Us vs Them
Is Like "Comparing Apples to Oranges.”
-DARE TO COMPARE-
SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAMS
Us |
Them |
|
✅ 5 star reviews
✅ Master of Arts in substance abuse counseling ✅ Creative, personalized approach ✅ Private setting with anonymous, online groups ✅ Current, interactive curriculum with podcasts and videos ✅ Dashboard to see your progress any time ✅ Evening & weekend hours ✅ Multiple teletherapy options ✅ i-Learning (independent learning using e-learning platform) ✅ Online program available ✅ Smart phone app ✅ Web-based individual sessions available ✅ Program choices ✅ Rewards healthy lifestyle choices with life/health bonus hours ✅ Lower Weekly time commitment ✅ $ |
✅ ?? Star Reviews
✅ Uses interns in place of counselors to save them money ✅ One-size fits-all, canned approach ✅ Public setting and often large class sizes ✅ Workbook and paper curriculum ✅ Progress is often given verbally and is subjective ✅ Less convenient hours ✅ Few if any teletherapy options (less convenient) ✅ Fewer choices ✅ Say they are holistic but don't reward/incorporate healthy lifestyle behavior ✅ Longer Program ✅ $ $ $ $ |
10 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Substance Abuse Program
If you're shopping for a substance abuse counselor or program ask 1) if their staff is certified, if any of their staff have had any sanctions and if they're a licensed program 2) how they personalize your program to fit you, how they communicate your progress and how they can involve your family 3)the setting it's in and how they protect your privacy, 4) what the average group size is 5) how many group or individual sessions you have to attend, 6)if they have weekend and evening hours, 7) what teletherapy options they have to increase convenience and learning, 8) what program choices you have, 9) how long or how many hours the program is, and 10) what your out of pocket COSTS will be.
National Institute of Health's Guidelines to Good Treatment
Here are the National Institute of Health's (NIH) guidelines to finding a good treatment program. First, they suggest looking at the person's credentials. On way you can do this by checking to see if the staff of an agency have a valid and current certification as a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) Iowa Board of Certification's Verification Database. Maintaining a certification ensures that staff have passed a knowledge and skills test, that they’re staying current educationally, and that the certification board hasn’t found them guilty of violating professional and ethical standards.
Asking about the counselor's education level is another suggestion by the NIH. Many programs use interns or practicum students who take the place of certified counselors. Although we support education and training of interns we don't believe they should taken advantage of and used as low cost replacements of experienced and seasoned counselors. Ask about the counselor's education you'll be working with and what the degree is in. If the Master's is in a "related" field ask how many classes they took in an accredited college or university that were substance abuse specific. If they say they are holistic or wellness-oriented ask about their staff's professional education and training in a health-related field. Still Waters Lead Counselor has a Master's Degree from the University of Iowa that actually specializes in Substance Abuse Counseling along with a Master's in Physical Education/Sports Psychology and has been practicing over 19 years. We reward healthy behavior and can design a personal health and wellness regimen.
Buyer beware, there are also a lot of counselors and social workers who put their shingle out in private practice as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor or Licensed Masters in Social Worker who are Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselors but don’t practice in a licensed program. If you were having heart surgery would you go to a family doctor or a cardiologist? Substance abuse is a matter of life and death. Go to a licensed program. Licensed programs ensure that staff and agencies follow approved practices and standards to better ensure a quality experience and favorable outcomes. A very good resource for finding a licensed program is SAMHSA’s Treatment Facility Locator as well as the Iowa Dept of Public Health’s Treatment Locator.
The second area that the NIH suggest is for there to be a comprehensive assessment. At Still Waters we use an electronic assessment along with a face-to-face interview to complete a substance abuse evaluation. The electronic assessment is like having a second opinion so that it’s not just the interviewer’s opinion, or just a standardized test that doesn’t take your situation into consideration. Our process allows you to complete this process efficiently in a minimal time.
The NIH’s suggestions for having personalized program is where Still Waters excels above the rest. We use our iLearning (Independent Learning), which is a collaborative E-Learning Platform, to personalize the program and provide collaborative feedback with our clients . We’ve found that when someone takes ownership of their success they're more likely to be successful than having someone just tell them what to do. We have completion standards that clients must meet, but the bottom line is this is your program. The iLearning allows you to create a program tailored to your preferences and interests. By the time you graduate clients will have created a personalized tool that you they have access to on their smart phone, on or off line and is theirs to keep beyond treatment.
A well-defined strength of Still Waters, suggested by the NIH, is using scientific, research-based therapies. We use information from Harvard, the University of California Berkeley, Hazelden (aka The Betty Ford Clinic), Stanford University, Jon Kabet Zin (one of the most renowned expert in mindful meditation), and Dartmouth University amongst others. In addition to the traditional, time-tested and well-researched therapies that we use (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Rational Emotive Therapy) we use a newer, progressive and widely researched therapy called Motivational Interviewing. Motivational Interview is a collaborative process that puts the client in the driver's seat and is a perfect fit for Still Waters’ personalized programming.
