Telehealth: Finding Empowerment in Virtual Support Tools

According to “The Role of Telehealth in an Evolving Health Care Environment,” the use of telecommunication and information technology in the health care system has been explored since the 1920s. From envisioning treating patients over the radio to establishing a closed-circuit television link between medical locations in the late 50s and early 60s, telehealth has been valued as a tool for connection and healing in medicine. Since its infancy, telehealth has been rooted in lowering barriers to care for underserved communities. Therefore, understanding virtual support tools is valuable to the process of recovery and sustained recovery.

At Driftwood Recovery, we believe connection and engagement in the community are vital to maintaining recovery. Thus, using virtual support tools like our Driftwood Recovery app allows you to strengthen those connections. Recovery should never be jeopardized because of a lack of resources for care and support. You deserve the same opportunities to thrive and sustain your recovery, no matter your level of recovery capital. With virtual support tools, you can dismantle barriers and expand your recovery capital to sustain recovery.

Yet, you may still have questions about virtual support tools and their relationship to telehealth. How does telehealth empower access to care?

What Is Telehealth?

Terms like telemedicine, telehealth, and telecare are often used interchangeably but can also have different meanings. As the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) states, telehealth, telemedicine, and telecare typically encompass advances in information and communications technologies for care. Specifically, information and communication advances allow medical professionals and other healthcare providers to offer remote and interactive services to consumers, patients, clients, and caregivers. Yet, the distinction in terminology can be important for understanding what virtual support tools are used and how those virtual support tools are used.

Listed below are some of the ways telemedicine, telehealth, and telecare are defined:

• Telemedicine: The use of telecommunications technologies to deliver different kinds of medical, diagnostic, and treatment-related services
  • Typically utilized by doctors to diagnose, treat, and support patients
    • Diagnostic testing, progress monitoring, and access to specialists
• Telehealth: Evolved from telemedicine; thus, it shares similarities but includes a wider variety of remote healthcare services
  • Services can be provided by other health and care providers like nurses, pharmacists, and social workers
    • Can assist with health education, mental health literacy, social support, and medication management
• Telecare: The term is more commonly used in Europe and typically refers to technology like virtual support tools that allow clients to remain safe and independent in their homes
  • Health and fitness apps
  • Exercise tracking tools
  • Digital medication reminder systems
  • Early warning and detection technologies

The different terms highlight the variety of virtual support tools in health care. Thus, expanding your knowledge of virtual support tools can help you understand their impact on various areas of care.

Types of Virtual Support Tools

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rise in awareness of telehealth and virtual support tools. The understanding of telehealth during the pandemic focused on preventative care to maintain social distancing. However, advances have opened the door to official and unofficial psychological virtual support tools. The virtual support tools that were expanded upon during the pandemic include mental health support, video conferencing, and multiplayer gaming. Specifically, the virtual support tools found in mental health services have expanded to meet clients where they are. As noted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), virtual support tools or virtual recovery resources can include:

• Virtual recovery programs
  • Offers a variety of online meetings, discussion groups, forums, and access to services
    • 12-Step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous, Cocaine Anonymous, Marijuana Anonymous, and Narcotics Anonymous
• Online mutual-help groups
  • Offers online and other virtual support tools to support specific and often underserved groups
    • Women’s only recovery communities
    • Programs centered on religious and spiritual beliefs
    • Culturally sensitive and responsive programs
      • Education, research, services, and resources
        • Native Americans, Latinx, Black Americans, and LGBTQI+

Virtual support tools highlight the ways information and communication technologies can support well-being.

Benefits of Virtual Support Tools for SUD and Mental Wellness

The remote nature of telehealth opens the door to more accessible and convenient treatment options for a wider audience. Moreover, telehealth can be particularly beneficial to the needs and care for various disorders and conditions:

• Real-time remote progress monitoring
• Provide resources for rapid intervention and crisis management
• Access to therapy and self-help recovery groups
• Tools for behavioral skill-building
• Texting interventions for relapse prevention

Further, as previously mentioned, virtual support tools are not only valuable for preventive care, crisis management, and skill building. Virtual support tools also work to dismantle barriers that impede access to services and resources in recovery.

Dismantling Barriers to Sustained Recovery With Telehealth

As noted by SAMHSA, millions of Americans are impacted by substance use disorder (SUD) and severe mental illness (SMI). Yet, 47.7% of Americans have an unmet need for mental health services, and only 12.2% of people receive treatment for SUD. The lack of treatment for SUD and SMI often stems from health disparities and inequities. Thus, telehealth, in conjunction with other accessible formats, can dismantle barriers to treatment and recovery resources:

• Improve the quality of care
• Decrease cost of care
• Improve client experience
• Increase engagement
• Improved access to continuity of care
• Supports aftercare
• Reduces stigma
• Decreases geographical barriers

Telehealth can address and support the long-term needs of clients with diverse backgrounds.

Staying Connected: Fostering Sustained Recovery at Driftwood Recovery

Health equity is an invaluable part of treatment and supporting sustained recovery. Through virtual support tools, you are given access to a wide variety of services and other resources to meet your needs. Therefore, at Driftwood Recovery, we are committed to providing a full continuum of care to support your recovery. No matter where you are on your road to recovery, we make support accessible to you. With our virtual support tools, you can continue to thrive and lead the courageous life in recovery you deserve.

Connection and engagement are important parts of treatment and sustained recovery. However, various barriers to services and resources can impede your ability to maintain recovery. Whether you are in early recovery or have been in recovery for years, you can experience challenges with cravings, triggers, and recovery capital. Yet, access to telehealth gives you virtual support tools to help you on your recovery journey. With access to apps, texting interventions, and remote progress monitoring tools, you can stay connected to your sober community, continue to build coping skills, and find support for relapse prevention and crisis management. Therefore, at Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing an accessible recovery community with our Driftwood Recovery app. Call (512) 759-8330 today.

Chronic pain is a serious condition that affects countless people in the United States. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that there are 52.4 new cases of chronic pain per 1,000 persons per year. However, despite the increased rates of chronic pain cases, it’s still known as the “invisible” disability. This is because if you look at someone, it is not obvious that they are struggling with pain. Learning more about this condition doesn’t just help those in pain get help. It also changes our overall view of those struggling with pain.

That’s why mental health care facilities such as Driftwood Recovery work to educate the greater public about the role of chronic pain on mental health. By understanding chronic pain, we understand how and why it impacts our mental health so strongly. Offering more support for those struggling with pain also reduces the likelihood of its associated conditions, such as depression and addiction.

But before we can examine the effect that chronic pain can have on mental health, we must first understand what defines chronic pain.

A Brief Overview of Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is a condition in which a person experiences persistent pain. This pain can last from weeks to years. Sometimes this pain can come and go in waves instead of being constant. This is not the same as acute pain, which eventually vanishes after treatment and healing. The cause of chronic pain varies, but it’s usually the result of an illness or disease, an injury, or dysfunction of the nerves and nervous system.

Some examples of conditions that cause chronic pain are:

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Cancer
• Fibromyalgia
• Migraines
• Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
• Carpal tunnel syndrome

The list of medical conditions that can cause chronic pain is extensive. Though strides have been made in managing and treating pain, the fact that a person must deal with the pain in the first place can weigh heavy on the psyche. It’s especially true when the source of the chronic pain is traumatic or will worsen in time. Treatment for chronic pain is part medical and part psychological, as seen by the various conditions that can arise as a result of constant pain.

