Discover more about the addiction treatment process by reading the most common FAQs we receive. Still have questions? Ontact us online or call 904.760.4295 now.
1. What is treatment? What does someone do while in treatment? What to expect?
The American Medical Association says the following about substance abuse:
“Substance abuse disorders occur when the use of one or more narcotic or alcoholic substances leads to distress and impacts health.”
Someone struggling with addiction usually seeks professional help when their substance abuse begins to create serious, negative consequences. Some of these consequences might be financial stress, losing your job, increased fighting in relationships, legal issues, homelessness, serious medical conditions, losing custody of your children, feeling embarrassed or ashamed, and life-threatening withdrawal symptoms.
If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, it’s likely that you or they are also struggling with their mental health. You might be experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma responses, poor sleep, psychotic symptoms, or grief. Because of this, people struggling with addiction often choose to attend a treatment center that is considered dual diagnosis-ready, meaning that their treatment works to focus on both substance abuse and mental health symptoms. Sophros is a dual diagnosis treatment center.
During treatment, you or your loved ones can expect to attend group therapy sessions covering topics like Emotions, Trauma, Recovery/Relapse Prevention, Expressive Arts, Psychodrama, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Yoga, Education and Skills, Music Therapy, Healthy Living, Relationships and Communication, and open-ended process groups. When admitted, every client will receive an individual therapist and will meet with them weekly.
While the length of treatment is different for everyone, depending on their needs, clients typically spend an average of 10-12 weeks in treatment. How long a client spends in treatment is decided together by the client and their primary therapist.
2. What are the different levels of care, and how do I know which is right for me or my loved one?
There are several levels of care, and whether you or your loved one is best fit for each level is best decided after an assessment by a medical professional, mental health care worker, or addiction specialist. Below is a brief description of each level of care.
Detox – At this level of care, a client is medically monitored in a more hospital-like setting to ensure physical safety associated with withdrawal symptoms. The time for detoxification can vary based on history of use and the type of substance abused, but is typically between 5-14 days. Sophros does not provide this level of care.
Residential – This level of care occurs in an inpatient center in which a client stays at the campus for 24/7 care. This often includes clinical programming, including therapy groups, educational groups, individual therapy, and activities. Nursing and medical care remain high as early recovery is explored. Time spent in residential treatment can vary based on history of use and individual client needs but is typically between 30-90 days. Sophros does not provide this level of care.
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) – At this level of care, a client is able to return home (or to a sober living home) and continue with normal daily living while continuing to prioritize sobriety and recovery. Clients continue to prioritize therapy in PHP, attending treatment (group and individual therapy) for six hours per day, five days per week, much like a full-time job. Time spent in PHP treatment can vary based on history of use and individual client needs but is typically between 14-28 days. Sophros does provide this level of care.
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) – When an individual reaches this level of care, they are most likely ready to increase responsibility and potential for stress by returning to work or school. Clients at this level of care attend group and individual therapy for 9-12 hours per week (three hours per day, three to four days per week). Time spent in IOP treatment can vary based on history of use and individual client needs but is typically between 8-12 weeks. Sophros does provide this level of care.
Outpatient Program (OP) – After successful completion of higher levels of care, clients will typically attend treatment at the outpatient level of care to help facilitate transition back into their daily lives and routines. The structure of OP programs varies based on the treatment center but typically includes individual therapy once per week (or biweekly) and several groups per week. Sophros does provide this level of care, typically offering biweekly therapy and up to three groups per week for a total of six weeks.
3. What are the different recovery groups and meetings? How do I find them?
Developing a recovery community is essential to ongoing and lasting success in sobriety. There are many kinds of groups focused on recovery. For more information on locations and times of specific recovery groups, ask your primary therapist.
AA and NA are 12-step-based meetings and occur daily, at various times, throughout the city.
SMART Recovery is a skill-based support group that focuses on shifting thinking and behaviors.
Celebrate Recovery is a Christian-based support group where the first hour is worship with songs, and the second half is separated into groups based on current addictive struggles.
Refuge Recovery is a mindfulness-based recovery group.
4. How long is treatment?
At Sophros, we offer PHP, IOP, and OP treatment. While the length of treatment is different for everyone, depending on their needs, clients typically spend an average of 10-12 weeks in treatment. How long a client spends in treatment is decided together by the client and their primary therapist.
5. Can I or my loved one ever drink again?
Once someone’s brain becomes addicted to alcohol, it becomes very difficult for them to ever begin drinking again, even casually. Because of the patterns formed in the brain by substance abuse, if you or your loved one stops drinking for a period of time and then tries to drink again, not only will addictive behaviors likely reappear, but life-threatening symptoms may also result. Because of this, Sophros clinical providers encourage clients to work toward absolute sobriety during and beyond treatment.
