What Is Individual Therapy, and Is It for You?

Therapy is a significant part of effective addiction and mental health treatment. Individual therapy will have individuals working one-on-one with a counselor to work through the issues they have been struggling with. Therapy is an integral part of a larger treatment protocol and is part of the support and care system individuals need to safely break the cycle of addiction or begin to manage their mental health.

Arkview Recovery is a leading addiction treatment center in Mechanicsburg, PA, which is conveniently located near Philadelphia, Lancaster, and Pittsburgh. Our addiction treatment programs are designed for people who are seeking genuine, long-lasting recovery. If you are looking for individual therapy in Mechanicsburg, PA, please reach out to us today at 717.744.0756. We can help assess whether an individual therapy program is right for you.

What Is Individual Therapy?

Individual therapy, also commonly referred to as talk therapy or psychotherapy, is a type of therapy that puts you one-on-one with a counselor in a private, supportive, and open environment. Together, the two of you will discuss and work through any issues you’ve been having with addiction, past trauma, or mental health to get to the root causes of these issues and finally begin to really heal.

Individual therapy can help treat:

• Substance abuse and addiction
• Anxiety and panic disorders
• Depression
• PTSD
• OCD
• Mood disorders
• Personality disorders
• Schizoaffective disorders
• Behavioral issues

Therapies in treatment settings aim to help build confidence and self-esteem, adopt healthier coping skills, and improve quality of life. An effective individual therapy program can help you cope better with addiction triggers and impulses, prevent relapse, improve mental health, and help you rebuild your relationships with yourself and others by improving communication as well.

When Is It Time for Individual Therapy Near Me?

If the symptoms of your addiction and/or mental health disorder are negatively impacting your life, it is time to consider professional help. Individual therapy, when used in collaboration with standard addiction and mental health treatment protocols, can be helpful in effectively breaking the cycle of addiction, preventing relapse, and improving mental health.

Is your substance abuse harming your most important relationships? Is your anxiety or depression getting in the way of day-to-day life or worsening your dependence on drugs or alcohol? If so, help is available. You just need to take the first step.

What to Expect from Individual Therapy

In individual therapy, it’s just you and your counselor; no distractions and no other people getting involved. In this comfortable and private setting, you will be able to open up more freely, and you will be able to get more from your experience. Your counselor will offer advice, education, resources, and support, but much of the realization will come from you during your discussions about the issues you have been facing.

Some of the most common types of therapy include:

• Psychotherapy (talk therapy) – Realizations are made through guided discussions in an effort to get to the root causes of addiction and mental health disorders.
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) – This form of therapy includes learning and implementing new and healthier coping skills, setting short- and long-term goals, and developing problem-solving and communication skills.
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) – This form of talk therapy is based on CBT but intended for individuals who feel emotions very deeply and intensely and need help with regulating them in a healthier way.
• EMDR therapy – Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy was designed to relieve the stress associated with traumatic events and memories and is helpful in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• Holistic therapy – Holistic therapy aims to treat all aspects of the individual, not just their addiction or mental health disorder, and may include music therapy, yoga or meditation therapy, and art therapy, among other things.

What therapies are included in your treatment plan will be decided upon with your counselor as you customize your programs to your unique needs. Still, you will likely have some form of individualized therapy, as well as group and possibly even family therapy.

Benefits of Individual Therapy

Individual therapy has many benefits. Some of the most significant benefits are:

1. Identifying the root causes of your issues
2. Learning how to handle your triggers and urges and coping in a healthier, nondestructive way
3. Learning how to regulate your emotions
4. Understanding yourself better
5. Building the confidence to make positive changes and begin to heal

When you are ready to free yourself from the cycle of addiction and any compounding mental health struggles you may also be facing, professional help by way of treatment and therapy should be your first consideration. Individuals who complete a treatment program with therapy have higher success rates when it comes to preventing relapse, maintaining long-term sobriety, and managing their mental health.

Learn More About Individual Therapy at Arkview Recovery

Is an individual therapy program right for you? Arkview Recovery offers a number of therapy programs to help support addiction and mental health treatment, including individual therapy. Call 717.744.0756 or fill out our online contact form for more information and to learn how individual therapy could help you on your recovery journey in addition to professional treatment and support.