Chronic Pain and Mental Health

As mentioned before, the understanding that you will be dealing with constant pain for what may be the rest of your life can be difficult to accept. Pain can prevent someone from enjoying the things they used to. It can force someone to completely restructure their lives to mitigate the pain. Many find themselves isolated within their homes and unable to engage in normal life activities.

So, it’s no wonder that conditions such as depression are common among those struggling with chronic pain. A person may also struggle with anxiety, anger, and grief. Another common condition affecting those with chronic pain is addiction. In particular opioid addiction is particularly high, as some opioids are commonly prescribed for pain management. Opioids are highly addictive, and addictions can develop even with the careful oversight of medical professionals.

It doesn’t mean that everyone struggling with chronic pain is doomed to addiction and depression. These conditions are often the result of someone having to deal with their pain with no support or understanding. Some people allow their pain to worsen before they seek help, worried that their pain isn’t “serious enough” to deserve treatment. It doesn’t matter how severe a person’s pain is. Pain itself is a serious condition that is worthy of help. By understanding and encouraging those we know who live with chronic pain, we can ensure that they get the treatment they need.

Treatment Options at Driftwood Recovery

The staff at Driftwood Recovery understand the role chronic pain plays in addiction and other mental health conditions. For that reason, clients have access to specialized professionals who understand and can treat pain. This is not a place where a client has to fear judgment. All pain can be treated, especially when a client is open to professional help.

The usual methods of conventional treatment are used to help manage various chronic pain conditions. Treatments such as a medication regimen, physical therapy, and occupational therapy can be expected. These treatments bring relief and increase mobility, allowing clients to perform normal daily tasks. Clients are also encouraged to exercise and participate in activities such as yoga to improve physical health. To ensure the comfort and safety of each client, these treatments are overseen by medical and highly trained professionals.

As Driftwood Recovery is a holistic treatment facility, care is also taken to address the client’s mental health needs. Those requiring treatment for addiction or other mental health conditions will receive treatment for that alongside treatment for chronic pain. Through therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), clients can change harmful thought patterns into healthy ones. This therapy is also used to teach healthy coping skills that clients can use to cope with their chronic pain.

Clients who complete treatment then gain access to the alumni program. Sometimes, being around others who truly understand what you are going through is enough to change your outlook on life. With a robust peer support network, clients can receive support and encouragement as well as forge long-lasting friendships. So, in the end, pain is not an end-all condition. With proper treatment and support, anyone can learn how to manage their pain. They only need to find the courage to reach out for help.

Chronic pain is a condition that affects the body and the mind. Those who live with it must navigate their lives differently than others, which can cause stress and isolation. Chronic pain is one of the main factors behind conditions such as depression and addiction. It may seem like there’s no end to the pain, but help can be found if a person is willing to ask for it. Here at Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, clients receive comprehensive and compassionate treatment for their chronic pain and mental health conditions. If you are ready to take back your life from chronic pain, don’t wait. Call Driftwood Recovery today at (512) 759-8330.

Substance use disorder (SUD) stigma can impact your sense of self. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), identity processes shape the manifestation of stigma in SUD. Specifically, internalized stigma is highly central to your self-concept as it erodes how you define and think about yourself. Believing in the negative stereotypes applied to you impairs healthy self-identity and sustained recovery. Thus, understanding healthy self-identity is invaluable to supporting physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being in recovery.

At Driftwood Recovery, we know how important rebuilding a connection to self and others is for healing. Through an attachment-based approach to recovery, you have learned how to foster healthy attachments to the self and others. However, your sense of attachment and healthy self-identity can get lost in the hustle and bustle of daily life.

Moreover, being bombarded by stigma can erode your resilience to maintaining a healthy self-identity and attachment to yourself in recovery. Therefore, we are dedicated to providing an active alumni program built on connection and community. Through our peer-driven network, you can find support to help you maintain a healthy self-identity no matter where you are on your journey.

However, you may question what is a healthy self-identity. Expanding your knowledge of self-concept and identity can help you better understand how SUD has impaired your sense of self.

Understanding Self-Concept as Identity

Sometimes, self-concept and self-identity are confused with each other or used interchangeably. While they are connected, self-concept and self-identity are not the same. Self-concept is constructed from your beliefs about yourself. You hold beliefs about your behaviors, abilities, and characteristics and how others respond to you. Listed below are some of the parts that make up your self-concept:

• Self-image: How you want to see yourself
  • Personality traits: Introvert vs. extrovert
  • The life roles you view as important: Being a parent
  • Hobbies: Being a fan of a sports team or fandom
  • Passions: A religious or political organization
• Ideal self: The qualities you want to have or strive to have
  • I am confident vs. I am anxious
• Self-esteem: How much you like, accept, and value yourself
  • How you feel about your interactions and place in the world
    • Your sense of purpose, how others see you, how you think you compare to others, and your role in society

Similarly, your self-identity encompasses your self-esteem, the roles you perform, and your social identity. Your self-identity is something you give yourself; it is the roles in life you believe define you. With self-identity, you build and prioritize certain ideas, beliefs, and values. Together, self-concept and identity help you answer who you are, what communities you belong to, and how you fit into those communities and society.

Social Identities: Exploring Addiction and Recovery Identities

A better understanding of self-concept and identity gives you insight into the importance of a healthy self-identity in recovery. Your self-identity is not inherently static, as it can change with the experiences and interactions you have. For example, difficulties with SUD expose you to negative thinking patterns born from stigma like substance-first language. You may identify yourself as an alcoholic, addict, user, or weak, which creates a mindset in which you see yourself only as those negative things.

Public, self, and structural stigma contributes to isolating you from yourself and others. With isolation, your self-esteem, self-worth, and motivation to maintain your recovery are impaired. Thus, the interactions and relationships you form with others influence how you think about yourself. As noted in BMJ Open, social identity gives you a sense of who you are based on the groups you associate with. When you have the opportunity to engage with a social network of your peers in recovery, it helps reinforce building and sustaining a recovery self-identity.

The Value of Healthy Self-Identity for Sustained Recovery

A greater understanding of the importance of social identities in peer support for recovery also showcases how healthy self-identity supports positive self-beliefs for well-being. With access to healthy connections, you can move from substance-first to person-first language to foster healthy self-identity and reintegration into the larger community. Moreover, a healthy self-identity can support your well-being as a whole person, from staying motivated in recovery to pursuing life goals for fulfillment and purpose. Listed below are some of the other ways a healthy self-identity can support recovery:

• Mental: Supports life satisfaction, balance, and psychological resilience
• Emotional: Supports adaptive coping with life stressors
• Social: Supports mutually supportive interpersonal relationships
• Spiritual: Empowers personal values and beliefs for your sense of purpose
• Physical: Empowers you to care for your body in strength, nutrition, activity, and hygiene
• Environmental: Supports finding self and healing in nature

The benefits of a healthy self-identity highlight the importance of self for whole-person healing. Thus, you are reminded that recovery does not begin and end with treatment. The tools you learned in treatment, much like self-identity, are not static. You must continue to practice and build various adaptive coping strategies in your daily life.

Ways to Build Healthy Self-Identity

Although it may seem daunting, you can build a healthy self-identity to thrive in recovery. Some of the ways you can build a healthy self-identity include:

• Mindfulness
• Positive thinking with affirmations
• Challenge negative thinking
• Self-reflection
• Affirm your strengths
• Foster mutually supportive relationships

Building a healthy self-identity does not happen overnight, but with practice and support, you can support your well-being as a whole person.

