Romantic relationships are often hit the hardest when one or both partners use drugs or alcohol. Addiction has a terrible way of creating trust issues in a relationship, since people tend to struggle with making good decisions when they are under the influence. For many couples, using drugs or alcohol becomes a way to bond, yet the erratic behaviors that these substances inspire tend to make it hard to do much more than commiserate over the control that they have over their lives.
Wondering how does couples treatment work is a good sign that you and your partner might be ready to embark on the path of sobriety together. You’ll find that couples programs can vary regarding how they work just like individual programs do, but learning about the basics of what to expect helps you decide if this option might work for mending your relationship.
Why Do People Seek Couples Treatment?
People who seek couples treatment do so out of the desire to stop having addiction play a major role in their relationship. Trying to get sober while the other person continues to use drugs is hard, and some couples may even be forced to break up if both people can’t agree on keeping substance misuse out of their relationship.
On top of giving you both the chance to get sober at the same time, you’ll find that couples treatment offers these important benefits for your happiness in sobriety.
- stay near each other in the treatment facility
- eliminate the possibility of temptation once you get home
- learn how to handle common relationship conflicts
- become better parents or caregivers to other family members
- deal with relationship-specific challenges such as codependency
Do You Still Get Individualized Care as a Couple?
While healing your relationship might be at the top of your list of reasons to go to rehab, you might still worry about having all of your treatment be lumped together as a couple. Fortunately, you can still expect to receive individualized treatment in your couples program. Professional therapists know that it takes two emotionally healthy people to form a strong relationship.
That’s why you’ll also attend individual therapy sessions in addition to your couples counseling. During your individual sessions, you’ll explore topics and sobriety strategies that work for you alone. For instance, you might need to talk about a traumatic event from your past or learn coping skills for managing your depression. Your right to confidentiality will also be upheld. What you talk about in your individual counseling sessions won’t overflow to your couples ones, unless you provide permission to go there.
What Can You Expect In Couples Addiction Treatment?
So, your next question is likely to be what your daily life will look like in couples treatment. Some facilities allow couples to room together, but most will provide gender-specific lodging for an inpatient stay. You might also choose to attend couples treatment on an outpatient basis, if you both need to be home at night for work or other reasons. During couples addiction care, you’ll engage with professional counselors who will work with you to identify and treat your underlying reasons for having an addiction.
You and your partner will each undergo a mental health assessment in the beginning of your treatment that can help you learn about any coexisting mental health conditions. In your couples therapy sessions, you’ll discuss issues that affect your relationship specifically. For instance, you might need to work together on building better communication skills. You might also work with your counselor to develop a plan that you can both agree on for managing your finances or raising your children.
Couples treatment also includes working on a plan that helps you to stay sober together and give both of you tools for avoiding a relapse if the other person starts using again. This might include identifying and learning how to control enabling behaviors. You’ll also work on finding activities and interests that you can both enjoy together instead of using drugs or alcohol as a way to bond. Are you still wondering if couples treatment is right for your situation? Give us a call at 772-266-5320 to get in touch with someone who can help you make your decision.
