Integrating Trauma Treatment

This entry was posted in Trauma.

Each individual can explore their internal lives and the physical manifestations of their pain management in a safe and supportive environment.

​Recovery from addiction is about so much more than sobriety. While substance abuse comes with its own set of problems, many people mistakenly believe the substances we abuse to be the problem. Some think, “if only he would stop drinking, he could pull his life together,” or, “if she could find a way to put down drugs, she could finally be healthy and happy.”

​What many loved ones of addicts don’t understand is that drugs and alcohol are not the problem: for the addict, they are the solution. Lacking the emotional, mental and spiritual ability to stop using, the physical addiction has taken over the addict’s life. The addiction reaches a point where the user’s vision is so clouded by their addictive behavior that they cannot see how they can live their life without the substance that is simultaneously destroying it.

At Deer Hollow Recovery & Wellness, those suffering from substance abuse participate in a treatment program that addresses the mind, body and soul. By focusing on the emotional and mental health aspects of addiction, those seeking recovery work towards healing their historical wounds.

Using a range of evidence-based methods that go beyond talk therapy (including Neurofeedback, Bio Sound, Sensory Room, EMDR and others), clients get to the root of their problems and as a result, find a deeper, more meaningful and lasting solution to their problems. While life will always have problems, Deer Hollow’s trauma informed program helps those struggling with addiction, mental health issues and dual-diagnoses develop new, healthy coping mechanisms and habits that actually work and can help sustain lasting recovery.

Many individuals struggling with addiction are also suffering from co-occurring mental health issues that have gone undiagnosed and untreated. Mental diagnoses like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, PTSD and general trauma issues are often at the root of substance abuse. Substance use that began as a coping mechanism progressed into a problem over time, causing the addict’s life to spiral out of control. For these people, putting down the problematic substance alone is not enough to build a life worth living.

With a staff that is licensed for both mental health and substance abuse treatment, Deer Hollow is able to treat addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders simultaneously. And with a continuum of care that includes Residential Treatment, Day Treatment (PHP), an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), a General Outpatient Program (GOP) as well as sober livinghomes, clients can participate in treatment from 30 days to a year or more, depending on their specific and individual needs. But flexible duration of treatment is only one benefit of recovery at Deer Hollow.

A unique feature at Deer Hollow is their Wellness Course, a multi-modality approach to recovery that leads clients on a deep and comprehensive path inward, helping to heal past traumas and establish new tools and skills that are the foundation for a healthy lifestyle centered on emotional and mental wellness.

By integrating a diverse range of treatment methods, each individual can explore their internal lives and the physical manifestations of their pain management in a safe and supportive environment. With traditional talk therapies like Dialectical Behavioral Treatment (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Cognitive Processing Therapy, clients learn to reprogram their unhealthy thinking and to react more logically to the world and their relationships. Further, they develop skills to help de-escalate their mental and emotional responses to external triggering occurrences.

Particularly unique to Deer Hollow’s treatment program are the Mind Body Bridging (MBB), Shame Resilience and Self-Compassion and Radical Acceptance courses. Common predictors to relapse are the feelings of isolation and shame associated with trauma. Each individual learns to “bridge the gap” between emotional and logical responses to triggers. These new skills assist in developing a healthy self-esteem and self-compassion, which are the first line of defense against negative feelings and responses. These groups help clients practice “radical acceptance” by participating in experiential exercises that are integral to warding off relapse.

Additionally, Psychodrama and Process Groups provide safe, peer-supportive environments in which to work through common thoughts, feelings, events and experiences that have contributed to substance abuse as a coping mechanism. By addressing each of these issues in session, clients can bring closure to the trauma and wounds that impact their daily lives.

As a means to developing a daily spiritual practice that elevates thoughts, mood and emotions, mindful meditation is taught. This practice has been proven to reduce stress, gain control over the heart rate and develop consciousness through presence-building breathing practices.

Rounding out the Wellness Course, staff also incorporates a wide range of alternative, recreational and experiential therapies that have proven to be effective at healing the addict’s mind and spirit, including Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Music Imagery and Process. These practices are always expanding and growing in response to current studies and trends in addiction and mental health recovery.

Deer Hollow Recovery and Wellness features a unique integration of scientific, state-of the-art technologies, traditional talk therapy and alternative treatment methods to provide a well-rounded, holistic approach to recovery. With a commitment to treating the trauma behind substance abuse, clients can safely and effectively target the source of their suffering and heal past wounds. A committed and highly-trained staff work closely with clients to help bridge the gap between old habits and a new way of life.

Deer Hollow Recovery and Wellness provides integrated mental health and substance abuse treatment with a holistic approach to recovery. They have a network of inpatient, outpatient, intensive outpatient and sober living homes throughout the state of Utah. Connect on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.