, our doors are wide open and our compassionate therapists are ready to help you start changing your life. We will gain an understanding of your unique situation and devise the ideal individual counseling program.
When you connect with our center, you will work with a highly trained, empathetic intake specialist that listen to your problems and offer guidance to help you toward your goal of sobriety. We have a thorough understanding of many different approaches to individual counseling and we will work with you to find the most appropriate methods.

Call us today at 480-787-2409 to get started on the journey to the sober and healthy life you desire.

Pinnacle Peak Recovery