Treatment Modalities

There are a variety of treatment modalities or forms available to meet each patients individual needs. The modality chosen will depend on factors such as diagnosis, age of the patient, family support, financial constraints and patient preference.

Individual Psychotherapy is the modality with one patient and one therapist. This form offers the most attention to the patients individual concerns however it can be limited in that it cannot directly study family or social relationships. There are many different styles or theoretical orientations of therapists such as psychodynamic, cognitive and behavioral.

Family Psychotherapy is conducted with all or as many members as possible of a family. The work may all be done with the entire group or involve various combinations of family members. The process helps identify and modify maladaptive or destructive interaction patterns as well as foster group communication and problem solving skills.

Group Psychotherapy is conducted with at least three and up to fifteen patients together. This modality offers the patient the opportunity to interact with others and learn from them as well as study their own relationship style. Patients usually encounter some social anxiety in beginning group therapy, however it offers an ideal environment in which to challenge such anxieties.

Homogeneous groups are made up of individuals with similar concerns such as chemical dependency or women's issues. These groups offer support and understanding and the feeling that one is not the only one struggling with a given set of concerns.

Heterogeneous groups have a more varied membership and more closely approximate the world at large.

Marital/Relationship Therapy is conducted with couples in a marital or "significant other" relationship. Its purpose is to assist the couple to work together as partners to communicate, love and solve the problems of daily life. The establishment of realistic, adult expectations is usually an important goal.

Stress Management training is a process of identifying stressors, learning ones physiological and cognitive responses to stress and developing techniques to manage those responses. Common stress management techniques are systematic desensitization, relaxation training, and cognitive therapy.

Medication Management is the use of psychotropic medications to manage emotional, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms. The medication is prescribed by psychiatrists after thorough evaluation and with ongoing monitoring. Medication management is usually implemented in conjunction with other therapies aimed at treating the underlying causes of the condition.

Alcohol and Substance Abuse Treatment

Substance Abuse Education

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Last modified: April 20, 2010

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If diagnosis or treatment is desired, we recommend that you consult an appropriate professional.