Addiction Therapeutic Services’ Clinical Director Shares Insights From A Musical Journey

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Insights from a Musical Journey

Musical JourneyThe creative arts are a powerful way to understand and explore life experiences. In fact, addiction recovery and the deeper search behind the recovery process are often best understood without words. So how does the lifelong musical journey of a Psychologist affect his own life and the life of those in recovery?

Dr. Ray Montella, Addiction Therapeutic Services’ Clinical Director, has been playing bass since he was 13 years old and has some valuable insights on this.  

“I just turned 63 so if my math is correct that would be half a century,” he says.

Dr. Ray’s friends started a band. One was a drummer and another a guitar player. The eldest played piano.  Dr. Ray wanted to be in this band… and the only missing instrument was the bass!

Playing bass was such an integral part of Dr. Montella’s life that even when he was pushed out of the noisy rock band – because he aligned more with the musical stylings of artists like Crosby Still & Nash – he kept on playing.  He joined the school band where he learned to read and write music.  From there he progressed to concerts and performances.

“I played for shows back then… for people that kids won’t remember, like Rita Moreno. She was Maria in the movie West Side Story,” he says. “ I played for Jerry Lewis and many others that are no longer with us. Did some Broadway shows and theater as well but my real love is jazz, Motown and Funk.”

Dr. Ray posits that music is a combination of math, science, physics, patterns and creativity.

“There is an architecture to making it all work but sound effortless. Therapy is no different to me. A person’s life is also a combination of those things, we sometimes call it the mind, body, soul connection.  Definably, there is a science to observing patterns and a discipline to putting together the building blocks to one’s life. The variation in one’s experiences from another’s are endless as are the possible combinations of music. Life, like music, has dissonance and harmony depending on the combinations of vibrations or frequencies,” he says. “ It takes a skilled, talented and practiced musician to learn how to navigate and interpret the instrument and then transpose it into a sound.”

When asked how his personal, musical background affects his clients, he says “A bass player needs to understand the intent and pattern of the drummer’s rhythms, and the melody and harmony from the other instruments in order to find the link that connects them. That is the skill I use when looking at a person’s life to see, in essence, what music they have composed that created the harmony or dissonance…and then help them compose a song they want to sing.”

Many treatment centers, like ATS, have included Creative Expression as a part of their Intensive Outpatient group schedules.  ATS’s Creative Expression curriculum includes Poetry in Motion, Arts and Crafts, Intentional Collaging, Creative Rituals and many more classes that are set to specially curated musical soundtracks. Each of the classes invite clients to bring their artistic knowledge, musical knowledge included, to enrich the experience with new layers of beauty and understanding .  The visual, auditory and tactile experiences are often insightful and even profound.
Dr. Ray likes to encourage clients to find whatever expression gives them a creative outlet and feels that music not much different than therapy. To compare therapy to music…you have to learn and develop your theory and scales first so you can execute the music. In therapy we are putting together the scales, therapy and techniques so one can then go play and know how to be proficient in the expression and performance of their life. Playing music is the end product of the hours put into practice and understanding.”
He ends by saying, “When it’s time for the performance…it’s time to stop analyzing and just feel the fruits of the hard labor of your practice.”

ATS Employee Fosters Recovery and Builds Bridges Through Community Involvement

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ATS Fosters Community Involvement

Community InvolementATS is proud of the quality of services it provides as well as its amazing staff. This month, we are highlighting Mark Worthington, counselor extraordinaire!  We asked him about his involvement in a wonderful organization called The North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance (NAGAAA) and how his participation affects his work as a counselor in recovery.  Here’s what he had to share:

I am involved in PSGSL is a Non-Profit 501(c)3 Corporation.  We are a slow pitch softball league, established primarily for GLBTQ persons in the Rancho Mirage area, but open to all interested players.

I was originally introduced to the PSGSL by a friend in early recovery. This friend was a young father struggling with addiction who had been drafted by a major league baseball team only to suffer a career ending injury.  Playing together on the team opened the opportunity for healing, not only for one’s self but also for the family and community.

The Rancho Mirage Gay Softball League (PSGSL) was originally organized in 2004, by our Founding Fathers Tommie Douglas and Jim Hurst. The league began with 4 teams and approximately 50 participants. Today PSGSL has grown to 14 teams with 200+ participants.

