Valentin Bosioc
In our modern world where technology has invaded almost all aspects of our daily lives, it should come as no surprise that counseling for drug rehab can be done in an online platform. So, what even does Virtual Intensive Outpatient Counseling mean? How does one make the decision about whether or not they want to have virtual counseling? Keep reading as we will cover a lot of your questions about this type of counseling, and you can make an informed decision if this is something that would work for you or a loved one.
What is Virtual Intensive Outpatient Counseling?
So, we need to start off with what exactly is virtual intensive outpatient counseling? Well, as the title would imply, this is an online, or virtual, type of counseling. With it being outpatient, this means that the patient is free to carry on with their day to day lives and basically come and go as they please rather than being put into a facility where they are checked in and watched every moment of their treatment. These types of counseling are offered strictly online, and their primary focus is on treating the patient from the comfort of their own home with a flexible schedule to work around their lives.
In most cases, a patient will typically start off with in person meetings with their counselor. This is typically just to have a face to face meeting in order for the counselor and patient to meet in person, have their initial assessment, and work together to form an outline of treatment that will work best for them. At that time, it will be discussed whether or not virtual intensive outpatient counseling will be right for the patient.
Patients are closely monitored while participating in their virtual intensive outpatient counseling treatment. There is a certain amount of trust in the patient when they are doing their treatment from the comfort of their own homes. If the counselors see that there are some indications that the patient is slipping into old habits or is showing signs of recurring addiction, they will lose some of that freedom and will probably be asked to return to a facility for in person meetings.
Why is this different from regular outpatient counseling?
As mentioned above, this type of counseling is a little different from regular outpatient treatment. Regular outpatient treatment will require a scheduled appointment for their visit. They will need to go to an actual facility or doctor’s office to have this counseling appointment. The patients will still have the freedom to come and go as they please, but they will have the task of getting to and from their appointments physically and making sure to track their schedule. The best part of the virtual intensive outpatient counseling is that you don’t have to even leave the comfort of your own home or have to battle traffic to get where you need to go.
Although virtual outpatient counseling is typically a one on one type of counseling, there are times when group sessions are offered online, allowing others struggling with their addiction and rehabilitation to join in and share their stories and experiences. There are times when such interactions are very beneficial in the process of healing for a person facing their addiction.
What are the benefits of Virtual Intensive Outpatient counseling?
As with any type of counseling, there are many great benefits to receiving counseling for drug rehab. You are treated both for your mental and emotional core causes of your drug addiction and you also get treated for the physical ramifications for your drug addiction. With the virtual intensive outpatient counseling, the treatment is mainly focused on the mental and emotional issues you have with your drug rehabilitation and recovery. You will have a chance to speak with a counselor and work through the possible root of your addiction and also offer you certain coping mechanisms to avoid future recidivism.
Virtual intensive outpatient counseling also has the added benefit of very personalized treatment experiences. Many times, when in a facility for drug rehabilitation, patients will share their experiences in a group setting. Whereas this may be something that is beneficial in many cases, there are times when people will not feel as fulfilled about their therapy or counseling sessions or may not even have a chance to participate due to someone else talking too much. As mentioned, sometimes a social meeting is good to see things from another perspective or to see that a patient isn’t alone in their struggles, but the best reasoning why the virtual intensive outpatient counseling is so beneficial is because of the individual attention patients will get from their counselors.
Another huge benefit to the virtual counseling is that in the age of COVID, social distancing is more important than ever. Virtual counseling allows the patient to stay in their home and stay away from possible exposure to COVID. In addition to keeping yourself safe from possible exposure to any sicknesses, virtual counseling also has the benefit of privacy. Instead of sharing your experiences and counseling sessions with a group of people, this allows you a modicum of privacy when it’s just you and your counselor in a private session from the comfort of your own home.
No matter the avenue you choose for your intensive outpatient counseling, it’s universally agreed that this type of counseling is extremely beneficial to the patient. You will get a chance to speak to a professional that will have your best interests in mind, will listen to your problems, and even offer you coping mechanisms to deal with possible triggers to your past addictions. The choice you will need to make is whether or not you want your counseling sessions to be done from your home in a virtual format or if you’d rather be in an in person setting. Either way, you’re sure to get the best treatment and will live a better life as you address your addiction and begin your journey of rehabilitation.