Uncovering Healthy Self-Identity With Alumni Support at Driftwood Recovery

At Driftwood Recovery, our Driftwood Alumni strength is built in our dedication to connection and community. We know how important connection and community integration are to fostering a healthy self-identity and sustaining recovery. Thus, we are committed to providing a vibrant peer-driven network in which you can repair or discover your social identity and sense of self. With access to long-term resources and services like weekly meetings and the recovery app, you can connect to the self and others to lead a courageous life in recovery.

The impact of public, structural, and internalized stigma from SUD can lead to an addiction identity. With an addiction identity, you develop negative self-beliefs about yourself. Negative self-beliefs can impede recovery as they erode your self-esteem, self-worth, and motivation to maintain your sobriety. However, you can move from an addiction identity to a recovery identity by building a healthy self-identity through connection and community. With peer support in recovery, you can repair your social identity and foster positive self-beliefs to heal beyond treatment. Therefore, at Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing a strong community-driven peer network in our alumni program to provide long-term access to resources and services for whole-person healing. Call us at (512) 759-8330 today.

One major skill that is used to keep alumni in recovery is relapse prevention. A relapse is when someone begins to use addictive substances again after a period of abstinence. When a client becomes alumni, they return to normal life. Normal life, however, can be an environment full of stress and difficulties. Learning how to navigate these difficulties with healthy coping skills is part of relapse prevention. Anyone can recover from addiction, but the fear of what comes after treatment can hold many back from reaching their full potential.

That’s why at Driftwood Recovery, clients spend time practicing how to care for themselves before they “graduate” from treatment. With a focus on holistic treatment, clients receive comprehensive and compassionate care. Part of treatment at Driftwood Recovery involves clients learning how to preserve and nurture their recovery. To have a good recovery foundation, clients must first master several skills, some of which may be surprising.

Skills Learned in Relapse Prevention

Relapse prevention requires several key skill sets. One is to know how to prevent a relapse. Secondly is how to recognize when you are at risk for a relapse. The third is what to do should you experience a relapse. Knowing how to do all three takes studying, being receptive to instruction from professionals, and time to practice.

A common prevention skill is learning how to recognize your addiction triggers. These can be scenarios, emotions, conditions, and environments that cause you to want to use substances. For example, a common addiction trigger is grief and reminders of loss. Working to treat your grief will lessen its effects, allowing you to grieve healthily without turning to substances to numb or mask it. Another common scenario discussed in relapse prevention is peer pressure. Learning how to set boundaries and cutting out toxic people who threaten your recovery is a hard but vital process of recovery.

Relapse prevention also requires clients to learn healthy coping skills to replace the desire to use substances. A client, for example, can learn to practice yoga as a form of healthy stress relief. Another may choose to utilize art as a means to express big and painful emotions. Self-care and other skills are taught as part of relapse prevention. Getting proper nutrition and exercise is a part of self-care, as well as getting proper sleep and rest. Being healthy gives clients the foundation they need to resist cravings.

Lastly, clients learn what to do should they experience a relapse. The goal of relapse prevention is to prevent a relapse entirely. However, it can still happen. Clients must understand that they will not be shamed for experiencing a relapse. Having a crisis plan in place is just as prudent as having any other CDC-recommended disaster plan. Clients should be able to live and enjoy life, not be constantly afraid of a relapse. Knowing what to do beforehand can reduce stress and anxiety in a person’s daily life.

Practicing Relapse Prevention Skills Post-Treatment

Relapse prevention relies on the person practicing it to work. Clients at Driftwood Recovery are given time to practice these skills before they leave treatment. It’s encouraged that clients search for personal discoveries that give them meaning and joy. An example of this is a client utilizing therapeutic recreation. This therapy might give them intense joy and excitement for hiking. The client can take this new hobby they discovered and use it as part of their relapse prevention plan. After all, why waste time and money on substances when you can be on the trail with new hiking gear? Finding activities that inspire such change is vital for lasting recovery.

Self-care is another important aspect of relapse prevention. Clients are taught essential life skills, such as getting proper nutrition, valuing exercise, and resting when needed. When someone is healthy, they can resist cravings and adapt to stressors. Without proper sleep and other essential processes, someone can fall into self-medicating habits to deal with stressors. It may sound silly to those who have never needed treatment, but being able to practice good hygiene and keep your home de-cluttered can go a long way in relapse prevention.

Of course, one doesn’t have to practice relapse prevention skills alone if they have a support network to help them.

Gaining Support From Fellow Alumni

Driftwood Recovery has an alumni program that features an extensive sober community. All clients are encouraged to participate in the alumni program as a form of aftercare. A major reason why some people relapse after treatment is because they become isolated and alone. By building a large support network of fellow peers who understand exactly what you are going through, alumni have a greater ability to protect their recovery. Just having a hobby can be an essential part of relapse prevention. Imagine how robust a prevention plan can be with the help of fellow peers.

Finishing treatment doesn’t mean new alumni have to go through life alone. There is a wealth of resources there to help alumni along in their new lives. Even in times when relapse prevention isn’t enough, there will always be help available. It’s important to lean on fellow peers to reinforce relapse prevention skills and find meaningful relationships.

Alumni are always encouraged to stay in touch and check in with their treatment providers. Just like how a person needs to visit a doctor every year to be sure they are healthy, so too should alumni return for a mental health checkup. Here, the opportunity is always there to ask for additional help when needed.

By drawing inspiration and courage from others, you gain the confidence and self-love needed to remain in recovery. All it requires is you to be open to support and be willing to ask for help.

One danger that faces those who have completed addiction treatment is a relapse. However, with training, clients learn to prevent relapses by recognizing their triggers and practicing healthy coping skills. Here at Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, all clients participate in relapse prevention training before their treatment is complete. By making use of various therapies and role-playing with professionals, clients leave Driftwood Recovery with the skills needed to navigate a sober life. With a robust alumni support program, clients continue to receive lifelong support and encouragement from fellow peers. If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, reach out for help today by calling (512) 759-8330.

Clients diagnosed with substance use disorder (SUD) or mental health issues may find it difficult to engage in treatment. Some clients are more challenging than others and require additional support to ensure program compliance. Studies have shown that “[o]nce clients are engaged actively in treatment, retention becomes a priority.” However, “Many obstacles may arise during treatment [. . .] Frequently, clients are unable or unwilling to adhere to program requirements.” The staff at Driftwood Recovery makes sure all clients feel supported and valued during the treatment experience by practicing patience and empathy.

Identifying and Supporting Challenging Clients

Staff members have the vital job of identifying barriers to program compliance and creating practical solutions. Difficult clients may have more severe symptoms, co-occurring disorders, or other issues impacting their mental health and behaviors. Individuals recovering from chronic substance abuse may have underdeveloped social skills and reduced self-awareness. Some people need assistance understanding how their behaviors affect others. Clients rely on staff to educate and guide them throughout the treatment experience.

Challenging clients can have trouble managing emotions or coping during stressful moments. As a result, they may act in inappropriate or socially unacceptable ways. Client reactions may cause therapists and other mental health professionals to worry about their safety.