The purpose of the PSGSL is to foster local, regional, national and international sports competition predominately for gays and lesbians.  We are dedicated to the promotion of the amateur athletic experience for persons of all skill levels and abilities, regardless of sexual orientation, gender, race, creed, religion or national origin. The primary focus of the PSGSL is to provide venues for adult slow-pitch softball competition. Additionally, the organization endeavors to develop people of all abilities and experience to participate in sports competitions.

As an addictions specialist, understanding the struggle of people from all aspects of life, it occurred to me that engaging with this community could offer me the opportunity for not only personal growth but recovery and community growth as well.

The Rancho Mirage Roadrunnerz softball team of which I play for was founded in 2010 and is sponsored by the Desert Eye Care Center (DECC). We are organized within the guidelines of NAGAAA and PSGSL.

Playing softball is a great avenue to exercise, socialize and be a part of something that is bigger than one’s self. Playing softball within the NAGAAA guidelines allows players of different skills and athletic ability to be rated into equally competitive groupings so that play is not only safe but fun. The atmosphere at games and tournaments is one that is conducive to family and friends alike. There is nothing like playing with the support of family and friends cheering you on. Softball in this league offers great opportunity to travel to different venues both locally and abroad.  We have participated in tournaments in Huntington Beach, San Diego, Phoenix and Las Vegas just to name a few on the circuit.  After the softball is over, my family takes time to explore the community, visiting beaches, zoo’s, parks and local food fair.

Recovery from addictions should include a balanced program. Engaging in healthy activities is essential to having balance in recovery. For me the physical awareness created through practice and play of this sport enhances my health. Playing softball also offers me the opportunity to connect with a portion of the local community and share that connection with my peers and colleagues.

I believe that playing as part of team brings the same concept to my employment, utilizing strengths of individuals to create a stronger whole unit.

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PSGSL teams are sponsored by local gay and gay friendly businesses throughout the Coachella Valley.  2016 Team Sponsors include: Contour Dermatology, George’s Alibi Azul, Hunters Bar, Café Palette Restaurant and Bar, Bean Counters Bookkeeping, Desert Eye Care Center, Street Bar, Chill Bar, Tropicale,, Coachella Valley Independent, Bongo Johnny’s and Leo’s Auto Repair. PSGSL games are played at Big League Dreams in Cathedral City on Sunday afternoon at 2pm, in both the Spring and Fall seasons.

League Council Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month at Hunter’s starting at 6:00 PM. psgsl.org.
Formed in 1977, NAGAAA is a 501c(3) international sports organization comprised of men and women dedicated to providing opportunity and access for the LGBT community to participate in organized softball competition in safe environments. Currently, more than 13,000 players from 43 cities across Canada and the United States participate in member leagues, and the best of these teams converge once a year for head-to-head competition at the annual Gay Softball World Series.

Achieve a Calmer Mind with Compassion Attentiveness Therapy

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Compassion Attentiveness Therapy

“You need get out of your head!”

You are certain to have heard this emphatic plea from a loved one or a therapist at one or more stages of recovery. But whether you have fully taken it in and understood how to move out of that busy and tortuous head space is a different matter. People often think of self-care as the means to building healthy life patterns and thoughts, but it’s possible that another way to approach this is to care for both oneself and others at the same time.

According to therapist, Saleem Noorali, LCSW, there is a way to step outside of the noisy mind space and achieve multiple layers of mental peace at the same time. Noorali coined and branded Compassion Attentiveness Therapy, a new mode of treatment which promotes a healthy relationship with self, humanity and all living things. While there seems to be step-by-step widening of a lens going from self-compassion toward all living things as a part of this model, Noorali suggests that the steps are more effective when occurring simultaneously.

“When you’re engaged in kindnesses toward others, you’re outside of your thought loops,” he says.

An article called “A Wandering Mind is a Less Caring Mind: Daily Experience Sampling During Compassion Meditation Training,” was published in The Journal of Positive Psychology that reports what happened during a Compassion Cultivation Training that lasted 9-weeks. In the program, people engaged in compassion meditations twice a day for the length of the experiment. The results showed that compassion meditation was associated with reduced mind wandering for unpleasant thoughts and increased mind wandering to pleasant thoughts, and that both were associated with increased caring behavior for oneself and others.”

