Thoughts about “treatment.”

IMF Counseling has been holding The Intensive for over 6 months now.  

The initial idea for starting The Intensive came from the requests of our clients. They asked for a more in-depth therapy experience without having to go to a residential treatment facility. They also asked for something different than “treatment as usual.” They wanted to have an option where they could live at home, receive counseling more than once a week, and tackle some difficult issues. 

We have been motivated to create a space where clients can do in-depth psychotherapy and achieve the growth they desire. We have been honored to have worked with a group of clients who have been vulnerable, let us into their lives, and taught us much about what is, and is not, helpful to them. 

I want to take some time to share some of the lessons we have learned as we move into the new year. 

Work with a person, not with a diagnosis. We have been told over and over by our clients of how they have been treated based on their diagnosis. People have been labeled with personality disorders, substance use disorders, eating disorders etc. and then shoehorned into specific treatment modalities. They have then been evaluated based on arbitrary clinical standards with little concern about how they themselves understand their situation. We do not do that. Instead, we listen to our clients and take seriously their definition of their concerns. Sometimes this includes a mental health diagnosis, but this does not drive treatment. 

Doing therapy work in a group is powerful. While each person in The Intensive is working on their own goals, the needs of the group are also important. Feelings of group cohesion and belonging, receiving encouragement and support, and learning about our impact on others can trump any “curriculum” we may have planned for that day. 

Our staff is dedicated. The Intensive is facilitated by a team of therapists with a variety of theoretical orientations and counseling approaches. We have been developing as therapists and increasing our capacity to work together and deliver integrated and flexible care. The diversity of our backgrounds has led to fruitful discussions, and it has been extraordinarily helpful to collaborate with therapists that have such diverse approaches.  

People get better. If I had any doubt that therapy works, it is erased. The experience of watching clients work and grow has been inspiring and rewarding. One reason I entered the field of counseling psychology is my belief in every person’s innate ability to develop in a positive direction. I have seen people’s hard work come to fruition as they make changes in themselves, their environments and the direction of their lives. 

I look forward to what 2024 brings to IMF Counseling. We will continue to provide IOP services through The Intensive. And, we have added additional groups for friends and family and continuing care. Additionally, we are holding an eight-week IOP for adolescents in the Summer of 2024. And, I am sure the year will bring many other opportunities to grow and learn with our clients.

Jeremy Duke, LPC