First Step Counseling
Overview
First Step Counseling is a substance abuse treatment center for people seeking treatment near Middlesex County. As part of their treatment modalities for recovery, First Step Counseling provides cognitive behavioral therapy, telemedicine/telehealth therapy, and substance use disorder counseling during treatment. First Step Counseling is located in Metuchen, New Jersey, accepting cash or self-payment for treatment.
First Step Counseling at a Glance
Payment Options
- Cash or self-payment
- Private health insurance
- Federal military insurance (e.g., TRICARE)
- Sliding fee scale (fee is based on income and other factors)
- Aetna
Assessments
- Screening for tobacco use
- Comprehensive substance use assessment
- Interim services for clients
- Outreach to persons in the community
- Screening for mental disorders
Age Groups
- Seniors or older adults
- Adolescents
- Young adults
- Seniors
Ancillary Services
- Case management service
- Specially designed program for DUI/DWI clients
- Domestic violence services, including family or partner
- Mental health services
- Social skills development
Accreditations
SAMHSA certification for opioid treatment program (OTP):
Accreditation by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) signifies that a program has met strict standards for providing high-quality care to individuals with opioid use disorders. It assures patients, families, and communities that the OTP follows evidence-based practices, employs qualified staff and maintains a safe and effective treatment environment. This accreditation reflects the program's commitment to addressing the opioid epidemic and promoting recovery.
Treatment At First Step Counseling
Conditions Treated
Alcoholism:
Alcohol addiction is a condition where a person's brain gets used to having alcohol, making it hard for them to control their drinking. This can lead to feeling down, acting without thinking, wanting alcohol strongly, and feeling sick if they don't drink. To help with this, treatment programs are available. These usually include a guided process to safely stop drinking, talking with professionals to work through problems, and joining support groups with others facing similar issues. While these treatments can't fully cure the addiction, they provide tools and support to help individuals live a better life and keep their drinking under control.
Mental health treatment:
Mental health treatment involves a range of therapeutic approaches, provided by licensed professionals, to address mental health challenges. It includes psychotherapy, medication, and holistic practices to help individuals manage conditions, improve coping skills, and enhance overall well-being. The goal is to empower individuals to lead fulfilling lives and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.
Substance use treatment:
Substance use rehabilitation is a comprehensive treatment approach designed to assist individuals struggling with addiction to drugs or alcohol. This form of rehabilitation addresses both the physical dependency, often starting with detoxification, and the psychological triggers, using various therapeutic methods. The objective is to empower individuals to achieve and maintain sobriety, while equipping them with the tools and coping strategies needed to reintegrate into society and lead a substance-free life.
Co-occurring Disorders:
Dual-diagnosis rehabilitation centers focus on treating individuals with simultaneous mental health and substance use disorders. The intertwined nature of addiction and mental health issues can intensify each other's symptoms, complicating recovery. These centers provide a holistic treatment strategy addressing both conditions together, often encompassing thorough evaluations, a blend of therapeutic methods, family counseling, and post-treatment care.
Levels Of Care
Outpatient:
Outpatient treatment in a rehab center offers flexible therapy sessions, typically ranging from 1-3 hours per week, allowing individuals to continue daily activities while receiving care. In contrast, intensive outpatient programs demand a more rigorous commitment, often involving 9-15 hours weekly, providing a more immersive therapeutic environment without the need for inpatient stays.
Regular outpatient treatment:
Regular outpatient treatment is a structured program that supports individuals in overcoming addiction while allowing them to maintain their daily lives. It includes therapy, counseling, and education, making it ideal for those with mild to moderate substance use disorders or in later recovery stages. This approach helps individuals build coping skills, manage triggers, and stay substance-free while staying connected to their communities and families.
Aftercare:
Aftercare refers to the structured support and programs offered to individuals after completing an initial treatment phase for substance abuse or other disorders. Recognizing that recovery is an ongoing process, aftercare provides continued counseling, skill-building, group therapy, and resources to help individuals maintain sobriety, manage triggers, and reintegrate into daily life, reducing the risk of relapse and ensuring long-term success in recovery.
Treatment Modalities
Cognitive behavioral therapy:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that emphasizes the critical role of thinking in how we feel and what we do. It aims to identify and challenge distorted or negative thought patterns and behaviors, teaching individuals to replace them with more constructive and rational beliefs. CBT is evidence-based and has been shown to be effective in treating a variety of psychological disorders, including depression, anxiety, and phobias, among others.
Telemedicine/telehealth therapy:
Telehealth Therapy allows individuals to access mental health services remotely via secure video conferencing. This level of care offers qualified therapy from the comfort of one's home, removing geographical barriers and often reducing wait times. Ideal for those with mobility challenges, tight schedules, or those in rural areas, it combines convenience with consistent, high-quality mental health support.
Substance use disorder counseling:
Substance use disorder counseling treatment modalities refer to various approaches and methods used in the counseling and treatment of individuals with substance use problems. This can include individual therapy, group therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, family therapy, and 12-step programs. The goal is to help the individual overcome their substance use, develop healthy coping skills, and lead a fulfilling life in recovery.