On May 26, 2016, Noorali presented at the Addiction Therapeutic Services Luncheon where he expounded on his own Compassion Attentiveness model. “Compassion Attentiveness Therapy isn’t just a therapeutic model, it’s a way of life that needs to be understood and applied by both client and therapist alike.”

While some might argue that compassion attentiveness could cause compassion fatigue, Noorali relies on ancient wisdom to say that “Compassion fatigue is not as a result of too much compassion, but as a result of incomplete compassion.” Self-care and self-love are essential for the therapist and the client equally. Where there is incomplete compassion due to a therapist not taking steps toward a compassionate life, services to clients will inevitably suffer.

In addition to talking generally about the importance of the new model, the May Luncheon presentation also placed a magnifying glass on daily rituals. While people have heard about rituals and often use them to create good habits, few have delved deep into the broader concept of the ritual. The similarities between group rituals, such as ones often seen in AA meetings, and the micro-rituals performed in the solitude of one’s own home on an ordinary morning are astounding once understood in closer detail and can even help people become more calm and mindful. A ritual demonstration was led by Samira R. Noorali, a multi-disciplinary artist, and involved components of music, poetry, movement and community participation.

Noorali has put forth several articles that help both therapist and client to understand how compassionate acts can shatter faulty perceptions and how new compassionate behaviors can lead both parties to flourish exponentially. Read them at RecoveryView.com!

Click Here to Watch the presentation by Saleem Noorali, M.A., L.C.S.W. and Samira R. Noorali, J.D. on “Compassion Attentive Therapy”

Simulation Experiences: Traditional Psycho-Education and Beyond

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Simulation Experiences

We’ve all heard treatment centers use “client-centered care” in their marketing taglines, but have you wondered what that really means?  At the University of Southern California C-Suite Invitational last week, Dr. Eric Coleman invited professionals from all over the healthcare industry to reflect on what those words mean. The Professor of Medicine and Head of the Division of Health Care Policy and Research at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus noted, that it goes beyond the genuine desire of business leaders to run “patient-centered” facilities, and enters the realm of helping clients to learn how to self-support.  For those in recovery, that means going beyond psychoeducation and integrating simulation activities into the treatment experience.

Client-centered care involves educating clients on their addiction and other afflictions but goes beyond traditional classroom work to include real-life simulation experiences.  Clients must form a close relationship with their recovery, beyond learning facts about addiction, in order to embody their goals.

It is important to note that enrolling in a psycheducation program is essential because it lays the foundation that is required to enlist long-term commitment to recovery.  In these classes, or “groups,” clients are often offered information regarding the medical aspects of addiction, life skills, and sometimes even co-occurring mental disorders.  In these sessions led by facilitators, counselors or therapists, clients come to understand why long-term dedication to abstinence and recovery is required, and why periodic drug usage or other stressors to the mind and body could be harmful or even fatal.

However, psychoeducation may not be enough to guide clients through the nitty gritty of complex life scenarios.  A truly client-centered facility’s psychoeducation program will help a client to implement his or her personal plan for recovery and assist that client in leveraging all of the tools that are available to them at the treatment center and beyond.  That’s where simulation experiences come in.  They allow clients to begin to understand the subtle details of real-life situations.

Simulation exercises bridge a gap that the theories in ordinary psychoeducation classes often leave out.   To begin with, the activities help clients to learn how to implement the tools they have picked up, like communication skills, and put them into action. Simulation also pushes forward positive changes in the brain.  The saying, “practice makes perfect,” is highly applicable to simulation exercises because the activities, when repeated, are likely to change aspects of the neurocircuitry of the brain. Another thing to consider is that the client will have a less stressful environment to practice in. Therefore, practice in a clinical setting prior to discharge can set the stage for better performance after discharge!  While transitioning to sober living or another residential environment post-treatment inevitably comes with challenges, this kind of preparation for self-support is invaluable.

Psychoeducation and simulation go hand-in-hand and can easily be interwoven in a treatment program.  Most importantly, paving a client’s transition using both methods could help him or her to understand how and when to reach for resources, as well as how to self-empower in difficult situations as the journey to healthier states of being carries forward.