Some of the most common challenging situations staff may encounter include:

• Clients with suicidal ideation, a history of suicide attempts, or active self-harming behaviors
• Aggressive, violent, and unpredictable clients causing tension or conflict with peers
• Clients with a history of sexual or physical assault acting inappropriately
• Knowledge of ongoing domestic abuse, child abuse, or toxic family dynamics
• An inability for clients to manage any level of emotional or physical stress
• Client reluctance to engage in treatment

How clients feel about themselves, the care team, and their recovery impacts how they respond to treatment. People who have no support at home, difficulty coping with daily stress, and other complicating factors often require more one-on-one support from healthcare workers. According to The American Journal of Family Therapy, “[W]hen we are dealing with difficult situations, there are multiple layers of information we need to take into account during conceptualizing and creating our treatment plans such as the severity of the issues, access to resources, support systems of the families, gender and culture issues.” Experts at Driftwood Recovery consider all factors impacting a client’s health and safety to ensure the best possible outcomes.

Practicing Patience Shows Clients You Value Them

Healthcare workers must practice patience every day to provide their clients with a safe and nurturing environment. Practicing compassion and patience shows clients they have value and that their feelings matter. Clients who feel respected and understood are more likely to follow program guidelines and trust staff members.

Managing Challenging Clients

Healthcare workers manage challenging clients by doing the following:

• Practicing patience and empathy
• Diving deep into the client’s history
• Finding positive and creative solutions to problems
• Providing emotional and practical support

People who cause disruptions during treatment have beliefs and motivations influencing their behaviors. Staff members who talk to clients and take the time to really get to know each person often develop a more positive client-clinician relationship. Getting to know the person underneath the disruptive behaviors takes patience and a willingness to be vulnerable and open. Experts in mental health have many therapeutic tools to help them connect with clients on a deeper level. The more clinicians understand about each client, the better equipped they are to manage any challenging or unexpected situations they may encounter with those individuals.

Practicing Patience at Driftwood Recovery

Patience is critical for client care and staff mental health. Individuals working in healthcare have an increased risk of developing depression, anxiety, and other stress-related mental health issues. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Health worker jobs in the U.S. involve demanding and sometimes dangerous duties, including exposure to [. . .] violence from patients and their families.” However, “Health workers reported fewer mental health issues when they said they work in supportive environments.” Driftwood Recovery ensures every staff member has a support system to help them manage their duties.

In many cases, challenging clients become more manageable as they get to know the care team and develop a foundation of trust. Driftwood Recovery speeds up that process with a low client-to-clinician ratio and daily routines involving the care team. Clinicians spend time each day utilizing their skills and various therapeutic techniques to help clients lower their emotional walls.

Practicing Patience Empowers Healthcare Workers and Clients

Treatment aims to provide people with the support and resources to improve their quality of life. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “With appropriate treatment, people can manage their illness, overcome challenges, and lead productive lives.” Driftwood Recovery uses psychotherapy, peer engagement, community activities, and other services to help clients achieve their recovery goals. Staff members patiently guide clients through developing healthier behaviors, routines, and lifestyles.

Healthcare workers often find client transformations uplifting. Most individuals working in healthcare have chosen the career because they want to help others build healthy and happy lives. Watching people transform from challenging clients to fulfilled alumni gives Driftwood Recovery staff a sense of fulfillment and empowers them to continue changing lives one client at a time.

Some clients have more severe symptoms and other factors impacting their ability to engage in treatment. Clients may have poor attitudes or act out in ways that disrupt treatment programs. Healthcare workers have the job of identifying why some individuals have trouble participating in treatment and developing creative solutions. Clients come from all backgrounds, and some may have experienced trauma impacting their ability to build a trusting relationship with the care team. Staff members at Driftwood Recovery use compassion and evidence-based methods to help clients overcome barriers affecting their recovery. Staff must use their skills and resources to guide clients through recognizing the need for treatment. To learn more about our treatment programs and staff, call (512) 759-8330.

Your mental well-being is an invaluable part of your health and your ability to heal. Poor mental well-being is often reflected in the presence of challenges with substance use disorder (SUD) and other mental health disorders. As stated in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), approximately 21.5 million adults in the United States have a co-occurring disorder. Together, co-occurring disorders can be disruptive to your daily life. Therefore, understanding mental well-being can support managing and healing the physical and psychological symptoms of dual diagnosis.

At Driftwood Recovery, we know an approach founded on an attachment-based is vital to maintaining recovery. With a commitment to attachment, we give you access to the tools and connections you need to heal. Through an attachment approach to care, our alumni community creates a space where compassion, understanding, and guidance become second nature. Thus, through connection and community found in attachment, you can thrive.

Whether you are in early recovery or have been on your recovery journey for years, you can lose sight of your mental well-being. It can be easy to get caught up in the sobriety aspect of your recovery and slack on the tools you have learned. While not using substances is an important part of recovery, your mental well-being plays a vital role in how you experience SUD and other mental health disorders. As a result, understanding the relationship between SUD and other mental health disorders is important for sustained recovery.

Understanding Co-Occurring SUD and Mental Health Disorders

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), SUD often accompanies other mental illnesses and vice versa. However, despite the prevalence of co-occurring disorders, they are not necessarily the direct cause of each other. SUD and other mental health disorders share a bidirectional relationship, which, as the NIMH notes, there are three possibilities for their high co-occurrence:

• Shared factors like genetics, family history, and environmental challenges
• Challenges with mental health disorders can contribute to self-medicating with substances
  • Certain drugs can temporarily alleviate symptoms but will exacerbate those symptoms over time
  • Changes in the brain can enhance the reward effects of substances
• Difficulties with SUD can contribute to the development or exacerbation of mental health disorders
  • Substance use can trigger changes in brain structure and function

Looking at the interrelated relationship between SUD and mental health disorders highlights the importance of mental well-being in healing.

What Is Mental Well-Being?

Your mental well-being is an important indicator of your physical and psychological health. Thus, understanding mental well-being is valuable to helping you sustain your recovery. Yet, you may question what is mental health and mental well-being. Although they are often used interchangeably, mental health and mental well-being can be different. According to Medline Plus, mental health usually encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Your mental health influences how you think, feel, and act as you respond to and cope with life.

However, as noted in “Mental Health vs Mental Wellbeing: Is There a Difference?” from Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, holistic models allow you to see your health from multiple dimensions. Therefore, mental well-being is a broader, proactive, and positive view that encompasses emotional/mental, financial, physical, and social well-being. In addition, mental well-being is also your capacity for resilience to prepare for and manage life challenges. Thus, a holistic perspective showcases that poor mental well-being is a risk factor for the development and relapse of SUD and other mental health disorders.

Relapse Prevention: Importance of Mental Well-Being for Recovery

As stated in Addiction Relapse Prevention by Nicholas Guenzel et al., relapse is a process rather than an event. Thus, the process of relapse has three main stages: emotional, mental, and physical relapse.

• Emotional: Denying risk factors prevents you from using adaptive coping skills
• Mental: An active internal tug-of-war between the desire to use substances and the desire to maintain sobriety
• Physical: A lapse in which you initiate the use of a substance or a relapse, which is the uncontrolled use of a substance

The emotional and mental stages of relapse highlight the significance of mental well-being for coping with distress in recovery. Therefore, making efforts to support your mental well-being can help prevent the process of relapse to support maintaining your recovery.

Addressing Risk Factors for Poor Mental Well-being

Understanding risk factors for poor mental well-being can give you insight into how to reduce your risk for relapse. As noted by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), recovery is a lifelong process that requires healthy changes to multiple domains in your daily life. Your physical, behavioral, communication, psychological, and social spheres are all important components in maintaining recovery. Without a commitment to healing the whole of your parts, your mental well-being risk factors can include:

• Low self-efficacy
• Lack of motivation
• Poor use of adaptive coping skills
• Inadequate social and emotional support

Despite the harm that comes from poor mental well-being, healing is still possible. You can support your recovery by practicing the tools you learned in treatment throughout your life.

