Why Experienced Clinicians are Important

When it comes to choosing the treatment center that is right for you, there are many factors that need to be considered. No two treatment centers are the same, and choosing the right one will make all the difference. You may find that the accommodations need to be at a certain level, the program’s philosophies need to align with yours, the cost has to be something you and your family can afford, or the training and experience of the clinicians needs to be at a high level. Whatever is most important for you to find in a treatment center, having experienced clinicians should be at the top of your list, as well.

Experience Is The Best Teacher

Becoming a clinician at a drug or alcohol treatment center is an involved process. Clinicians need to go through schooling and training, often at high levels. Some go through many years of training to become specialized experts in certain fields. However, there are always things in every career that school does not teach. In every career field, there are things that only experience and hands-on learning can show you.

Every person who enters treatment is completely different. Depending on the severity of the addiction and the length of time the client has suffered from addiction, detoxing and subsequent treatment can land anywhere on a very broad spectrum. Addiction looks different on everybody, so finding clinicians who have treated many different types of clients is important.

If you are able to find a clinician with experience in cases similar to yours, they will have insight on how your detox and treatment should be progressing. They can teach you about potential triggers, how to deal with them and other warnings to look out for, because they have overcome it successfully already.

Make a Lasting Connection

Being able to connect with your treatment center’s program and the clinician to whom you have been assigned can make all the difference. By connecting with the right care, you will be able to more easily and willingly make the changes you want.

You’ll be able to better achieve your goals and create a healthy, rewarding life for yourself. This connection does not stop when you end treatment, either. Staff is on-hand to offer you aftercare options, check in on you, as well as be there for you should you happen to run into tough times again.

You Have a Safe Space

Having an experienced clinician when going through addiction treatment allows you to have a safe space to open up. There is a likelihood that your clinician has “heard it all”, and there is nothing you can say that would shock them. They won’t judge you, shame you or make you feel like there is something wrong with you. They have seen it all before, and have successfully navigated many types of cases. Having this reassurance can be comforting to clients, enough for them to want to open up more to their clinicians. With a brand new clinician, they are learning and might miss certain things that only experience can teach.

Addiction treatment is an extremely vulnerable time in all client’s lives. They have to open up about painful experiences or memories, experience an array of emotions for the first time and do a lot of emotional work. Looking into the mirror is hard, but doing it with an experienced clinician will make you feel safer. The safer you feel while opening up allows for a better treatment experience, as well as better chances for a long-lasting recovery.

Two Steps Ahead

An experienced clinician will always be two steps ahead of you. They know what is to come before you even experience it. They know what you should be looking out for and how to navigate any challenges. Listening to the advice of an experienced clinician is extremely beneficial, and something that can make all the difference in your recovery.

If you are not sure how to cope with a certain trigger, your clinician can walk you through it. If you are not sure how to live life after leaving treatment, your clinician will develop a comprehensive aftercare program and teach you how to live by it. Think of your clinicians as people who are not only there to help you physically withdraw from drugs, but also mentally.

About Cliffside Malibu

Malibu attracts the best of the best all over the world, and this includes addiction treatment clinicians. Our staff offers unbeatable world-class treatment in the most relaxing, stress-free environment possible. Everyone who is employed with us is the best in their respective field. This means when you enter Cliffside Malibu, you are in nothing less than the best, experienced, capable hands.

Each patient is then matched with one of these five stages of the Transtheoretical Model: Precontemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action and Maintenance. An individualized treatment plan is created based on their current stage of change. This process is in place to ensure that all our patients receive the best treatment path possible for their own specific need. Our goal is to move individuals through their treatment by assessing their readiness for change and formulating stage-matched interventions in order to move them through their respective stage.

It is the policy of Cliffside Malibu to ensure that all individuals who present with chemical dependency issues are assessed for the appropriate level of care. We strive to provide continuum of care including medically supervised detox, residential treatment, day treatment and outpatient services. Services are provided to individuals with a primary diagnosis of substance abuse and/or alcohol addiction. Individuals seeking treatment are assessed by qualified staff to ensure program criteria are met and that each individual admitted is placed in the appropriate level of care for treatment. The program is designed and structured for individuals who are in need of a supportive environment in order to maintain Sobriety.

For more information on Cliffside Malibu, visit cliffsidemalibu.com