Gratitude: Gifts of Recovery from Unlikely Sources

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Spring is upon us.  The season is ripe for learning new lessons, being inspired and becoming more aware of all of the bounties of this existence – even for those feeling the recovery blues. The Gifts of Recovery are numerous and come from both ordinary and surprising sources.  It’s just up to each individual to notice.  The gifts come in many different forms including inspirational films, “aha!” moments, strength, courage, reading material, the support of family and friends, treatment options, and many more.  Sometimes, even a positive thought is that gift that propels a person forward in recovery.

Are you reading this and questioning whether recovery and good feelings are really just a matter of perspective? Well, research spanning a few decades supports that positive thinking and gratitude are powerful sources of good feelings. And, we know that good feelings can push along your recovery and make your struggle more bearable.

McCraty and colleagues conducted a study in 1998 in which they studied people who “cultivated appreciation and other positive emotions.” The results were astounding, demonstrating a “mean 23% reduction in cortisol after the intervention period” as well as other indicators of reduced stress!

If you read one of our previous pieces on stress management and emotional self-regulation, you will know that stress is a part of a vicious cycle.  It can be the cause of addiction, a symptom of an addictive lifestyle and it can also raise the probability of relapse.

The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley is running a project called Expanding the Science and Practice of Gratitude where researchers are finding that “people who practice gratitude consistently report a host of benefits including stronger immune systems and lower blood pressure; higher levels of positive emotions; more joy, optimism, and happiness; acting with more generosity and compassion; and feeling less lonely and isolated.”

For this valuable and groundbreaking research, UC Berkeley is partnered up with UC Davis, home of Professor Robert Emmons. Dr. Emmons is a leading expert on gratitude and has written many books and papers on the topic.  Emmons’s paper entitled “Why Gratitude Enhances Well-Being: What We Know, What We Need To Know” cites a 1998 study by Rosenberg which demonstrated that “Gratitude has been identified as a trait, emotion, and mood. The grateful disposition can be defined as a stable affective trait that would lower the threshold of experiencing gratitude.  As an emotion, gratitude can be understood as an acute, intense and relatively brief psychophysiological reaction to being the recipient of a benefit another.  Lastly, as a stable mood, gratitude has also been identified to have a subtle, broad and longer-duration impact on consciousness (McCullough, Tsang, & Emmons,2004) […] Gratitude promotes optimal functioning at multiple levels of analysis – biological, experiential, personal, relational, familial, institutional, and even cultural (Emmons & McCullough, 2004).”

Now that you know that gratitude is an attitude, mood and emotion that fuels itself into MORE gratitude… you know what to do! The gifts are boundless through a lens of gratefulness and within your immediate reach.

ATS is a Drug and Alcohol Outpatient Treatment Provider in Rancho Mirage, CA and can be reached at (760) 459-1795.

Positive Psychology in Addiction Treatment

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Have you heard the buzz about the power of positivity? It’s hard to avoid if you have access to YouTube videos, a bookstore or a friends that have been swept up by one of the many  positive-thinking movements in pop culture. Are you telling yourself that changing your viewpoint can’t possibly change your reality? Are you not quite buying into the idea that changing your perspective or being more grateful for positive can change your life? Well, consider that there is a whole academic discipline devoted to studying how people can be happier and more fulfilled through positive thinking.  The research conducted by Positive Psychologists over almost two decades is ridiculously compelling and may just pull all of you skeptics over to the other side of the fence – the side of optimism.

What’s amazing about positive psychology is not just the subject matter studied (i.e. strengths, well-being and optimal functioning of an individual), but the fact that “positivity” sometimes forms the basis for research itself.  In Amy R. Krentzman’s article entitled, “Review of the Application of Positive Psychology to Substance Use, Addiction, and Recovery Research,” she says:

“The Hoxmark poster and the theoretical and empirical work described in this review suggest that positive psychology has begun to be applied to theory, research, and intervention in substance use disorders. Although positive psychology and the recovery movement share similar interests and emphases, they differ in important ways that frame the current discussion. Within the field of addiction, the recovery movement is a multi-faceted grassroots effort led by individuals who are themselves in recovery from substance use disorders. The movement is built on a recovery-oriented, rather than a pathology-oriented, framework from which addiction and its resolution are understood. Working from an established set of values and goals, participants in the recovery movement work collectively to remove obstacles to treatment, support multiple paths to recovery, and make larger social systems more supportive of recovery lifestyles (White, 2007).”