Fostering Tools for Sustained Recovery at Driftwood Recovery

Some of the ways you can continue to support your mental health and mental well-being in recovery include:

• Support network
• Physical activity
• Spending time in nature
• Mindfulness
• Participating in hobbies
• Building a sleep routine
• Volunteering

You can enhance your mental well-being in a variety of ways. In particular, reaching out for support from your trusted network is invaluable to recovery. At Driftwood Recovery, we believe our alumni family can give you the encouragement, accountability, and services you need to thrive. Through our alumni program, you have access to a variety of individual and community resources. From weekly meetings and family support groups to educational and volunteer opportunities, you are reminded that you are not alone. No matter where you are on your journey, we are here to support you in building a courageous life in recovery.

Your mental well-being is an important component of sustained recovery. Yet, in recovery, you may deny the risk factors for relapse and have a lapse in using adaptive coping strategies, which can disrupt healing. When you neglect your mental health and well-being in recovery, you increase your risk for psychological distress and relapse. However, you can support the lifelong process of recovery by engaging in tools that address your needs as a whole person. With an attachment approach, you can support your emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Therefore, at Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing a robust array of services and resources for alumni to meet you where you are. Call us at (512) 759-8330 to learn more today.

Whether biological or not, the individuals you call family play an important role in your life. Family helps you make sense of who you are and your place in the world. The sense of belonging you often find in family is interwoven in your interpersonal interactions. As noted in Family Dynamics, family can be a source of relationship security as you rely on each other for emotional, physical, and economic support. Thus, family-focused care can be a valuable component of the healing process for sustained recovery.

At Driftwood Recovery, we believe considering the entire family can set the foundation for recovery and restore balance to relationships. Through family-focused care, connections can be rediscovered or developed to meet your needs in every area of life. With our commitment to an attachment approach, we recognize the value of mutual support and community. Recovery is not done in isolation but in the embrace of a strong community of individuals who want to see each other thrive. The sense of community you find in vibrant alumni can support the building blocks of family-focused care for recovery in mind, body, spirit, and relationships.

However, one of the challenges of substance use disorder (SUD) and other mental health disorders is the strain they can put on relationships. You may have difficult and complex experiences and relationships with your loved ones. As a result, thinking of family as a source of strength may feel impossible or daunting. Although everyone’s situation is unique to them, building a network of social support can help foster the life you deserve. Thus, increasing your understanding of the impact of close relationships can give you insight into the value of family-focused care in recovery.

The Value of Family for Well-Being

Families are filled with complexities, from structure to the quality of the relationships. Within those familial complexities is woven well-being across the life course. As noted in Innovation in Aging, the social relationships you share can influence multiple areas of well-being, like life satisfaction and health. In particular, your family relationships influence your well-being through the quality of those relationships. The benefits of close relationships are based on the interdependence within those relationships. Listed below are some of the ways social support can positively support well-being:

• Greater sense of meaning and purpose
• Enhanced self-esteem
• Greater sense of self-worth
• Healthy behavioral regulation
• Greater adaptive coping skills

The positive aspects of social support highlight the power of family-focused care for healthy patterns. However, it is important to acknowledge that close relationships can be a source of both security and stress. Dysfunctional family dynamics and systemic stressors can impede healing. With greater awareness, you can address the complexities of family dynamics to effectively utilize family-focused care.

Family Dynamics: Impact of Negative Relationships on Recovery

All families and other close relationships experience stress and some level of dysfunction. For example, things like arguments and criticism can put strain on relationships. Nonetheless, relationship stressors can be alleviated with healthy coping mechanisms like communication.

However, when your family has insufficient coping skills, those stressors can take a toll on you and your relationships. Moreover, external stressors born from structural barriers and disadvantages present additional stress. Systemic barriers like race and ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status lead to inequalities that put more stress on those marginalized families.

Thus, a lack of adaptive skills in families can lead to poor well-being:

• Low self-esteem and self-worth
• Poor emotional regulation
• Unhealthy boundaries

The consequences of maladaptive coping in families highlight a connection between family dysfunction and psychological distress. When you are in great distress, it becomes more difficult to cope with life stressors. Therefore, making efforts to repair those important relationships with family-focused care can help address the roots of your challenges.

Benefits of Family-Focused Care in Recovery

Challenges with SUD and other mental health disorders impact not only you but your family as well. As BMJ Open states, SUD can have many adverse effects on families:

• Overwhelming distress
• Relationship conflict
• Health challenges
• Child abuse and or neglect
• Intimate partner violence (IPV)
• Financial insecurity

In addition, without family-focused care, your loved ones may still use maladaptive coping skills that impede everyone’s healing. Therefore, family-focused care is valuable for providing education, support, and opportunities for growth in the entire family. Listed below are some of the ways family-focused care can be beneficial for sustained recovery:

• Reduces harm to each family member
• Supports better treatment outcomes
• Improves communication
• Increases understanding of each other
• Supports continued motivation for sustained recovery

Despite the benefits of family-focused care in recovery, numerous barriers impede access to family-focused care.

Barriers to Family-Focused Care

According to Frontiers in Psychiatry, several family-related barriers prevent effective family involvement in treatment. Family conflict is an important barrier to family-focused care. However, other family barriers can contribute to conflict and impede family-focused care. Some of the other barriers that can impede family-focused care include:

• Insufficient understanding of symptoms and treatment
• Family crisis and conflict
• A lack of supportive family members
• Resource challenges
  • Geographical distance from recovery service locations
  • Lack of transportation
  • Low socioeconomic status

The family, treatment, and resource-related barriers to family-focused care showcase the importance of education for building bridges. Through education, bridges of connection and understanding can be built between clients, families, and clinicians for lasting recovery.

Strengthen Bonds With Family-Focused Care at Driftwood Recovery

At Driftwood Recovery, our alumni family is a peer-driven network designed to support you and your loved ones. No matter where you are on your recovery journey, we offer you and your loved ones the space, support, and encouragement to build a courageous life in long-term recovery. Through programming like our family support group, you and your loved ones can continue to learn, grow, and share each other’s journeys through recovery. With educational support and access to services, an active alumni program fosters a sense of community to help the entire family thrive.

The relationships you have with your family are important to how you make sense of who you are and your place in the world. Moreover, your close relationships can impact your physical and psychological well-being. Supportive relationships are valuable for enhancing self-esteem, self-worth, and adaptive coping. Thus, family relationships can be valuable for healing and recovery. However, barriers like family conflict, poverty, lack of mental health literacy, and systemic disadvantages can impede family involvement in recovery. Therefore, building a community-driven treatment and alumni program is vital to fostering family-focused care for lasting recovery. At Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing support services to heal the entire family. Call us at (512) 759-8330 to find healing for the whole family.

“I try to frame [a psychological assessment] as an opportunity to grow, as opposed to a process of labeling or judging. We aren’t saying ‘you are bad, because you have this.’ It’s more like: ‘you are human.’”

“[Your] Problems Could Be Linked to a Source of Strength”

This is the seventh in a series of posts introducing the people who make up Driftwood Recovery’s community of caregivers.

Through these conversations, you’ll get a chance to meet the people on Driftwood’s team—from its executives to its care coordinators. You’ll learn about the programs they facilitate, and about how their work serves Driftwood’s overall treatment philosophy. You’ll learn about the various paths that brought them here. And you might pick up a book or Austin restaurant recommendation.

