Outpatient Treatment Program
Morningside’s intensive outpatient program is both for clients who have successfully completed a residential program and for those who have not completed traditional inpatient treatment -- depending upon an assessment by our psychologists, therapists, counselors, and case managers. Our outpatient treatment is generally scheduled for three months, and clients attend days, evenings or both.
The program consists of individual and group therapy. All meetings are led by one of our professional clinicians. Clients also attend educational sessions on such topics as relapse prevention, nutrition related to recovery and mood disorders. These seminars review the latest research information on addiction, substance abuse and co-occurring disorders. Clients identify and understand the mechanisms that support addiction, while facilitating the necessary self-examination regarding consequences of chemical dependency.
Group workshops led by our clinicians explore such topics as the stages of addiction and the psychological and physiological effects of drugs. All of these classes, group meetings and individual planning sessions specifically focus on long-term sobriety. Outpatient clients learn how to identify high-risk situations associated with past episodes of drug or alcohol use and modify their behavior to avoid or counteract those influences in the future. For example, working individually or in a group with a trained therapist, clients describe a situation in which they drank or used, analyze antecedents and consequences, learn anticipatory and reactive coping skills for that type of event, and role-play whenever possible. Other therapeutic topics include dealing with frustration, anger, and other negative feelings; the social pressure to use; and internal pressure to use based on neurological urges; and methods for enhancing moods naturally.
Morningside’s outpatient treatment also draws strength from community resources such as Rational Recovery, Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-Anon, LifeRing, Women for Sobriety, etc. These self-help groups offer valuable coping skills for breaking the “behavior chain.” Clients can network in the secular organizations or get a sponsor in the 12-step communities. One client shared, “I did a twenty-eight day treatment out of state, but when I came home to Orange County I knew I needed more. At Morningside I was free to craft my own style of recovery. I chose a secular style, and my therapist was cool with that. At another place I previously attended, they claimed to be secular but it was more of a wink-and-nod thing, because the entire staff was all 12-steppers.”
Testimonials
