“No one will get it. I do not want to talk to other people about my problems.” Does this sound like something you or your loved one might say about the therapy required for addiction treatment?

Though most addiction treatment programs include group therapy sessions, where people talk to each other and learn together, individual therapy is another avenue for more personalized support. It is also a key component of the addiction recovery process. If you’re feeling nervous about therapy, it helps to understand what happens in therapy and how it can benefit your recovery.

What is Individual Therapy?

Individual therapy is a one-on-one opportunity to spend time with a licensed therapist to discuss your specific needs, goals, challenges, and opportunities. It is not a time to feel pressured or experience an invasion of privacy. In fact, it is one of the most private and important components of your addiction recovery process.

During these sessions, you work with your therapist or counselor on areas that are specifically important to you. Your path to treatment was unique, and your treatment needs to be as well.

Your therapist applies various types of therapy strategies to help you work through the challenges you are facing. For example, many people will work through cognitive behavioral therapy, a method that enables you to consider how your thoughts about yourself and the world are influencing your behavior. 

The Benefits of Individual Therapy

It can seem scary to talk to a professional about how challenging your past has been. Individual therapy comes with several reassurances: it is confidential; it is private; and you will not be judged. There is no concern that is too little or too big to talk about during therapy. This leads to several benefits for many people:

• Individualized treatment

Your therapist uses specific types of therapy to provide you with the care you need. The flexibility of choosing various strategies can be empowering to your recovery. It allows you to work through those factors impacting you the most, which may help you break the cycle of addiction.

• One-on-one attention

Individual therapy creates privacy where you can share what you do not want to talk about with others. These are hard conversations about your past, including traumas and experiences that may have shaped your current path. With one-on-one support, you gain an opportunity to talk to a professional about those details, including why they happened and how they impacted your health and well-being. Most importantly, you’ll develop strategies to work through the pain so that it no longer hurts your future.

• Your choice of pace and topics

While opening up is beneficial in individual therapy, you’re in control. You choose what to talk about and how to move through therapy. Your therapist is not working from a checklist but rather from a place of listening and guiding.

• A different perspective

When you step into a counseling session, the therapist is committed to helping you recover a confident version of yourself. That means they’re working closely with you to understand what led to your addiction. Then, they can offer a different perspective. Sometimes, that chance to see your life in a new, more compassionate way can be critically important to your future recovery.

• Compassionate support

Therapists are not interested in punishing you or making your life any harder. They are compassionate professionals. They don’t pretend to know what you are going through right now. What they do know is how to help you get through it. They have the education and resources you need to rebuild and become the person you want and need to be.

Making the most out of individual therapy is up to you. Your therapist is a resource you can use to work through the obstacles in your path. 

Seek Out Therapy with a Team That Cares

At Victory Addiction Recovery Center, you’ll be empowered to transform your future at your own pace and with the treatment that fits your needs. Learn more about our individualized therapy approach and the resources available to guide you. Contact us now.