In this post, Kuraĝo editor Matt Williamson talks with Driftwood’s Director of Psychology, Vanessa Kennedy, PhD.

***

Matt Williamson: During the admissions process, you’re the person who administers psychological assessments, right?

Vanessa Kennedy: We’ve actually just had a licensed psychological associate come onboard named Michelle. She’ll be helping me out part-time and adding more expertise to our staff: assessing cognitive issues—neuropsychological testing, in particular. But yes, I do the psychological assessments.

MW: “Neuropsychological” meaning that she’ll focus on brain injuries and things like that?

VK: Brain injuries, early signs of dementia, and learning issues like ADHD. Sometimes people struggle in one area of functioning—like their visual skills. We look at a new resident’s different areas of intelligence and try to discover what their strengths and weaknesses are. That can be helpful in designing interventions, strategies, or therapies that are more helpful for them.

MW: But not everyone gets a psychological evaluation when they come to Driftwood? How do you decide who gets a psychological assessment?

VK: Usually, the reason we might recommend an evaluation is if we don’t quite know what a person’s diagnosis is, or we don’t have full clarity about the origins of somebody’s difficulties.

For example, if someone comes in and has had recently had a manic or psychotic episode—if they’ve experienced dramatic changes in mood or energy, or they weren’t sleeping, or have been acting impulsively—we’ll try to find out whether that was induced by drugs or alcohol, or was just natural to their brain chemistry. While that person detoxes off of whatever substances they were on, we get a clearer picture of how they’re functioning, and can start to tell whether the person has a mood disorder or a psychotic disorder that’s developing, or whether those episodes were strictly related to their drug and alcohol use.

MW: One unusual thing about Driftwood, I gather, is that it specializes not only in addiction—in getting people sober—but also in treating underlying disorders and problems.

VK: Yeah, absolutely. We are what would be considered a “dual diagnosis” program, but I think “dual” is a bit of a misnomer. It’s rare that someone comes in with only two issues. The traditional meaning of “dual diagnosis” would be a substance-use disorder plus a mental-health issue. So there are two categories, sure. But oftentimes, the mental health issues are quite complex. They might involve various things like anxiety and depression, or, for instance, an eating disorder.

MW: And people use drugs and alcohol to mask—or to survive—those other problems.

VK: A lot of people are self-medicating, yes.

MW: I have a friend in recovery who has a pretty severe anxiety disorder. It’s prevented her, at times, from leaving the house. I’m just thinking about how unhelpful it would have been for a program to help her stop drinking and then say: “Okay, so just keep doing this. Stay sober, and keep going to meetings.” That would have left her where she’d started years earlier, with this anxiety that was so intense that it was often incapacitating.

VK: Exactly, exactly. I often meet people here who have been trying for a long time to manage underlying mental health issues. Those issues could have started as far back as childhood or adolescence. They’ve been managing those issues for years without really knowing that that’s what they were doing.

MW: When you’re conducting an initial assessment, what are some of the specific tests that you use? How do they work?

VK: The tests I like to give, involve objective assessments and projective assessments. Objective assessments use normative samples of individuals to come up with specific cutoff scores for certain disorders. One objective assessment I use is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, or MMPI. Since the 1960s, it’s been given to countless people. The way people answer the questions reflects things about their behavior or the psychological symptoms they’re experiencing. That particular test is easy to explain because it gives me a line graph that shows a personality profile. It may show an elevation on a scale that measures depression and one that that measures anxiety, and I can show the person: okay, this is the severity level of this symptom for you.

MW: What kinds of questions are included on the MMPI?

VK: They’re all true/false questions. People are asked to agree or disagree with statements like: “most mornings, I wake up feeling fresh and rested.” “I cry easily.” “People have told me that at times, I’ve gotten too excited and too interested in too many things.” So they’re all questions that fit specific symptom categories. The first two I just mentioned, for instance, are for depression. The third was for more manic bipolar presentation. They also ask about patterns in your life. So they are geared toward looking at long term chronic issues that that person is dealing with.

MW: What are some of the other diagnoses that can come out of the MMPI?

VK: They include generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, psychotic disorder. People may describe paranoid symptoms—seeing visions, hearing hallucinations. The MMPI can also help me diagnose a personality disorder, which is kind of a chronic way of thinking, of processing your feelings and operating in relationships, that tends to create problems in your life. Someone with narcissistic personality disorder, for example, values their own thoughts and opinions much more highly than those of others, and is resistant to feedback or criticism. And that can create problems in their relationships and a lot of tension.

Borderline personality disorder is another one. The name captures the idea that the person is on the border between neurosis and psychosis. Sometimes they are not quite grounded in reality. They may dissociate—mentally escaping to remove themselves from things that are uncomfortable or painful. They may become slightly paranoid in their relationships. They may struggle to get a hold on these really intense fluctuations in their emotions. They may have really strong anxiety and fear of people leaving them and feeling abandoned. And then they might act on those feelings with behaviors like cutting or burning themselves, or doing things that are impulsive and self-destructive: using drugs, engaging in an eating disorder, spending a whole lot of money without regard for the consequences, things like that. But the core issue is that they’re trying to get a handle on the ups and downs in their mood.

MW: This is a “freshman psych” question, probably, but: all these things that you’re describing—I think anyone will recognize themselves in those descriptions, to some extent. How do you determine when someone requires treatment?

VK: The cool thing about an objective assessment like the MMPI is that it has 567 questions. Taking the test, you get a lot of opportunity to say true or false to these items. An average person may endorse two or three items of narcissism or two or three items of borderline personality, but they’re not going to endorse ten or fifteen. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the differentiating factor for making a diagnosis is not just whether you meet the criteria for the disorder—but also whether it creates some kind of problem in your functioning, in your life? Are you able to meet obligations with work? Are you causing a lot of problems in your relationships? Are you able to meet your goals at school? Things like that.

MW: I feel like we all know people who are probably, like, a 10 out of 10, on some of those—but they’re high-functioning, and perceive themselves as happy, healthy, and successful.

VK: Exactly. Those people are not going to seek treatment.

MW: You also used the term “projective tests.”

VK: In a projective assessment, the person is projecting their own worldview, their own emotions, onto neutral pictures or inkblots. One of the projective tests I give is the TAT, the thematic apperception test. I show them images of ambiguous situations and the person tells me a story about what the people in the pictures are thinking and feeling. People tend to invoke their own ways of coping in these stories. I ask them at the end of the test: “How do you relate to these characters? Are there any that you that stand out to you?” And they’ll tell me: “This one reminds me of my childhood, because my parents were always forcing me to practice the violin when I didn’t want to.” And that might shed light on an ongoing dynamic that’s playing out in adult life.

MW: I’m looking at the picture of the child staring hard at the violin. You described the image as “neutral.” It really looks to me like the kid is bored, or unhappily putting off violin practice. I’m trying to imagine more positive interpretations. Maybe the boy is concentrating—trying to mentally walk through a musical performance. Do people ever look at this picture and say things like “the boy is gleeful?”

VK: Well, sometimes a picture is designed to evoke some kind of emotion. I mean, this one is ambiguous, but it’s certainly not neutral, right. Sometimes, when people see something negative in the picture—“he’s bored, he’s frustrated, he’s struggling”—they next offer a positive coping response to counteract that. So they might say, “he’s persevering, he’s going to get really good, and blow everyone away at the concert.” A strong desire to put a positive spin on every conflict might signal that a person is avoiding uncomfortable emotions. And then that avoidance becomes one of the issues that they can continue to look at in therapy.

