When Outpatient Alcohol Treatment Is the Best Option

While inpatient and outpatient alcohol treatment programs offer many of the same types of therapy, outpatient rehab is often recommended for those who need to continue in their daily work activities and community obligations. As with inpatient alcohol treatment, most outpatient rehab centers offer psychotherapy in individual and group sessions, an orientation to 12-step programs, various support groups, and family counseling. Education about addiction, life skills and coping techniques are also typically part of both inpatient and outpatient programs. The primary difference is that inpatient alcohol treatment requires clients to live 24 hours a day within a residential facility for a specified amount of time. Those in outpatient care can come and go as they please.

For clients who are able and who want to continue living independently while cultivating their sobriety, outpatient programs can be more effective than long-term alcohol rehab in a residential facility.  This works well for certain clients, especially those who are self-motivated. An assessment of individual needs helps determine which type of program will work best.

What to expect with Outpatient Alcohol Rehab

Most patients who complete an inpatient alcohol treatment program follow up with outpatient services. Others start alcohol rehab with an outpatient program. In either case, psychotherapy is the main component of most treatment plans, in one-on-one sessions with a licensed psychotherapist and in facilitated groups. The support and insight received during this kind of therapy will provide a basic understanding of the disease of addiction, the specific triggers for each individual, and how trauma or co-occurring disorders may play a role. A treatment center may offer 12-step and other support groups within its facility; if not, outside 12-step meetings may be suggested to strengthen the resolve to remain abstinent. Classroom sessions that address life skills, coping techniques and the disease of addiction also play an important role in an outpatient alcohol rehab program. A client’s treatment plan will determine which specific therapies and programs will be most beneficial.

If an individual needs flexibility in his or her outpatient alcohol rehab schedule, many programs offer daytime, weekend or evening options that will flex with a client’s schedule.

Our Outpatient Alcohol Treatment Builds a Strong Foundation

In addition to inpatient and outpatient drug addiction treatment, Anaheim Lighthouse offers a solid inpatient and outpatient alcohol treatment program with all the services a client might need to establish and maintain sobriety. Along with psychotherapy provided by highly qualified therapists, we provide facilitated group settings where our clients can interact with their peers, offering and receiving support and encouragement from each other. We also ground our outpatient clients in 12-step programs, in order to get them started on a path that will help them cultivate long-term recovery. We assess physical health and suggest an exercise and nutrition regimen geared specifically to the client’s individual needs, and we provide education on how to develop life skills and coping mechanisms, as well as information about the disease of addiction. We also make sure that our clients have an abundance of community resources to call on throughout our alcohol outpatient treatment program and after they leave our care. We are dedicated to the long-term recovery of our clients, and we are intent on equipping each with a foundation for sobriety and the ability to make healthy choices.