The Role of Education in Addiction Treatment

The primary objective of education in addiction treatment is to give you the knowledge you need to fully understand addiction and to provide tools and insight for continued sobriety. Educational lectures review evidence-based research on the biology, psychology and recovery process of addiction in a way that’s easy to understand. Addiction is a complex disease, but knowledge is a powerful tool that you can use to overcome it.

Many of the educational lectures you’ll attend while enrolled in drug and alcohol rehab may answer key questions you have about addiction in your own life, like:

• How will my substance abuse affect my body years from now?
• Why can’t I stop?
• How does this drug make me feel this way?
• Why do I need this drug to make it through the day?
• How is my addiction affecting my family?
• What do exercise and nutrition have to do with addiction treatment?
• Why do I feel so depressed?

Educational lectures are also very useful for family members who participate in our family program because they are full of helpful information that provides valuable insight into your struggles, mindset, and reasoning behind your behaviors. This knowledge can help your loved ones understand what you’re going through in rehab and encourage them to develop a capacity for compassion and forgiveness.

Benefits of Educational Lectures at Nova

Addiction education is a key aspect of treatment at Nova due to the many benefits it provides.

1. You gain useful tools for relapse prevention. Addiction education arms you with the knowledge to get yourself back on track if you do relapse.
2. You recognize the impact of your substance abuse. Exploring the many avenues of addiction gives you insight into the various ways your addiction has impacted the lives of those around you.
3. You are empowered to take control of your life. You’ve heard the phrase “knowledge is power.” This is true in all aspects of life, especially substance abuse treatment. Education ensures that you are not powerless in your own recovery journey and you have the tools you need to make healthy choices.
4. Family members have an opportunity to engage in your recovery. Educational lectures in our family program is a great tool to assist the entire family unit and encourage the healing of relationships.
5. You have a safe place to ask questions. The science of addiction can be complex and there is no reason to be embarrassed about asking questions. Educational lectures are a great way to explore and discuss questions you likely share with others in recovery.
6. You address your anxiety and stigmas about addiction. Admitting you’re struggling with addiction can be scary and overwhelming. Educational lectures can help you overcome your worries and accept the fact that addiction is a treatable disease—not just a character flaw or moral problem.

Addiction Education Topics

Educational lectures at Nova will cover a broad scope of interesting and applicable topics throughout the course of your drug and alcohol rehabilitation program, as well as all 12 modules of the Daring Way™ curriculum. Other lecture topics may include:

• Schema Therapy
• Trauma Eggs
• Betrayal/Trauma Bonding
• Irrational beliefs
• Rational emotive behavior therapy model
• ABC model
• Grief and loss
• Communicable disease prevention
• Smoking cessation

What to Expect at Nova

Educational lectures at our drug rehab center are facilitated by master’s level counselors or licensed chemical dependency counselors and are available three days a week. All sessions are gender specific and held in group therapy rooms. Most often chairs will be arranged in a circle or semi-circle facing a dry erase board.

Each educational lecture is an hour long and open discussion is encouraged throughout. Formatting includes films, group activities, art, handouts, powerpoints and more to accommodate all learning styles.

Family members have the opportunity to participate in educational lectures at Nova during the Family Workshop. Our program also requires a minimum of one family session per month (by phone or in person). This provides family members with additional opportunities to ask questions about addiction treatment and recovery while receiving an update on their loved one’s progress.