Sometimes people also focus on features of the drawing, rather than on telling me a story about the people in the drawing. “I think the artist was trying to capture something here.” Or: “This shading suggests that the artist doesn’t have much skill.”

MW: Oh, interesting. What does that sort of response reveal?

VK: It might suggest that they tend to avoid talking about emotions or exploring their internal thought process. Or it could just be that they don’t have any exposure to psychological thinking. Sometimes it can be a nice springboard to talking about thoughts and feelings. “Oh, yeah, I guess I do avoid that.” “That’s the way I was raised. We never talked about anything in my family.”

MW: Do people ever mention the kid’s Bieber-esque haircut?

VK: I don’t think I’ve gotten that one. “This is a picture of Justin Bieber when he was a young man, busking on the streets of Toronto and posting videos on YouTube.”

MW: What are some other projective tests that you use?

VK: Another cool one that you’ve heard of is the Rorschach Inkblot Test. It’s kind of controversial. Some researchers have questioned its value. But there are things in the test that reveal useful information about how people function. I’ll show the person I’m interviewing these images—some are kind of abstract, some are black and white, some have color. I look at how a person reacts to color, how the person incorporates features of inkblots. Do they look at the whole inkblot and make it all one thing? Or do they look at little pieces? Do they identify the elements that people usually see? There are some popular answers for each card. I’m interested in seeing how far someone departs from the typical interpretation.

MW: And so, if someone is fixating on some unusual aspect of the color, for instance, what does that indicate?

VK: Let’s say a person is working with a card that’s mostly black with some red splotches. If they see those red splotches as formless, if they get really involved in describing the color—“wow, this red is really vivid; I can’t even see the black anymore.”—that might suggest that the person is getting flooded by intense emotions, and struggling to feel grounded. If they said something more like, “Oh, I see some splotches of red here, they kind of look like little butterflies”—if they give it more form or shape, that might mean they have coping resources when they’re facing intense emotions. If they don’t even mention color through the whole test, that might mean that they avoid emotions, that feelings are a kind of blind spot for them.

MW: I read and article recently saying that if you give people a series of images and ask them to summarize the story that the images tell, people typically assume that the pictures do tell a coherent narrative. They don’t respond by saying, “this is absurd, this is nonsense.” They’re more like “yeah, this makes sense. This happened, and this happened. And this happened, I get the story. The events are all causally linked.”

VK: Sometimes on the TAT, people will pull a character from one card into another picture. “This is the same person from that first card. They’ll start to draw some connections there.” I definitely notice that, because, of course, the cards aren’t related at all.

MW: On these projective assessments—what are some answers that a person could give that would indicate a robust state of mental health?

VK: Throughout the testing, if they’re able to show a nice balance between appreciating negative emotions, as well as positive emotions—if, when there are any conflicts, they can present solutions or coping responses to the conflicts—those are definitely signs of psychological health. If they’re able to use the color on something like the Rorschach, and you know, pay attention to it, bring it into their answers in a way that has some form to it, that can be a good sign.

MW: And while you’re administering these tests, you’re customizing a program of treatment for them?

VK: Definitely. The testing clarifies the work clients have ahead of them. It’s a first step toward gaining useful insights into psychological problems. In 30 days of individual and group therapy, people can really dive deep into these things, and make a lot of progress, if they’re ready.

MW: I can imagine feeling shame or anxiety on hearing for the first time that I had a personality disorder. How do you walk them through that process?

VK: I try to focus not only on negatives. If somebody feels vulnerable—that they’re under a microscope—it can be challenging for them to be receptive to intervention. So I really try to look in the testing for any signs of positive coping resilience. A person with narcissistic personality disorder might also be very social, gregarious, influential with other people. The person’s problems could be linked to a source of strength. Helping people see the potential to get back to those strengths and reconnect with their values is something that I try to instill when I’m giving testing feedback. Like: “Hey, this does not define you as a person. It’s giving you one piece of a puzzle. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t a hundred other things that the testing is showing that are positives, resources that you have to work with.”

I try to separate out the moral judgment and stay very objective. Sometimes I’ll say to the person: “I have traits of three or four of these disorders—I’ve got obsessive compulsive personality traits, some borderline personality traits. These are things that we all have a mixture of.”

The assessment also presents an opportunity to get it all out on paper and come up with a plan of attack. How often in your life do you take a timeout to do that? To say: “these are some issues I’m dealing with. Here are some ways that I can look at those and improve my life. I try to frame it as an opportunity to grow, as opposed to a process of labeling or judging. We aren’t saying “you are bad, because you have this.” It’s more like: “you are human.”

There are people who find some relief in the initial assessment, because they’ve been suffering for a long time. Not really being able to put words to what they’re going through. And so sometimes getting an accurate diagnosis can help them feel more normal, and more connected to other people. And there are resources, and I can start directing them to things that will help them find more hope.

By tuning into your own thoughts and feelings, having compassion for yourself and self-awareness, you get more adept at catching those behaviors and asking: “is this serving me or not?”

The power of nature is something that many modern people have lost a connection with. It cannot be denied how important nature is to our mental and physical health. Sometimes, the absence of nature can leave behind a longing that can weigh heavily on our subconscious mind. That is why modern mental health care facilities work to harness the power of nature. Places like Driftwood Recovery choose places where the power of nature can be experienced. Even treatment facilities located in major metropolitan areas work to bring nature in as part of treatment. Exposure to nature promotes healing, inspires change, and provides comfort.

It can be difficult at first to understand how this power can help you and your loved ones. By examining how Driftwood Recovery utilizes nature, we can see why it’s so important to recovery.

How the Power of Nature Promotes Healing

Driftwood Recovery is located in the state of Texas. Most people think of barren deserts when they picture Texas, but that’s not the case. Texas has a wide range of biodiversity with a shifting, expansive landscape. From the deserts to the forests to the grasslands, it’s hard to be bored when exploring the Texan wilderness.

It may be surprising, but this environment promotes healing with the power of nature. Nature has many things to teach us. One such lesson is that there is beauty and wonder in everything, including yourself. Life is special, so why not also take care of yourself?

Another lesson is to use the power of nature to find peace. The world is vast and amazing, but people often miss it because their conditions keep them trapped in misery. By literally expanding your horizons, you begin to see that your conditions do not define you. It’s a humbling and uplifting experience to finally understand that you are capable of feeling and experiencing happiness.

The physical power of nature is also useful in the healing process. Exposure to sunlight has been proven to boost our mood. Fresh air can help refocus our thoughts so we do not become trapped in dangerous, circular, negative thoughts. Physical activity also improves our mood, lowers stress, and provides a healthy emotional outlet. The power of nature can be a catalyst for healing and change, but only if we know how to use it.

Reconnecting With Nature at Driftwood Recovery

Part of treatment at Driftwood Recovery is reconnecting with nature. Many clients come from the city, where their interactions with nature are rare to nonexistent. Clients at Driftwood Recovery spend time on campus, where they can freely interact with the nature around them. Regardless of whether clients are in a residential or outpatient treatment program, they are encouraged to feel the power of nature in their daily lives.

Driftwood Recovery also acts as a launch board for further interactions with the power of nature. Texas is full of wilderness parks that everyone can explore. By spending time at Driftwood Recovery, clients gain the confidence they need to expand their experiences by spending time at Driftwood Recovery. For example, a client struggling with depression may at first see little point in leaving the house. With time and treatment, the same client may find the confidence to go outside a little at a time. Eventually, they can find the power in themselves to experience a natural wonder, such as the monarch butterfly migration. Being able to witness such an event would not be possible if they couldn’t reconnect with the power of nature.

