Ok guys I have to tell you I am stoked about this IOP. First off, an hour of individual therapy weekly is included in the cost, and while we are only required to see their psychiatrist once a month, we can see the psychiatrist weekly if we want. It is small. There were only 5 of us there tonight, but I think one person was missing. The first hour was the usual check in; how are we feeling, did we meet our goals for the day etc. etc. Second hour discussion was on types of boundaries and what defines healthy boundaries, and the third hour was on cognitive behavioral therapy, a term I've heard many times in my years around treatment centers but never really knew what it meant. The third hour was spent on a worksheet detailing negative things we tell ourselves and positive affirmations we can replace them with. I finally feel like being in a program where the psychological drivers of addiction are addressed more than the issue of addiction itself gives me hope that maybe, just maybe this will give me the tools to stay stopped. The therapist is a real mensch, going as far as giving me his cellphone number.