Ask a program to tell you what they use for materials. Workbooks are fine, and may be evidence-based, but are less personalized and tend to lend itself to canned information. "Let's open our workbook to page 42", yawn as the counselor does roll call “Beuller...Beuller… Beuller…” Other programs have materials that the counselors have had for 20 years. Again, that’s fine as long as a curriculum includes some fresh material. You deserve, in the words of Subway, to “eat fresh”, don’t just settle for having a good sub with 20 year old bread. Ask a program about their materials.
Last of all, the NIH recommends follow up to treatment. Our graduating clients are encouraged to continue to participate in our Aftercare Program, with the primary eligibility requirement being continued effort to remain abstinent while building a sober lifestyle. We have had clients who have been sober for quite a while. Several of these clients graduated from other programs that don’t provide the follow-up support they needed. Still Waters is devoted to making its clients’ lives better regardless of whether it’s the first day of sobriety or the 40th year.
As a final word, we don't claim to be the end all be all for everyone. We want clients who don't want to have another OWI. We want clients who want to change. We want clients who want to come to Still Waters. If this fits your description, we hope to see you soon!
Asking about the counselor's education level is another suggestion by the NIH. Many programs use interns or practicum students who take the place of certified counselors. Although we support education and training of interns we don't believe they should taken advantage of and used as low cost replacements of experienced and seasoned counselors. Ask about the counselor's education you'll be working with and what the degree is in. If the Master's is in a "related" field ask how many classes they took in an accredited college or university that were substance abuse specific. If they say they are holistic or wellness-oriented ask about their staff's professional education and training in a health-related field. Still Waters Lead Counselor has a Master's Degree from the University of Iowa that actually specializes in Substance Abuse Counseling along with a Master's in Physical Education/Sports Psychology and has been practicing over 19 years. We reward healthy behavior and can design a personal health and wellness regimen.
Buyer beware, there are also a lot of counselors and social workers who put their shingle out in private practice as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor or Licensed Masters in Social Worker who are Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselors but don’t practice in a licensed program. If you were having heart surgery would you go to a family doctor or a cardiologist? Substance abuse is a matter of life and death. Go to a licensed program. Licensed programs ensure that staff and agencies follow approved practices and standards to better ensure a quality experience and favorable outcomes. A very good resource for finding a licensed program is SAMHSA’s Treatment Facility Locator as well as the Iowa Dept of Public Health’s Treatment Locator.
The second area that the NIH suggest is for there to be a comprehensive assessment. At Still Waters we use an electronic assessment along with a face-to-face interview to complete a substance abuse evaluation. The electronic assessment is like having a second opinion so that it’s not just the interviewer’s opinion, or just a standardized test that doesn’t take your situation into consideration. Our process allows you to complete this process efficiently in a minimal time.
The NIH’s suggestions for having personalized program is where Still Waters excels above the rest. We use our iLearning (Independent Learning), which is a collaborative E-Learning Platform, to personalize the program and provide collaborative feedback with our clients . We’ve found that when someone takes ownership of their success they're more likely to be successful than having someone just tell them what to do. We have completion standards that clients must meet, but the bottom line is this is your program. The iLearning allows you to create a program tailored to your preferences and interests. By the time you graduate clients will have created a personalized tool that you they have access to on their smart phone, on or off line and is theirs to keep beyond treatment.
A well-defined strength of Still Waters, suggested by the NIH, is using scientific, research-based therapies. We use information from Harvard, the University of California Berkeley, Hazelden (aka The Betty Ford Clinic), Stanford University, Jon Kabet Zin (one of the most renowned expert in mindful meditation), and Dartmouth University amongst others. In addition to the traditional, time-tested and well-researched therapies that we use (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Rational Emotive Therapy) we use a newer, progressive and widely researched therapy called Motivational Interviewing. Motivational Interview is a collaborative process that puts the client in the driver's seat and is a perfect fit for Still Waters’ personalized programming.
Ask a program to tell you what they use for materials. Workbooks are fine, and may be evidence-based, but are less personalized and tend to lend itself to canned information. "Let's open our workbook to page 42", yawn as the counselor does roll call “Beuller...Beuller… Beuller…” Other programs have materials that the counselors have had for 20 years. Again, that’s fine as long as a curriculum includes some fresh material. You deserve, in the words of Subway, to “eat fresh”, don’t just settle for having a good sub with 20 year old bread. Ask a program about their materials.
Last of all, the NIH recommends follow up to treatment. Our graduating clients are encouraged to continue to participate in our Aftercare Program, with the primary eligibility requirement being continued effort to remain abstinent while building a sober lifestyle. We have had clients who have been sober for quite a while. Several of these clients graduated from other programs that don’t provide the follow-up support they needed. Still Waters is devoted to making its clients’ lives better regardless of whether it’s the first day of sobriety or the 40th year.
As a final word, we don't claim to be the end all be all for everyone. We want clients who don't want to have another OWI. We want clients who want to change. We want clients who want to come to Still Waters. If this fits your description, we hope to see you soon!