Choosing a treatment center for yourself or a loved one is an important decision. Like salad dressings in a grocery store, there is a wide availability of varieties and options- sometimes too many! Here is what we consider to be the eight most important things to look for in a treatment center.
1. Individual Therapy Sessions
Isn’t meeting with a therapist an essential part of recovery? Most professionals would agree. Unfortunately, many treatment centers do not. Individual therapy is critical for the personal advancement of each client. If a treatment center does not emphasize or advertise the amount of individual therapy they provide, it is likely their program runs on group therapy only, which is helpful, but overall not as effective.
2. Certified, Licensed, Trained Staff
Anyone can open a treatment center and talk with recovering addicts and alcoholics. As of right now, there are minimal standards and regulations when it comes to the clinical treatment of addiction, alcoholism, and mental health. Check for credentials, certifications, licenses, and any other kind of training at every level of the treatment center from the CEO down to the cooks.
3. Transitional Living, Aftercare, Vocational Training
Increasing amounts of research assert that a mere thirty days in residential treatment is not enough to create the long lasting and impactful changes necessary for long term recovery. Lakehouse Recovery Center offers a unique twelve month after care program. Programs without a continuum of care, meaning multiple levels of care including sober living, transitional living, or an aftercare/alumni program are likely “revolving doors”, waiting for newcomer graduates to relapse and return for treatment.
4. Beware Of Success Rates
Currently, there is no standardized definition of what qualifies as “success” in recovery and for treatment centers. Many regard an entire year of continuous sobriety to be successful. Others consider ninety days after treatment to be successful. Our goal at Lakehouse is recovery for a lifetime.
5. Family Therapy And Family Programming
Not every addict and alcoholic who seeks treatment has the support of a willing and loving family. Many are from disconnected and dysfunctional homes. Many others have been excommunicated from their families entirely. For the family systems available and willing to heal, family therapy and family programming are essential.
6. Diet And Exercise
Nutrition, diet, and exercise are critical for supporting mind, body, and spirit through the recovery process. Addiction is not something that happens in a vacuum in the mind. Addiction affects the entire being. Healing the body and learning how to continue supporting the body holistically after treatment should be a priority.
7. Integrative Treatments
Call it alternative therapy, eastern therapy, integrative therapy, or holistic healing therapy. Treatment modalities like massage, acupuncture, reiki, yoga, meditation, and mindfulness are rapidly becoming evidence based treatment methods which reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and physical symptoms of detox.