Conducting research and stating conclusions is a specialty of experts, but having the wisdom to step back and demonstrate awareness of an entire scientific discipline… that’s powerful. It’s also demonstrative of the way individuals may want to look at their lives and heighten their own personal awareness.

Positive psychology challenges the way people see themselves and their tendency to want to take control of “reality” as they understand it.  But, if everything depends upon perspective and perception, then what’s real?  As this question disturbs people whose wellbeing depends on fixing their circumstances into one unchangeable idea of reality, it also opens a gateway into happiness for those who are willing align with a more positive perspective.

When new ideas change the way we think and inspire us, we can’t help but ask, is this new way of researching  the end all, and is it replacing what came before? Certainly not.

Kertmaz herself says: “Because the field is new and has been embraced by popular culture, critical thinking is essential both in assessing positive-psychological research and in building good science, not only on its foundation, but on the foundation of the decades of relevant scholarship that preceded it.”  Positive psychology principles are the basis for self-help movements which are often commercial in nature.  The authors of inspiring books and videos may or may not honor the science behind the principles to a tee when they present their own ideas.  That means you may want to avoid conflating science with what could be called “fluff” in the scientific community.  But, of course, you are free to take in ideas that you like from the popular movements, whether proven or not, in order to enhance the best and most positive parts of your life.

Watch Larry Smith, LAADC, CAS, III presenting on “Positive Psychology, Happiness & Addiction Treatment.”

Sexual Abuse of Boys and The Path to Recovery

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Sexual abuse of men and boys is a little talked about issue.  Not enough people, clinicians included, know that this kind of trauma is being inflicted upon boys. To make matters worse, males are less likely to report sexual abuse than female victims.

In the mid-1990s, the famous Adverse Childhood Experience Study reported that childhood trauma victims are significantly more likely to become IV drug users. While the addiction may be directly linked to trauma, there are often co-occurring disorders like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, Anxiety and shame that lead a person to seek comfort in dangerous substances.

The secretive culture created by sexual abusers causes a terrible cycle of lies, abuse, and victimization. The organization Stop It Now, defines sexual abuse of a child as “all sexual touching between an adult and a child.” Non-touching behavior that also constitutes abuse, according to Parents Protect, includes showing pornography to a child, deliberately exposing an adult’s genitals to a child, photographing a child in sexual poses, encouraging a child to watch or hear sexual acts, and inappropriately watching a child undress or use the bathroom.

This broad definition of sexual abuse may help those who are troubled by a trauma-filled past and plagued by the shame of abuse. Oftentimes, a child who has gone through abuse feels that that the abuse was his fault, but this is likely a part of the abuser’s manipulation.  Parents Protect lays out some tactics that abusers use to attract unsuspecting children and to make the child feel complicit in the sexual act or series of acts.  The tactics include “giving gifts, encouraging a child to keep secrets, threats, blackmail, coercion and flattery.”

According to The Men’s Project, one in every six boys will have experienced “unwanted direct sexual contact with an older person before 16.”  But of course, because males seldom report this sort of abuse, this data may be skewed.   According to Randy Boyd, a survivor of sexual abuse and author of Healing the Man Within, 65% of male clients at addictions facilities he’s visited have been abused in their youth.   In his talk at the Rancho Mirage Network Luncheon, he said that the reason for the vicious cycle of abuse and non-reporting is partially cultural.  “Men don’t show emotions,” he said, mocking cultural expectations.

There is also “physical, emotional, and spiritual abuse that happens right along with [sexual abuse]” Boyd emphasized in his talk.  Fear and confusion often result from sexual abuse.  Boyd pointed out that these emotions cause victims to go through life feeling desperate for love and yet unable to trust the people that offer love to them.

Addiction and trauma often go hand-in-hand. Co-occurring disorders in this scenario are very common as well.   Many of the men who have been abused and who later in life appear at addictions treatment centers are often dealing with other mental disorders in addition to their underlying trauma.  There may also be developmental issues. As Boyd says, “you stop growing when the abuse happens.”

Addiction happens for many reasons, but ongoing feelings of shame is one of the major causes of relapse.  With a trauma as personal and heinous as sexual abuse, shame can overshadow the whole life of a man.

