By Robert Lien, MHA
Finding the right therapist and treatment program for addiction or a mental health condition is important for many reasons. Getting the right help can save you time, money and also prevent making things worse, not to mention actually getting the help you are seeking! While many people can suffer from a similar diagnosis such as anxiety or depression there may be other underlying issues or lifestyle influences that should also be addressed for the treatment to be effective.
Therapists, Counselors, Psychiatrists and Psychologists all go through years of education, some longer than others. Depending on what specialty or credentialing they are pursuing they will have specialized training in conditions or fields they are interested in. That means that they may have a specialty in alcohol counseling or drug counseling, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), family systems, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder or PTSD to name just a few.
Most rehab treatment centers offer a variety of treatment programs or specialized recovery tracks that focus on specific conditions such as addiction to drugs and alcohol, bipolar, trauma, LGTBQ or dual diagnosis where mental health and addiction are both treated simultaneously. A rehab center will have clinicians that specialize and have been trained in different areas to provide the care for the different programs it offers. It is also important to note that clinicians must be mindful of their limits in training and therefore make referrals to appropriate facilities or providers to ensure the safety of the client. By partnering with specialists in different fields it can help create a more comprehensive treatment plan to make sure that all conditions are being treated safely and appropriately. Remember that it is all areas of the clients life that make them whole and they are all interconnected.
Communication is the key between therapists and treatment centers to create a robust plan that meets the needs of the client. So when searching for a therapist or a treatment center it is important to ask questions about your specific conditions or how the facility will handle supporting additional needs that may arise. There are many options to choose from including detox, inpatient treatment, outpatient treatment as well as aftercare programs that can support the client for months or years. Additionally, it is important to keep in mind what the next level of care is going to be best to support the recovery process. For example, after being discharged from a detox facility is it appropriate to go to an inpatient treatment program or an outpatient treatment program? Should the client go to a sober living or transitional housing before it be appropriate for them to go back to their home? Does the person require individual psychiatric medication management along with counseling? It is good to have a plan of action to follow for treatment to be successful and the best plans are ones that can be flexible to meet the needs as they arise.
To find treatment options many people start with an online search, like we do for almost everything today. However, it may be better to start by asking a provider who is already familiar with you like a Primary Care Physician. They will usually know of other providers and rehab centers and can offer suggestions they are familiar with and trust. When calling therapists or treatment centers it is okay to ask questions about licensing, credentialing, staffing and of course finances to help determine if it is a good fit for you. It may also be helpful to create a checklist so that you can ask the different providers and treatment centers you are calling the same questions. This checklist can help make an informed decision to find the treatment that meets your specific needs.
Call CAST Centers Admission Department at (866)-283-9885 to learn about outpatient treatment programs that meet during the day at our facility in West Hollywood, CA. CAST Centers also offers an online evening program that meets Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 5:30 – 8:30 pm. Your Anthem Blue Cross Insurance, Cigna PPO Insurance, Aetna PPO insurance or UnitedHealthcare PPO insurance may be able to help with the cost of rehab treatment.
