Arlington County Community Services Board

Dual Diagnosis

In Virginia, dual-diagnosis addiction treatment programs focus on providing integrated care for individuals with co-occurring substance use disorders and mental health conditions. Specialized programs offer medically monitored detox, outpatient, inpatient, and partial hospitalization. Therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), trauma-informed therapy, and family therapy help to address both disorders simultaneously while promoting mental health and well-being.

Mental Health

Dual diagnosis treatment is a specialized form of rehab where you receive care for both a substance use disorder and a mental health disorder at the same time. You’re provided access to medical staff and mental health experts throughout the program. Additionally, mental health services tend to include multiple forms of therapy, including individual therapy, group counseling, relapse prevention education, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

• Medicaid
• Private insurance
• Self-pay options
• Financial aid
• Financing available
• Sliding scale payment assistance
• Medicare

• Adult program
• Elderly program
• Hearing impaired program
• HIV/AIDS program
• LGBTQ program
• Young adult program

Outpatient

Outpatient rehabs offer community-based addiction treatment, enabling clients to remain in their homes while in recovery. Their levels of care typically include partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP), standard outpatient, and sober living programming. Most outpatient facilities offer addiction counseling and recovery-focused life skills training. Integrative programs include evidence-based holistic therapies, such as meditation, music therapy, and massage. Facilities specializing in alcohol and/or opioid addiction may also provide medication assisted treatment (MAT).

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a therapy modality that focuses on the relationship between one's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It is used to establish and allow for healthy responses to thoughts and feelings (instead of unhealthy responses, like using drugs or alcohol). CBT has been proven effective for recovering addicts of all kinds, and is used to strengthen a patient's own self-awareness and ability to self-regulate. CBT allows individuals to monitor their own emotional state, become more adept at communicating with others, and manage stress without needing to engage in substance abuse.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a modified form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a treatment designed to help people understand and ultimately affect the relationship between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. DBT is often used for individuals who struggle with self-harm behaviors, such as self-mutilation (cutting) and suicidal thoughts, urges, or attempts. It has been proven clinically effective for those who struggle with out-of-control emotions and mental health illnesses like Borderline Personality Disorder.

Experiential Therapy

Experiential therapy is a form of therapy in which clients are encouraged to surface and work through subconscious issues by engaging in real-time experiences. Experiential therapy departs from traditional talk therapy by involving the body, and having clients engage in activities, movements, and physical and emotional expression. This can involve role-play or using props (which can include other people). Experiential therapy can help people process trauma, memories, and emotion quickly, deeply, and in a lasting fashion, leading to substantial and impactful healing.

Group Therapy

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.

Individual Therapy

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.

Nutrition Therapy

Nutrition therapy, aka medical nutrition therapy (MNT), is a way of treating physical, emotional, and medical conditions through diet. Specific dietary plans are designed by professional nutritionists or registered dietitians, and patients follow them in order to positively affect their physical and mental health.

Trauma Therapy

Trauma therapy addresses traumatic incidents from a client's past that are likely affecting their present-day experience. Trauma is often one of the primary triggers and potential causes of addiction, and can stem from child sexual abuse, domestic violence, having a parent with a mental illness, losing one or both parents at a young age, teenage or adult sexual assault, or any number of other factors. The purpose of trauma therapy is to allow a patient to process trauma and move through and past it, with the help of trained and compassionate mental health professionals.