While this is a difficult topic to talk about, there is hope.  Growing communities of men and boys are now discussing these matters in therapeutic settings and finding the support they need. There is also a large annual conference called “It happens to boys” that brings in inspiring speakers like John Lee and John Bradshaw.

The journey to healing from addiction and underlying sexual trauma can be difficult, but is a necessary effort for those seeking a better life experience. Therapists and counselors at Addiction Therapeutic Services are equipped to help you along on your journey.  ATS is an Addiction & Dual Diagnosis Treatment Provider in Rancho Mirage, CA and can be reached at (760) 459-1795.

Watch Randy Boyd presenting on “Healing The Man Within: Hope for Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse.”

Evening Outpatient Treatment for Addiction Recovery

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Evening Outpatient Treatment offers More Flexibility

These days, people are often strapped for time, cash and support that meets their unique needs for addiction recovery.  The corporate and government employment scene generally keeps people very busy from 8AM to 5PM not including a sometimes lengthy commute.  School schedules are often replete with a variety of course options in the morning but sparse selections at night.  Finally, most people with children simply cannot or will not put their kids on hold during the day, even for much-needed treatment.  These tight and varied schedule demands have caused the need for a paradigm shift in treatment. Many treatment providers have already started offering Outpatient programs to respond the issues of affordability, time and other clinical reasons. Even still, treatment centers are having to continually change how and what they are providing to their clients.

Evening Outpatient Option

Evening Outpatient Programs are one example of customizing treatment for the busy client. It can be extremely helpful for those who want to keep focused on their job or educational aspirations during the day rather than having to shift gears.  EOP, like other outpatient programs, offers clients the opportunity to dig deep into the root causes of addiction with a counselor.  One of the best aspects of EOP is that it’s a great way to close out the day with a recovery-oriented perspective in a group offering lighter fare, like Life Skills.

On another note, these customized programs help to cut the excuses.  For example, there are many high-functioning users out there who have managed to maintain employment, even successful employment, with their substance abuse issues.  These people may find that EOP serves their needs without severely hindering their career dreams. Of course, whether an individual will be best-served by an Evening Outpatient program is a clinical decision and should be determined only by clinical staff.

EOP Treatment Option

While EOP sounds like an easier and more convenient way out of addiction, the program should mirror daytime Outpatient in terms of quality of treatment and the “work” that clients engage in to start and maintain a successful path to recovery.  The number of hours spent in facilitated groups is also the same between EOP and daytime Outpatient.  If a person has opted into EOP, he or she may need to go through drug and alcohol detox and/or residential treatment before starting the program.  Detox and residential programs usually do not have an evening only option, but could save an addict’s life.  They are usually recommended when the severity of the addiction warrants a higher level of care.  Even if you are a busy person, detox and residential care should not be avoided. Like day Outpatient treatment, EOP usually involves process groups and psycho-education classes. At Addiction Therapeutic Services, we are now offering Evening Outpatient Treatment. Our groups include: Relapse Prevention, Family Support Group, Healthy Boundaries, Process Group, and Life Skills which are facilitated by stellar therapists or counselors.

Outpatient Treatment at Addiction Therapeutic Services

ATS believes that treatment is for everyone, and that the program schedule should reflect that. Contact us at (760) 322-1777 for more information on whether Evening Outpatient is the right program for you.

Stress and Emotional Self-Regulation

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Managing Stress for Healthy Well-Being

Stress is a universal problem. Research shows that stress can cause premature aging and lower the body’s immune system responses. Inability to self-regulate emotional and physical responses to feeling stressed out can lead to substance abuse and eventually addictions of various kinds. According to researcher, academian, and author, Dr. Stephen Sideroff, stress also comes into play after an addiction is already in progress, significantly raising the probability of relapse. In appropriate doses, however, stress can help with focus, coping with high-pressure situations and reacting to “real” threats.

In a recent talk at the Rancho Mirage Network Luncheon, Dr. Sideroff asserted that our current human stress responses are “mismatched” to our evolutionary state. For example, the “fight or flight” response has little place in the way we currently live our lives. The adrenaline rush caused by this particular nervous system response leads us to want to run away or take up aggressive behaviors in situations where that is simply unwarranted. It’s also dangerous to our emotional, mental, and physical health. When fight or flight is triggered too often, we live a life of stress, anxiety and potentially other problems. However, getting ourselves into a well-regulated state helps us to judge when these extreme responses are useful and even necessary.

