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Individual Therapy
All Primrose Lodge patients will have the opportunity to benefit from individual therapy sessions with their assigned personal counsellor. We understand that some patients may have suffered traumas or experiences that they find too difficult to speak about in a group therapy environment. Ensuring that no stone is left unturned and that each patient has the opportunity to address any issue that could potentially threaten their future sobriety on leaving treatment, Individual therapy sessions are completely dedicated to the patient’s individual issues. The counsellor conducting the session will utilise various therapeutic models to ensure the session is productive and healing to the individual. It also provides the counsellor with the opportunity to review the patient’s treatment plan and make any necessary adjustments. It is important to us that each patient receives the highest levels of care and most appropriate treatment whilst undergoing rehabilitation at our clinic.
What Is Individual Therapy?
Individual therapy is also known as Psychotherapy or Counselling. It is a collaborative process between the individual counsellor and patient. The counsellor will use a number of effective and proven treatment modalities in order to facilitate positive change and improve the individual’s quality of life. Common forms of therapy delivered during the session include cognitive behavioural therapy, dialectical behavioural therapy, trauma therapy and psychotherapy. Many individuals find these sessions extremely beneficial and healing, as they are able to resolve past issues and increase their own self-awareness with the assistance of their therapist.
What Happens in Individual Therapy?
On admission to Primrose Lodge, each patient is assigned a focal counsellor; who is responsible for overseeing the individual’s treatment plan for the duration of their stay. Continuity of care is extremely important during the treatment process; by providing a focal counsellor, the patient will be able to form a trusting and effective therapeutic relationship. All of our Counsellors are BACP registered and qualified. They themselves have successfully overcome addiction related illnesses and are therefore in a unique position to earn the trust and respect of the patient very quickly. Combining their personal experience and understanding of addiction with their impressive professional skills, they utilise individual therapy sessions to reach the patient on a deeper level and within a short space of time. Common issues and problems that are treated during these sessions include:
- Problems of a sexual nature
- Behaviours that cause the individual to suffer a lot of shame and guilt
- Past traumatic experiences
- Thoughts, feelings and experiences that the individual feels too ashamed to disclose in a group setting
Individual therapy sessions at Primrose Lodge last for approximately 50 minutes. They are held within a small, comfortable room, specifically prepared for this purpose. Using a person-centred approach to treatment, the counsellor will address issues that the patient is not comfortable discussing in front of their peers. By treating the deeper issues within the individual, they subsequently have a far greater chance of successfully staying sober and clean on returning back home.
Powerful Healing
Individual therapy is a concentrated dose of talking therapy. The counsellor is able to cover a lot of ground as they dedicate the session, in its entirety to the patient attending. Our therapy rooms are sound proofed, providing reassurance for the patient that others cannot overhear them. Many that suffer from addiction and mood disorders experience great difficulty in truly letting go of their emotions. Expressing and experiencing emotions is necessary for the healing process. Individual therapy provides a safe and confidential space in which they can do just that. The counsellor conducting the session, ensures the patients emotional safety at all times.
Benefits of Individual Therapy
Individual therapy is a highly effective form of treatment for addiction and also co occurring illnesses such as depression, anxiety disorder, post traumatic stress disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder. It offers the individual the following benefits:
- Provides a safe and confidential space to discuss issues of a more sensitive nature
- Assists in processing difficult emotions
- Assists in raising self-awareness and increasing self-compassion, self-esteem and self worth.
- Removes barriers that could otherwise hinder the recovery process
- Provides the opportunity for intensive therapy to be delivered without interruption or distraction
- Allows for the individual to express their true emotions unreservedly, without the fear of being judged by others
- More progress can be made as the counsellor/patient cover more ground relating to the patients individual issues.
How Individual Therapy Works
The first step in recovery from addiction is to remove any chemical dependency and halt any compulsive behaviour. Once this has been safely achieved, through a medical detox or period of abstinence, therapeutic measures can then be of maximum benefit. Alcohol, drugs and compulsive behaviours are a symptom of something much deeper going on within. It is imperative that the issues that drive the individual’s addiction and compulsions are addressed and resolved. If they are not addressed, once out of the treatment environment, it is likely they will relapse.
Each patient will have some issues or problems that are completely individual to them. Individual therapy allows for these issues and problems to be tackled head on, one to one, in a non-threatening and therapeutic environment. It is the perfect setting for the individual to discuss or raise issues that are of a sensitive nature. The progress that is made through individual therapy sessions will depend on the individual’s length of stay with us. The longer the duration of their stay, the more opportunity we have to conduct these important sessions. Over a longer period of treatment, the focal counsellor will come to understand and learn more about the individual as their therapeutic relationship evolves; therefore placing them in a better position to ensure they are receiving the correct treatment.
If you have any questions relating to our individual therapy sessions or any other aspect of our treatment program, please do not hesitate to contact us and speak to a member of our clinical team.