As a result, it leads to quick intrinsic improvements with an individual’s engagement with treatment for addiction. When combined with cognitive-behavioral therapy, it is especially effective for treating certain types of substance misuse disorders. At Harmony Place in Woodland Hills, we understand the benefits of being motivated to seek treatment and to remain sober in the long term. Therefore, we encourage MET for addiction problems.
Motivational enhancement therapy is a kind of treatment that is designed to assist people who are uneasy about seeking help for a drug or alcohol misuse problem. In other words, it helps a person resist change and encourages engagement toward treatment. Instead of being part of a treatment program, it provides the motivation that helps a person with a substance misuse disorder to invoke change against unhealthy behaviors.
In 1993, the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism began an initiative to help people who abuse drugs and alcohol. It creates an internal drive to get through addiction and to encourage a long-term sober lifestyle. In fact, the techniques of this theory are based on interviews and counseling. In other words, a therapist assesses a person’s behavior and offers helpful feedback.
To be sure, motivational enhancement therapy involves certain assumptions. It is important to understand them so that an individual comprehends the reasons for success behind the therapy.
This client-centered approach to treatment helps patients learn copy mechanisms to get through challenging situations. It targets a person’s ambivalent feelings toward treatment in hopes of turning it around. In other words, the major goal of this therapy is to help individuals with drug and alcohol misuse disorders gain empowerment and to make positive changes.
MET is brief, but it is designed to push for change. To begin, an assessment is completed. After the first session between a therapist and a patient, two to four other sessions are scheduled. Each is usually under one hour in length.
Overall, the first session includes an evaluation by a therapist. Also, a patient and a therapist work to set goals that help to fight substance misuse issues. However, emphasis is placed on personal control. This helps an individual develop a healthier way to deal with addiction and to stay away from drugs and alcohol. Patients discuss any concerns that are weighing on their minds. Discussion and motivational conversations ensue about substance misuse.
In future sessions, a person’s motivation increases. In fact, a plan is developed, which changes thoughts and actions. A patient sets various goals and identifies roadblocks that may develop to hamper these goals. Instead of using medication to deal with problems, a patient develops useful solutions. Overall, progress is documented.
Indeed, the main goal of the treatment is to heighten a person’s awareness about poor behaviors and to increase his or her internal motivation so that they understand the necessity to change. A MET therapist teaches a patient ways to adjust negative thoughts so that he or she gains the confidence to change for the better. As a result, this helps an individual with a substance misuse disorder to change behavior and to remain sober. To sum up, there are five vital parts of MET.
In effect, the first principle of motivational enhancement therapy establishes trust between a therapist and a patient. A therapist listens without confrontation or judgment so that the patient feels supported, respected, and accepted. Therefore, the individual realizes that there is more to life than negative behavior. The therapist listens to the patient and reflects on the expressed ideas. In other words, the patient elaborates on these ideas and confirms that change must occur.
A patient discusses goals and recovery. As a result, a therapist begins an outline of the job that is ahead. This establishes a discrepancy between a patient’s current state and the state that he or she wishes to achieve. This helps a person recognize the behaviors that are keeping him or her from getting to his or her goal. In many ways, this offers an incentive for behavior change. Therapy bridges the gap between a patient’s current life and the life that he or she wants.
Again, the focus of MET is to reinforce positive behavior. Therefore, there are no attacks or arguments from a therapist. In fact, judgment will make a person with a substance misuse disorder get defensive and will have a counterproductive outcome. Instead, MET raises the awareness of poor behavior and the changes that must occur to gain long-term sobriety.
MET acknowledges that certain resistance remains. The treatment goes along with leftover resistance without confrontation. It is essential to comprehend that change is difficult. Even though it may seem counterproductive, a patient becomes less defensive, and he or she is more likely to remain in therapy and pursue a solid rehab program.
Patients become self-aware and comprehend that they can reach their goals. A therapist helps people with substance misuse problems to change and to successfully turn against addictive behaviors.
Since MET involves change, it is important to examine the various stages of the process. Studies were completed that analyzed how individuals change addictive behavior. They entail specific stages of the modification of problematic behavior toward healthier behavior. In essence, MET addresses the place where the patient is located within these stages so that it is possible to guide him or her towards recovery.
In fact, this kind of therapy has been proven to help high-risk individuals who have substance misuse disorders. It finishes over a span of a few weeks.
Unfortunately, there is not one single therapy approach for treating addiction. Each person suffers from unique challenges. In certain studies, motivational enhancement therapy was found to be effective and to assist individuals with substance misuse issues. In fact, it helps people overcome resistance to change, which is the building block towards a successful recovery.
When a person is ready and willing to alter behaviors, it is possible to enjoy a sober lifestyle. In other words, it increases a person’s readiness to go against negative addictive behavior. Also, it has been proven to lower the severity of drug or alcohol abuse and to lengthen the terms of abstinence.
I am forever grateful to have had this experience. I would recommend anyone who wanted help to come here. This place literally saved my life. I have overcome so many obstacles that always stood in the way of my recovery. It’s not just because I was ready… the approaches the therapists use come from an empathetic, compassionate, and understanding place. They were able to hold the mirror up and help guide me through making solid changes.
After overdosing, my parents forced me to check into rehab.After interviewing many other facilities, I decided to go to Harmony Place from my home in Phoenix. I was struggling with…a drug addiction and had been trying for years to recover. In the past, left 2 treatment centers AMA and 1 AWOL. I had very negative experiences in the other treatment facilities, especially with my therapists, so I didn’t go in with an open mind or good attitude- even though they worked with my parents regarding finances. However, the staff was patient with me. The techs were kind, knowledgeable, and many were in recovery themselves.
When I called Harmony Place…I knew immediately that this was the right place for my child… Harmony Place is specifically designed for…and tailored to providing a safe environment. The staff [are knowledgeable and some are in recovery]. The staff knew each client and were on top of each client’s progress. Harmony Place has a small clientele and each client are able to receive all the help they were entitled to. I would recommend Harmony Place to anyone who is looking for a small setting… My daughter is currently going into sober living and her counselors did a wonderful job in finding a right fit for her – affordable, safe and a good environment for her.
I left Harmony Place in August of 2015 and I have been searching for the perfect words to describe my experience during my stay; and still I can’t really find them. How do you really describe a place with a staff and a program that saved you? Addiction is a terrible thing to go through and a heart breaking thing for your loved ones to watch. Many people, including myself go into different treatment centers throughout their addiction searching for ways to find recovery. Nothing worked for me, not the 5 rehab stays I had, then, I came here.
Motivational enhancement therapy helps individuals harness their inner resources to begin changing behavior. It focuses on an individual’s personal choices and self-control. In this manner, it makes a person more powerful against alcohol and drugs.
At Harmony Place, we understand the need for individuals to recognize the importance of change and that it begins internally. In essence, this is the turning point in a person’s life that can help towards long-term recovery. For more information about ways to treat addiction, contact us today.
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