6. Does Sophros Accept My Insurance?
At Sophros, we can work with your insurance provider to get the most coverage for you or your loved one’s addiction treatment. We are proud to offer a number of services for those in need. The insurances that we currently accept are:
- Cigna
- Aetna
- Florida Blue (BCBS)
- Optum
- Beacon
- Tricare
- UHS
- Most commercial carriers, on a case-by-case basis
In addition to accepting most policies, we are IN-NETWORK with Florida Blue, BCBS, Cigna, Aetna, Tricare, and the VA CCN.
7. Do we provide any housing?
At this time, Sophros does not offer housing. However, our staff works closely with several sober living facilities in town and we are happy to provide referrals and recommendations.
8. What is our staff like? Is there a medical provider?
At Sophros, all primary therapists are master’s level professionals and have been carefully trained to provide mental health and addiction counseling. All clients will receive a therapist who has attained or is working toward attaining a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling or Clinical Social Work.
In addition to our master’s level primary therapists, Sophros also employs certified yoga instructors, mindfulness instructors, and nutrition specialists to help teach healthy living skills.
Our medical staff includes registered nurses to assist with daily medical concerns, as well as two primary medical providers—Dr. John Kemerer, Doctor of Osteopathy, and Allison Lowe, Nurse Practitioner—with whom clients may meet up to once per week (given practitioner availability) for psychiatric and addiction medical and prescription needs.
9. How often would I or my loved one meet with a therapist?
When you or your loved one begins treatment at Sophros, each client is assigned an individual, master’s level primary therapist. Clients are scheduled to meet with their therapist once per week for one hour.
10. What are Medication-Assisted Treatments? Do we use them at Sophros?
Medication-Assisted Treatments (MATs) are medications that are prescribed to help people experience fewer cravings for their drug of choice and help clients attain sustained recovery. Based on each client’s needs and the appropriateness of MAT treatment, Sophros medical providers may prescribe these medications to help assist one’s recovery. Possible medications include Vivitrol and Naltrexone, which are FDA-approved substances to decrease cravings for opioids and alcohol. Sophros does not offer methadone or suboxone prescriptions.
11. What are the therapists’ backgrounds and styles?
At Sophros, all primary therapists are master’s level and have been carefully trained to provide mental health and addiction counseling. All clients will receive a therapist who has attained or is working toward attaining a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling or Clinical Social Work. All Sophros therapists are currently licensed or are actively seeking licensure in the state of Florida.
Additionally, Sophros is proud to be recognized as a teaching center for master’s students at two major local universities. Therefore, among our therapists are several master’s level interns who are being actively trained to provide group and individual therapy and receive ample supervision while doing so.
When being assessed, Sophros staff works to match each client with a therapist based on a client’s individual needs and the therapist’s therapy style. Each therapist has their own style of therapy, but all Sophros therapists are well trained to provide effective therapy techniques, including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, background work, person-centered therapy, and trauma-informed treatment. Several therapists at Sophros are trained in specific interventions, including but not limited to Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), crisis intervention, and counseling interventions for first responders.
12. How can I best support my loved one in treatment?
The most supportive family members or partners of someone struggling with addiction are also the most informed. We recommend that family members become educated on their loved one’s specific drug of choice, as well as addiction as a disease. Not only is addiction one of the most painful diseases that a client and their loved ones can experience but also one of the most misunderstood. We encourage family members to celebrate the client’s choice to attend treatment and attempts at sobriety while also learning the incredibly difficult balance of creating and maintaining strong boundaries with their loved one to avoid enabling. For help learning how to do this, Sophros providers are happy to speak individually with family members, as well as hold family sessions to help improve communication, empathy, and understanding between clients and their loved ones.
13. Can family members attend treatment as well?
We encourage family members to participate in their loved one’s treatment. The disease of addiction impacts not only the client but those who are closest to them as well. It is therefore important for friends, partners, and family members to learn more about the disease, how to prevent continued enabling behaviors, how to be supportive without enabling, how to communicate healthily, and how to implement healthier boundaries. All therapists at Sophros are trained to provide family members with psychoeducation and support for substance abuse and mental health. Should a client’s family member(s) or partner wish to attend a family session, the client should speak with their primary therapist about scheduling.
In addition to attending a family or couple’s session, Sophros strongly recommends that family members begin their own individual therapy in the community. Our staff can help by providing referrals.