About Alto Counseling Center
Located in the beach town of Santa Cruz, California, Alto Counseling Center provides outpatient treatment to individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. A sliding fee scale may be available to those who qualify, making treatment affordable based on your income.
This facility is operated by Encompass Community Services. Offering collaborative and strengths based treatment, they boast a comfortable, welcoming environment in a residential style setting.
Harm Reduction and Building Resilience
Emphasizing a holistic approach by addressing substance use in the context of life events, relationships, and mental health, they focus on building coping skills and resilience during the course of treatment. Their individual, group, family, and couples counseling uses evidence based modalities and centers around harm reduction and relapse prevention planning. I like that they’re committed to ongoing clinician education and integrating current best practices.
LGBTQ+ Inclusive
Services are designed for adults and teens. They treat individuals coping with life transitions, grief, trauma, and relationship challenges, as well as substance use issues. Members of the LGBTQ+ community are welcome here as part of their inclusive approach.
Genuine Care from Staff Members
I found positive reviews from former clients, with many praising the compassionate and nonjudgmental approach to treatment. Several cite increased self awareness and personal growth, and say that they felt supported in addiction recovery and broader mental health challenges. Some highlight the genuine care they received from staff members.
Relaxation and Recreation in Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz is home to a number of beaches and outdoor spaces that may supplement your outpatient therapy. The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk features an amusement park built in 1907, with a rollercoaster, a carousel, two arcades, a mini golf course and a bowling alley. Free concerts are hosted here on Friday nights, perfect for local engagement.
The Santa Cruz Wharf is an ideal spot to see sea lions, whales, and dolphins, as well as offering opportunities for birdwatching. Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park has 30 miles of trails suitable for all skill levels that wind their way through 1000 year old redwood trees, and campgrounds close to the ocean.
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Other Forms of Payment
Self-pay involves paying for treatment out of your own pocket. You can use savings or credit, get a personal loan, or receive help from family and friends to fund your treatment. If you don't have insurance or your insurance plan doesn't cover a specific program, self-pay can help ensure you still get the care you need.
Addiction Treatments
Levels of Care
Outpatient
Aftercare Support
Treatments
The goal of treatment for alcoholism is abstinence. Those with poor social support, poor motivation, or psychiatric disorders tend to relapse within a few years of treatment. For these people, success is measured by longer periods of abstinence, reduced use of alcohol, better health, and improved social functioning. Recovery and Maintenance are usually based on 12 step programs and AA meetings.
Drug rehab in California teaches participants constructive ways to stay clean and sober. Treatment revolves around helping individuals stop using the substance they are addicted to and learn healthy habits to avoid relapse.
A combined mental health and substance abuse rehab has the staff and resources available to handle individuals with both mental health and substance abuse issues. It can be challenging to determine where a specific symptom stems from (a mental health issue or an issue related to substance abuse), so mental health and substance abuse professionals are helpful in detangling symptoms and keeping treatment on track.
Opioid rehabs specialize in supporting those recovering from opioid addiction. They treat those suffering from addiction to illegal opioids like heroin, as well as prescription drugs like oxycodone. These centers typically combine both physical as well as mental and emotional support to help stop addiction. Physical support often includes medical detox and subsequent medical support (including medication), and mental support includes in-depth therapy to address the underlying causes of addiction.
Programs

Adult Program

Young Adult Program
Clinical Services
Whether a marriage or other committed relationship, an intimate partnership is one of the most important aspects of a person's life. Drug and alcohol addiction affects both members of a couple in deep and meaningful ways, as does rehab and recovery. Couples therapy and other couples-focused treatment programs are significant parts of exploring triggers of addiction, as well as learning how to build healthy patterns to support ongoing sobriety.
Research clearly demonstrates that recovery is far more successful and sustainable when loved ones like family members participate in rehab and substance abuse treatment. Genetic factors may be at play when it comes to drug and alcohol addiction, as well as mental health issues. Family dynamics often play a critical role in addiction triggers, and if properly educated, family members can be a strong source of support when it comes to rehabilitation.
Group therapy is any therapeutic work that happens in a group (not one-on-one). There are a number of different group therapy modalities, including support groups, experiential therapy, psycho-education, and more. Group therapy involves treatment as well as processing interaction between group members.
In individual therapy, a patient meets one-on-one with a trained psychologist or counselor. Therapy is a pivotal part of effective substance abuse treatment, as it often covers root causes of addiction, including challenges faced by the patient in their social, family, and work/school life.
Amenities
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Private Setting
Contact Information
716 Ocean Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060