Gallien Counseling
Angela Ross Gallien, MA, LPC, NCC
(205) 365-7699
 

Offices in Hoover and Homewood

Regular involvement in counseling during your SUBOXONE treatment is strongly encouraged. Counseling helps patients develop coping skills that can help them to avoid relapse and has been shown to significantly improve the likelihood of long-term treatment success. 

In addition to counseling, you may also be interested in support group participation. Many patients supplement their weekly or monthly counseling with support group meetings, because the format lends itself well to day-to-day encouragement in less formal surroundings.² 

How often you go to counseling depends on what works best for meeting your treatment needs. In general, counseling occurs more frequently during the earlier part of treatment—daily visits are not unusual for new patients. Weekly (and eventually monthly) visits are sufficient for most patients on a stable SUBOXONE dose. 

You and your doctor will evaluate how your treatment is progressing and whether your current level of counseling is still effective for you. How frequently you participate in counseling or in support groups can be determined by you in consultation with your healthcare provider.

Formal Counseling
Counseling is far from a "one size fits all" situation. For one thing, there are many different types of counseling techniques—some may be a better fit for your personality or treatment goals. Another choice you have is whether you would prefer group therapy or individual therapy. 

Together, you and your doctor will decide on the type and setting of therapy that best meets your needs. And because your needs may change over time, it is a good idea to talk with your doctor periodically about whether your current therapy is continuing to help you meet your treatment goals. 

Group therapy
Many patients find group therapy to be particularly effective for treatment of opioid dependence because it provides a support network that they would otherwise lack. Other benefits of group therapy include:

Peer support and acceptance

Real-world examples of people experiencing recovery

Positive feedback to help improve patients' self-image

Family-like environment⁵

Individual therapy
Not everyone thrives in a group-counseling situation. You and your doctor may decide that your needs would be better met with the privacy and individual attention possible in a one-on-one setting.

One-on-one counseling is generally considered the best setting for addressing confidential issues.

Support Groups
Participation in a support group is recommended as something patients may want to do in addition to their regular counseling.² Support groups offer many of the same benefits as group therapy, except that they are generally focused more on accepting and encouraging patients in treatment (and less on abstinence strategies).

From http://www.suboxone.com/patients/suboxone/optimizing_counseling.aspx