We remove the generic barrier between substance abuse and mental health, and treat the whole person when addressing substance abuse and addiction. All cases of substance abuse typically have an underlying mental health issue as the driving force, and failure to combine these treatments is a shortcoming in our field. We provide relapse prevention work, utilize the harm reduction model, and seek to understand the underlying causes of substance use in our clients.
Treatment for substance abuse will reflect the needs of the patient we work with, by recommending helpful treatments that may help discontinue or decrease substance abuse. We aim to meet the client where they are in their desire to decrease substances, and work on bolstering internal motivation for change.
In taking this whole person approach, we have therapists trained in substance abuse that can help with ongoing sobriety, harm reduction, or recovery coaching. We can also use biofeedback approaches to help with reduction of cravings and overall states of arousal leading to substance use. This flexible approach allows us to meet the client where they are. We are also comfortable using certain medications that may assist in reducing cravings or controlling impulses. What we typically see is that when underlying issues are addressed therapeutically, the desire to seek substances to cope also decreases.