The Power of Nature in Mental Health Treatment

Most therapies and treatments at Driftwood Recovery utilize the power of nature. Those struggling with conditions such as addiction, mood disorders, and chronic pain especially find healing in these therapies. Perhaps the most looked forward to therapy is therapeutic recreation. This therapy uses activities to build confidence and find joy in healthy activities. It may look like simple play, but it can play a big part in health and recovery. Experiential therapy is similar to therapeutic recreation but has the added goal of replacing painful memories with new, exciting experiences.

Clients are also encouraged to move their bodies as a part of holistic treatment. This treatment philosophy encourages treatment for all aspects of a person, including physical health. Clients are guided into an exercise regimen that suits their physical ability and needs. With the oversight of professional and proper equipment, clients can exercise safety. Other activities, such as outdoor guided meditation and yoga, provide care to one’s spiritual self as well. Therapies such as art therapy also make use of the outdoors. It’s not uncommon to see clients enjoying the outdoors with a sketchbook or pocket paint set in hand.

Driftwood Recovery encourages clients to use the power of nature even after treatment is finished. With an extensive alumni program and community, new alumni find fellowship in their fellow peers. It’s common for alumni to meet up and enjoy an outdoor activity together. Texas is full of streams for kayaking, trails to hike, and stars to gaze at. These activities give alumni common ground and a support network that can protect and nurture their continuous recovery.

The power of nature exists in every step of treatment at Driftwood Recovery, which gives clients a level of healing they may not have experienced before. Even at times of rest when a client can simply sit outside and enjoy the sunshine contributes to the healing process. This healing persisted during treatment and can continue long after treatment as long as you continue to use the power of nature.

Nature can be a powerful healing force for those struggling with addiction, chronic pain, and other mental health conditions. It’s important enough that many treatment facilities, such as Driftwood Recovery in Driftwood and Austin, Texas, are built in such a way to provide clients with the healing power of nature. Clients at Driftwood Recovery are encouraged to utilize this power by enjoying the beautiful campus and participating in outdoor therapeutic activities. Under the instruction of professionals, clients learn to find joy in places they have missed, a skill that will help in the recovery process. If you or a loved one needs help, contact Driftwood Recovery today by calling (512) 759-8330.

Individuals in treatment for substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health conditions benefit from participating in a thriving recovery community. Creating an inclusive space focused on successful recovery helps clients grow and develop essential life skills. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “Recovery-oriented care and recovery support systems help people with mental and substance use disorders manage their conditions successfully, sustain long-term recovery, and lead full lives in our communities.” The mental health and addiction experts at Driftwood Recovery use compassion, peer engagement, and evidence-based treatments to create an inclusive community where people heal and thrive.

What Makes an Inclusive Community?

Every person working in a treatment facility plays an essential role in making the space comfortable, welcoming, and inclusive. Clinicians, management, and support staff collaborate to create an environment where clients and their families feel safe engaging with others and opening up about their own struggles.

Some of the tools healthcare workers use to foster a welcoming environment include:

• Nonverbal cues like open body language, smiling, and eye contact
• Mindful and trauma-informed language
• Program policies and procedures aimed at providing clients with a safe space
• Active listening, honest communication, and transparency
• Encouraging peer support through community events and activities

Every client has unique medical needs, personal preferences, recovery expectations, and cultural or religious beliefs. Healthcare workers must identify factors impacting each client’s treatment and recovery. Driftwood Recovery uses comprehensive assessments and other tools to identify and address all factors contributing to a person’s mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. The personalized approach makes clients and their loved ones feel heard and valued. People who feel respected are more likely to show respect to others, creating a supportive community.

Providing Personalized Care

Meeting clients where they are today by providing personalized care helps create a welcoming and inclusive environment. Healthcare workers experienced in providing addiction and mental health treatment create customized treatment plans designed to provide the best outcomes. According to Frontiers in Psychiatry, “Knowledge of long-term recovery after substance use disorder (SUD) is essential to personalized care.” Staff members work together to create a cohesive and positive treatment experience for clients. Personalizing therapy and other aspects of treatment allow clients to become more active in their own treatment by providing preferences and goals.

Tailored treatment plans may include the following:

• Self-help groups
• Prescription medication
• Individual and group therapy
• Alternative holistic treatments
• Aftercare planning
• Case management

Staff use practical methods to personalize the client experience. Clinicians collaborate with clients and their loved ones to determine what services may provide the best outcomes. Focusing on a whole-person approach to treatment helps foster a sense of community by delivering tailored support to individuals in recovery.

The Benefits of an Inclusive Community

Social isolation and a sense of alienation are common for individuals recovering from substance abuse or mental health issues. The symptoms and side effects of their condition may cause people to feel separated from their peers. Inclusive communities help people develop a sense of belonging. Interacting with others who share similar life experiences provides clients with nonjudgmental social support.

Some of the benefits of creating a welcoming community include:

• Reduced stress for clients and clinicians
• Clients have additional opportunities to communicate their needs
• Staff approach clients with a sense of curiosity and compassion

A community environment motivates people to take a larger role in directing their treatment. In addition, many clients find it easier to ask for assistance during moments of emotional distress if they have developed a genuine relationship with peers and the care team. Healthcare workers promote a healthy environment by normalizing conversations about mental health and addiction recovery.

Better Treatment Outcomes and Fewer Relapses During Continuing Care

People often experience a relapse if they lack social support or the skills to successfully manage their condition. Staff members are responsible for identifying potential relapse triggers and finding positive ways to address them. Clients are provided with resources, psychoeducation, and skill development during every level of care. Social engagement improves the outcome of treatment programs by offering clients real-world situations where they can practice self-care and coping skills. In addition, peers hold clients accountable for their choices and reduce the risk of relapse by motivating people to utilize the tools they learn in treatment.

How Does Driftwood Recovery Create an Inclusive Community?

Staff members at Driftwood Recovery practice honesty, integrity, and transparency when communicating with clients and their loved ones. Creating a solid foundation of trust and understanding is the first step in developing an inclusive and welcoming community. Clients and staff are encouraged to share their thoughts, experiences, and concerns. Individualized care provides clients with additional support and an opportunity to collaborate with peers and clinicians.

Ensuring Healthcare Workers and Clients Feel Heard

Healthcare workers cannot establish a welcoming and inclusive treatment environment unless they feel comfortable and supported in their roles. Driftwood Recovery reinforces this inclusive environment through community events, staff meetings, and other activities. Staff members have the opportunity to provide input on policy changes to ensure a more cohesive treatment experience. Management considers each staff member’s preferences, goals, and skills when developing community events and activities. Everyone plays a role in creating a family-like environment where staff and clients feel heard and supported.

A sense of community helps individuals heal from the effects of substance abuse. Positive interactions with peers and the care team facilitate skill development and personal growth. Most people participating in treatment programs have symptoms or co-occurring disorders impacting their ability to make social connections. A healthy and nurturing community environment provides people with a safe space to practice social and communication skills. Driftwood Recovery encourages clients to become part of a thriving recovery community. Spending time with others who share similar life experiences can improve the effectiveness of treatment and reduce the risk of relapse or future mental health issues. To learn more about how we create a welcoming community, call us today at (512) 759-8330.