Range of Services

Evaluation and treatment settings and formats
Focuses and methods of treatment
Support for treatment
Executive and business coaching and consultation
The psychotherapy team
For families and concerned others
Family asset succession planning (estate planning) 

At Practical Recovery there are no fixed requirements and no two treatment plans are alike. Attending groups is not required.  Only some of the following services will be applicable to any one person.  Although this list of services may seem overwhelming, in the early sessions we will collaborate to identify your principal goals and deepest values, and a course of action that suits them.  Then we'll go to work. We'll keep refining our understanding of your needs, goals and values, and the services suited to them, as we go. You may have attended a health spa before. We are a Spa for the Spirit!

Evaluation and treatment settings and formats

• We offer, or can arrange for, the full spectrum of addiction care: detox, residential treatment, intensive treatment with independent living, treatment-in-residence, intensive outpatient, outpatient, brief treatment, sober living and assessment.  
• Comprehensive assessment and treatment planning (including psychological testing: we choose among dozens of reliable and well validated tests)
• Detailed review of personal history
• Detailed cost-benefit analysis of your addictive behavior(s)
• Individual sessions (the core of our program; most of the other services on this list are provided in individual sessions)
• Couple and family sessions (family members may conference in by phone if needed)
• Group sessions (support oriented, meditation)
• Long distance coaching by telephone (or Skype)
• Treatment for individuals ordered by a court or probation officer

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Focuses and methods of treatment

• Problems of living, including parenting problems, work stress, relationship problems, legal problems, neighbor problems, money problems, perfectionism, guilt, upcoming decisions, etc.
• Most co-morbid psychiatric and psychological disorders, including mood disorders (depression, bipolar), anxiety disorders (panic and agoraphobia, PTSD, GAD, OCD, phobia, social phobia), eating disorders, personality disorders, impulse disorders, sexual disorders, and ADHD
• Stress related physical conditions, including psoriasis, IBS, headaches and asthma
• Coping with craving training
• Motivational enhancement
• Psycho-education (including assertiveness training, stress management, self-hypnosis, anger management, relaxation training, etc.)
• Psychological pain management techniques
• Social skills training (including dating and social conversation)
• Relapse prevention training (especially high risk situation analysis)
• Core belief identification and modification (cognitive restructuring)
• Shyness, self-concept and self-esteem work
• Catharsis (We listen.  Despite this extensive list of services, the experience of truly being heard and understood remains one of the most powerful experiences most clients have here)
• Shadowing and coaching out of the office (we can accompany you in tough situations)
• Cue exposure and exposure training (in the office we have drug paraphernalia, alcohol, cigarettes, and other cues about substance use; we go out of the office as needed, including bars, dining out, preparing dinner, concerts, parties, parts of town, and 12-step meetings for addiction clients, and feared settings or situations for anxiety clients)
• Specialized psychotherapeutic services (including hypnotherapy, neuro-feedback, EMDR, and TFT)
• Smoking cessation (multi-modality)
• Mind-body exercises
• Breathing re-training (especially useful for anxiety)
• Mindfulness and meditation training
• Acceptance exercises
• Pain management medications. Clients who need pain medications are encouraged to consider using them.
• Psychiatric medications.  Many of our clients are on anti-depressants or other psychiatric medications.  Their use is ultimately your choice.  Our experience suggests that these medications are often over-prescribed.
• Addiction medicine, including naltrexone, acamprosate, buprenorphine, methadone, Antabuse, bupropion (Zyban), nicotine replacement therapy, and other medications.  Many of our clients use these medications.  Their use is ultimately your choice.  Our experience suggests they are often quite helpful

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Support for treatment

• Assisted identification and experience with workbooks, treatment manuals, videotapes, self-help books, websites, literature and movies (extensive resources onsite)
• Assisted journaling and behavior tracking
• Activity scheduling (with electronic reminding system if needed)
• Drug testing (off site)
• Consultation with other psychotherapists or other professionals who are working with you (we regularly work in conjunction with other professionals of your choosing)
• Referral to other professionals, outside of Practical Recovery, whom you may need to see

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Executive and business coaching and consultation

• Business and communication training
• Executive and leadership development and coaching

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The psychotherapy team

If you come to Practical Recovery for more than one session per week, you will likely have a psychotherapy team. With your permission, you will see several staff members.  Each will work with you on one or more aspects of your treatment plan.  A major advantage of the team is that "several heads are better than one."  Most importantly, you get to choose which staff members will be on your team.  After you have had sessions with various staff, you will tell your lead therapist which ones you want to work with, and how often.  All of our staff are very competent, but a reality of life is that we feel more connected to some individuals (and less so to others).  You will work with your choice of professionals.  With 24 hours notice you may make changes to your team at any time. 

Our therapy team is one of our primary innovations. Although treatment teams exist in many healthcare settings, we know of no other team that consists of so many highly skilled doctoral level psychotherapists, each of whom is working intensively with you, yet coordinating treatment with the other therapists and the other providers.  Our team meets formally three times per week, and informally as often as needed, to maximize your progress.

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For families and concerned others

Physician (after completing a physical exam): "You know, Joe, for your age, you are in pretty good health. However, the best thing you could do for yourself is to give up smoking and lose weight."

Patient: "Doc, I don't deserve the best. What's the 2nd best?"

If you are reading this website for someone else (who has addiction problems), you may be looking for a treatment program that will "force" your loved one to change. Despite what some programs may promise, there is no forcing someone to change. No one has to change! The only things we have to do in life are age and die. Everything else is a choice (although we may not always like the options available). We also may not like the choices others make. 

Treatment works best when the treatment program accepts the client as he or she is.  The reality is that most clients enter treatment with ambivalence about their behavior. Addiction has caused major problems, but it has also been a major source of pleasure. If I'm doing too much of a good thing, maybe I should just do less. This may seem highly irrational to others, who have seen repeated failed attempts at self-control, but it doesn't seem irrational to many clients. Sometimes the shortest route is not the most direct one. We are deeply concerned about our clients, and aim to have them experiencing no negative consequences from addictive behavior. Usually this change occurs in small steps. We are not opposed to big steps, but they cannot be forced. If your loved one has already attended several treatment programs (a very common occurrence), you may already understand this idea! 

We propose that, instead of attempting to force your loved one, you begin with yourself, by seeking counseling on how to change your reactions to the addicted individual, and how not to shield the addicted individual from the consequences of his or her behavior. Ultimately someone changes addictive behavior because the costs outweigh the benefits. Family and friends are a crucial component of the costs of addiction, and they often overlook this fact. By working with you we aim to increase the chances of seeking treatment, while helping you maintain a caring and supportive relationship (assuming you wish to do this). Once the addicted individual has begun treatment, we can also coach you on how to enhance the likelihood of maintaining progress. 

This new approach to dealing with your loved one will not only increase the likelihood of seeking treatment, but strengthen and improve your life as well. Paradoxically, however, you will not insist on seeking treatment or a particular kind of treatment.  Your focus will be the consequences of the addiction itself. You will seek opportunities to reward non-addictive behavior, and withdraw support from addictive behavior.  The changes that occur from this approach may take some time, but tend to be durable.

An advantage of this approach is that your loved one can let go of resisting what may be viewed as intrusive guidance, and stay focused on attacking the primary problem. If you have already tried to "force" someone into treatment, you probably have already seen the amount of unproductive conflict that can occur. To accomplish the above goals we recommend that families of our clients participate in the CRAFT program.  We are one of the few centers in the country to offer this option.

Community Reinforcement And Family Training

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Family asset succession planning (estate planning)