Besides the problem of the evolutionary mismatch, there is also the problem of “freezing” into certain patterns we develop in childhood. Dr. Sideroff’s research demonstrates that patterns are often created in childhood and may contain inappropriate emotional, physical, and mental responses that carry forward into adulthood. These patterns calcify early in life and are mostly unconscious, meaning that we generally do not know that they exist or what kind of impact they have on us. We also have a tendency to recreate these patterns throughout our lives even though they may be damaging to us in various ways.

Although we face some major evolutionary and developmental issues just being part of the human race, there are ways we can change our patterns and align with our current environment. This is a part of what Dr. Sideroff calls “optimal management of personal energy.” Once we’ve achieved a certain level of mastery in this self-regulation process, everything else we want to accomplish tends to become easier.

At the luncheon, Dr. Sideroff stated with certainty, “there is no substitute for practicing relaxation daily.” Many therapists in addiction treatment have embraced relaxation techniques as a part of their therapeutic style. Silent meditation and progressive relaxation are examples of popular techniques, but of course, there are many other ways to relax. You may just need to recall what method you’ve used successfully in the past or go through a trial and error process to find out what gives you the greatest feeling of healthy relaxation. And then… practice it daily!

While reduction of stress is a great thing and leads to a life of greater awareness, Dr. Sideroff says that repressed emotions naturally begin to reveal themselves as stress goes down. Not having to deal with an overkill response to a situation that could have been handled with more calm and ease creates opportunities for an individual to deal with real issues that have been lurking under the surface for a long time. This results in deeper and longer term healing.

The journey of self-regulation is long and can be difficult, but it is well worth the effort. Therapists and counselors at Addiction Therapeutic Services (ATS) are equipped to help you understand the essentials of stress management. ATS is an Addiction & Dual Diagnosis Treatment Provider in Rancho Mirage, CA and can be reached at (760) 322-1777.

Watch Stephen Sideroff, Ph.D presenting on “The Path: Mastering the Nine Pillars of Resilience and Success.” Visit Dr. Sideroff’s website at http://drstephensideroff.com/

Health Insurance for Addiction Treatment

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Using Health Insurance for Addiction Treatment

Reduce Out of Pockets Costs for Rehab

Health Insurance can help reduce the out of pocket costs for those looking for addiction and dual diagnosis treatment programs.  There are various types of insurances plans and range from county, government, employee, or privately funded plans.  Each addiction treatment provider may vary with what insurance plans they take and do not take.

The specific breakdown of insurance coverage starts with this question: does the coverage fall into the category of “private,” where a policyholder usually pays a premium? Or is it “public,” which is funded by the state or county (but may require fees for certain medical services)?  Public insurance is available only to those who qualify and offers some treatment options to those who are eligible.  If you have a government/county funded insurance plan, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is a great resource for you.  SAMHSA is a federal agency that provides a wealth of information on its website, www.samhsa.gov, and via its National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.

While public insurance is valuable for a great many, those who hold private insurance policies are likely to have more options.  The two most common types of private insurance are Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) and Preferred Provider Organization (PPO).  With an HMO plan, you can go to a limited list of providers who are considered “in-network.” In-network providers can be individuals or treatment centers who are contracted with your insurance company.  If you want to go outside of the network or see a specialist, you may be able to do so if an in-network provider gives you a referral.

Under a PPO plan, you will be able to go to more health care providers who are considered “out-of-network” or who are not a part of the preferred provider network.  The process with PPO is different and usually does not require a referral to see a specialist.  Another difference is that you may be required to pay your doctor or treatment center when billed and get reimbursed from the insurance company afterward.   These plans are generally more expensive than HMO, but as you can tell, they open up your treatment options quite a bit.

Addiction Therapeutic Services Accepts Insurance

Addiction Therapeutic Services accepts most private insurance plans for those seeking substance abuse treatment.  We are also an in-network provider with Anthem Blue Cross.  We accept Blue Shield, Blue Cross, United, Cigna, Aetna, Healthnet, MHN, and many other plans.  Please call our Admissions helpline today for a free insurance verification and confidential telephone assessment.  Addiction Therapeutic Services is an Addiction & Dual Diagnosis Treatment Provider in Rancho Mirage, CA and can be reached at (760) 322-1777.