Active engagement during rehabilitation can significantly impact the effectiveness of treatment and how quickly you make breakthroughs in individual or group therapy. Self-awareness improves exponentially when you put in the time and effort to analyze your motivations and find solutions to daily issues. Active participation involves being willing to show vulnerability and accept accountability for personal choices.
Not everyone in treatment is ready to engage right away. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “in early recovery, clients tend to be ambivalent about ending substance use.” Facilities like Newport Beach Recovery Center use various therapies, including motivational interviewing (MI) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), to help clients overcome feelings of ambivalence.
How Can You Actively Engage in Therapy?
Some people in early recovery pretend to engage because they want to get through the program as quickly as possible and return home where they can go back to misusing substances. Outwardly seeming to participate in treatment will not help you heal. Successful therapy requires active participation that includes:
- Taking steps to increase self-awareness
- Accepting the realities of addiction
- Taking responsibility for your actions
- Holding yourself accountable for your continued sobriety
- Listening to your group or therapist and internalizing healthier coping strategies
The easiest way to engage is by following the instructions of the care team responsible for your rehabilitation program. The experts at facilities like Newport Beach Recovery Center have decades of experience helping clients recover using personalized care and evidence-based treatments. You can benefit from their knowledge by communicating honestly and being willing to change how you think about substance misuse, sobriety, and recovery.
What Are the Benefits of Active Participation in Therapy?
Psychotherapy, experiential therapy, and alternative holistic therapies are a cornerstone of treatment for SUD and co-occurring mental health issues. According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), “More than one in four adults living with serious mental health problems also has a substance use problem.” Therefore, active participation in therapy is essential for individuals with dual diagnoses. The benefits include:
- Increased communication and social skills
- Lower risk of relapse during and after treatment
- Increased self-awareness, self-esteem, and self-efficacy
- Decreased feelings of ambivalence or hesitation about treatment
- Improved overall health
- Reduced mental health symptoms
We believe therapy can help clients unlock their potential and cope with recovery-related challenges.
How Can Active Participation in Therapy Decrease the Risk of Relapse?
Active participation in therapy can reduce the risk of relapse by doing the following:
- Preparing you to face specific triggers
- Offering general stress reduction techniques
- Teaching you essential skills to improve your quality of life
- Allowing you to learn healthy self-expression
- Strengthening the mind-body connection
- Improving and expanding your support system
Relapse is not inevitable, and therapy significantly reduces the risk. However, it is essential to note that relapse is nothing more than a symptom of the disease. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “Treatment of chronic diseases involves changing deeply rooted behaviors, and relapse doesn’t mean treatment has failed.” Therapy will give you the tools you need to achieve and maintain sobriety despite possible setbacks.
What Information Can You Share in Therapy?
Not everyone feels comfortable being vulnerable, and you may wonder what topics are “off limits” during group and individual therapy. Due to the nature of substance misuse, underlying causes of addictive behaviors often involve highly personal events and beliefs. As a result, you may feel uncertain about whether or not you are allowed to share certain things during group and individual sessions, primarily when they paint you or someone you love in a bad light.
Client-therapist confidentiality protects your privacy during one-on-one sessions. However, there is no way to control who will disclose the information you share during group therapy. You should feel comfortable discussing relevant topics during every type of therapy session. You might feel better and avoid triggering others in group sessions if you consult with your therapist before disclosing details about crimes you have committed or explicit abuses you witnessed or experienced.
Therapy provides an excellent place to process the following:
- Traumatic events
- Past mistakes, including crimes committed while under the influence
- Risk-taking or self-harming behaviors
- Family issues
How Can You Help Peers Through Active Participation in Therapy?
Active participation in therapy and group activities will help you better understand yourself, encourage healing, and inspire peers to do the same. In addition, you can be a role model to peers within the recovery community by making progress based on a willingness to do the hard work of changing yourself.
You can help peers while actively participating in therapy by doing the following:
- Being honest about your thoughts and feelings
- Interacting with peers in a positive way outside of therapy
- Discussing the benefits of active participation
You can be a role model by being honest about the effect treatment has on your mental and physical health. You can help yourself and others by actively participating in the rehabilitation process.
Therapy has been a cornerstone of the recovery process for decades, and research shows that effective treatment requires clients to engage in therapy during and after rehabilitation. The type of therapy depends on the needs and preferences of each client. Some people experience excellent benefits from alternative holistic therapies, including meditation, animal-assisted therapy, and mindfulness-based techniques. Others do best using structured, evidence-based therapy methods like motivational interviewing and dialectical behavioral therapy. The dedicated care team at Newport Beach Recovery Center uses tailored individual and group therapy to ensure clients get the best results possible. We can give you the therapeutic tools you need to reduce the risk of relapse and increase your mental health during and after rehabilitation. Therapy is one of the best tools for achieving long-term health and wellness. To learn more about our facility and the programs we offer, call us today at (888) 850-0363.
