What to Expect in Outpatient Drug and Alcohol Rehab
Many women don’t realize that there is a step-down approach to treatment available to them. These are women who need to go to outpatient treatment, but they aren’t ready for a lower level of care. For these women, IOP is available to them.
Intensive Outpatient Program:
A structured mental healthcare program that provides treatment for substance use disorders and mental health conditions, offering several hours of therapy per week while allowing participants to return home in the evenings.
During IOP, you’ll find that your treatment is a bit more intense than traditional outpatient care. You’ll attend appointments more frequently, participate in support groups, and meet more often with your therapist.
This higher level of care is often compared to inpatient treatment based on how often patients interact with staff members. The two are very closely related to each other. IOP is very useful in helping patients integrate back into the community, and serves as a great way to transition. If you have been through an inpatient treatment program, IOP treatment is highly recommended for you.
Drug and Alcohol Testing Is Essential in Outpatient Treatment
Another service that is desperately needed for those in outpatient recovery is drug and alcohol testing. At Women’s Recovery, our goal is to keep you in recovery. We want to facilitate that in every possible way. We also want to give you the opportunity to have the accountability you need to reach your own recovery goals. Offering drug and alcohol testing is one way that allows us to do just that.
The amount of drug and alcohol testing that is needed is different for each patient through our substance abuse treatment programs. Generally, there are scheduled tests, but there are also unscheduled tests as well. This is to ensure that you are remaining compliant with the program.
If this component of outpatient treatment makes you nervous, there’s no need to be. Just know that it is in place to offer you the protection and accountability that you need.
At Women’s Recovery, our goal is not to exclude men in any way. Instead, our goal is to offer women the type of substance abuse treatment programs they need to reach long-term recovery. By targeting our services to women only, we can more adequately speak to their unique needs and offer them the help to facilitate a safe and healthy transition back into the community.
Group Therapy for Substance Abuse Treatment
The benefits of group therapy during substance abuse treatment cannot be expressed enough. Working within a support group allows you to get feedback from others regarding your substance abuse. You’ll get to know the others in your groups very well, and you’ll work together regularly. Benefits of group therapy include:
Social Support
Group therapy provides a supportive environment where individuals can connect with others facing similar challenges, fostering a sense of community and understanding.
Psychoeducation
Participants in group therapy receive education on various topics related to substance use disorders, empowering them with knowledge and insight into their condition and recovery process.
Targeted Recovery Focus
Group therapy sessions address specific aspects of recovery such as early recovery strategies and relapse prevention techniques, offering practical guidance tailored to individual needs.
Therapeutic Community
The group setting naturally encourages discussion, sharing, and empathy, creating a powerful therapeutic dynamic that enhances the treatment process.
Complementary Treatment
Group therapy is often integrated alongside individual therapy, complementing one-on-one sessions and providing a comprehensive approach to addiction treatment.
You may also find it easier to open up in group therapy if all participants are women. Sometimes when women are involved in support groups with men, it’s more difficult for them to share their feelings. Because of this, they may avoid saying something that would embarrass them or make them feel uncomfortable.
At Denver Women’s Recovery and Summit Women’s Recovery, our staff wants you to feel comfortable at all times. We know how important your outpatient treatment is, and group therapy is an essential part of that. Like your individual counseling sessions, group therapy will be very rewarding for you.
Paying for Outpatient Rehab
Perhaps you have recently been through an inpatient treatment program. It was an expensive program, and you were a bit surprised that your insurance paid so much toward the cost. Because of this program, you are feeling quite certain that you no longer qualify for additional treatment. You’re concerned that your benefits were maximized, and so, you’ll have to wait to get outpatient care.
This is a common concern among many women who have gone to an exceptional inpatient treatment center. They often worry that they won’t be able to afford outpatient treatment. If this is a concern you have as well, we’d like to put your mind at ease.
At Women’s Recovery, we have had the pleasure of working with a number of women who felt similarly. They were sure that their health insurance companies wouldn’t pay for outpatient treatment. However, because of the recent changes in the healthcare laws in the U.S., they will. In fact, we can help you by verifying your insurance benefits for you. This will give you a detailed picture of what they will cover, and what amount, if any, you’ll need to pay out of pocket.
Do You Need Outpatient Services?
Maybe you feel as though you got as much as you could out of your inpatient treatment program. You may feel as though you couldn’t possibly learn anything more about yourself or your substance abuse disorder. Therefore, you think you may not really need to follow up with an outpatient program. You should consider outpatient treatment if:
Please know that you’re not alone if you feel that you need help. So many women feel energized and highly motivated to continue on in their recoveries once they finish inpatient rehab. However, once they get home, that can change very quickly. Whether you are battling a drug or alcohol use disorder, your condition is a disease. Diseases require ongoing treatment.
Talking with someone in our admissions department will help you understand what type of treatment would be best for you.