There is broad agreement in the addiction treatment community that behavioral therapy is a critical component of any successful substance addiction treatment. Behavioral therapy refers to a patient-centered, engaging approach to treatment that is focused on helping patients identify the causes of their problematic behavior, giving them tools and strategies to overcome triggering situations, and providing incentives for patients to refrain from use.
Behavioral therapy is a broad term that covers a number of more specific approaches including, but not limited to, contingency management, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and motivational enhancement therapy.
While there are meaningful differences between these various approaches, behavioral therapy typically involves the following components:
– Education and Planning: The therapist helps the patient to understand the circumstances causing the addiction to be maintained and will work with the patient to create a plan to change the problematic behavior.
– Assertiveness Training: The therapist educates the patient on how to express themselves in an open, honest, and respectful manner.
– Relaxation Training: The patient learns techniques to achieve a state of peace and calmness both physically and mentally.
– Functional Analysis: The patient and therapist work backward to learn the reinforcers that cause the problematic behavior to continue.
– Exposure: The patient is exposed to the substance to practice their new strategies in a safe and supervised environment.
While the effectiveness of behavioral therapy approaches to treatment is not disputed, it is important to find a treatment center that offers the specific type of behavioral therapy that works best for your unique needs.
The residential treatment program at the Asana Recovery Center offers a variety of distinct behavioral therapy options to ensure our patients are getting the comprehensive treatment they need. Call us today at (949) 438-4504 to find out whether our drug and alcohol addiction treatment program may be the right fit for you.