Trauma-related counseling:
Trauma therapy addresses the underlying emotional and psychological wounds that may contribute to an individual's substance abuse. Through a combination of psychotherapy and coping strategies, individuals are aided in processing past traumatic experiences, understanding the impact of trauma on their current behavior, and developing healthier coping mechanisms. This holistic approach fosters resilience, aids in the resolution of trauma, and is fundamental in supporting individuals on their path toward sustained recovery from addiction.
Smoking/vaping/tobacco cessation counseling:
Tobacco cessation counseling is a dialogue with a counselor about your tobacco or vaping habits, examining its place in your daily life to strategize quitting. It offers interventions for individuals keen on quitting, encompassing behavioral guidance and group or one-on-one counseling. These sessions can range from short encounters (under 5 minutes) to in-depth discussions (over 10 minutes) and might require multiple meetings.
Treatment for gambling disorder:
Treatment for compulsive gambling can vary based on individual needs and available resources. Options may include outpatient, inpatient, or residential programs. Some individuals may also consider self-help approaches, like structured internet-based programs or telephone consultations with mental health professionals. In certain cases, treatment may encompass addressing co-occurring issues such as substance misuse, depression, anxiety, or other mental health concerns as part of the overall plan to effectively address compulsive gambling.
Group counseling:
Group Counseling is a therapeutic approach where individuals come together under the guidance of a trained counselor to share experiences, provide mutual support, and gain insights. It fosters a sense of community, promotes understanding through diverse perspectives, and offers personal growth and problem-solving strategies.
Family counseling:
Family Counseling is a therapeutic service that addresses and resolves conflicts, improves communication, and fosters better relationships within a family unit. Through guided discussions, a trained counselor helps family members gain insight into their dynamics, learn coping strategies, and work towards creating a harmonious living environment. Family Counseling can be a significant step towards improving the overall emotional health and interactions among family members, helping them navigate challenges together in a supportive and constructive manner.
Marital/couples counseling:
Marital/couples counseling treatment modalities refer to various therapeutic approaches used to help couples resolve conflicts, improve communication, and strengthen their relationship. These modalities can include cognitive-behavioral therapy, emotionally focused therapy, solution-focused therapy, and integrative approaches. The goal of these treatments is to help couples identify and address underlying issues and develop healthy relationship dynamics.
12-step facilitation:
Recovery frameworks grounded in 12-step programs prioritize peer mentoring and underline personal development as essential for maintaining sobriety. Those in recovery are encouraged to attend 12-step meetings, which guarantee anonymity frequently, have no cost, and are accessible every day. These 12 steps draw from spiritual tenets, assisting participants in confronting the underlying reasons for their addiction, acknowledging their decisions, and embracing the aspects outside their control. Chosen by the participants themselves, sponsors offer individualized guidance and support.
Intervention Services:
"Intervention" refers to a deliberate action or set of actions taken to directly address and alter a specific situation or behavior. Often used in contexts like medicine, psychology, and social work, interventions are designed to prompt positive change, whether it's to prevent harm, improve health, or enhance the quality of life. They can range from medical procedures to address health issues, to structured meetings aimed at helping individuals combat addiction or destructive behaviors.
Motivational interviewing:
Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a clinical approach to helping people with substance abuse issues and other conditions shift behavior in positive ways. It is more goal-oriented than traditional psychotherapy, as MI counselors directly attempt to get clients to consider making behavioral change (rather than wait for them to come to conclusions themselves). Its primary purpose is to resolve ambivalence and help clients become able to make healthy choices freely.
Anger management:
"Anger Management" refers to a set of therapeutic techniques and exercises that help individuals recognize the signs of their growing anger and take action to calm down and deal with situations in a constructive manner. It aims to reduce both emotional feelings and the physiological arousal that anger can cause, ensuring that anger does not lead to aggressive outbursts or other harmful actions. Individuals can navigate tense situations with more remarkable composure and control by understanding triggers and developing healthy coping strategies.
Relapse prevention:
The Relapse Prevention Model is a cognitive-behavioral approach designed to teach individuals who are trying to maintain behavioral changes (like sobriety from drugs or alcohol) how to anticipate and cope with the potential for relapse. The model emphasizes the importance of understanding the processes and triggers that lead to relapse, developing strategies to prevent initial lapse, and minimizing the severity and duration if a lapse occurs. It's grounded in the belief that relapses can be viewed as learning opportunities, helping individuals strengthen their commitment and skills to avoid future setbacks.
Treatment for other addiction disorder:
Treatment for other addiction disorders typically involve a combination of therapy and medication. This may include individual therapy, group therapy, and behavioral therapy. Medications may be prescribed to help manage symptoms and reduce cravings. Additionally, support groups and aftercare programs can be beneficial in maintaining recovery and preventing relapse. The treatment modality should be tailored to the individual's specific needs and circumstances.
Individual psychotherapy:
Individual Psychotherapy provides a private, one-on-one setting where clients can explore and address their personal challenges, behaviors, and feelings related to addiction and recovery. With the guidance of a trained therapist, clients work to uncover the root causes of their substance use, develop coping strategies, and build a foundation for long-term recovery and personal growth.
Ancillary Services
Languages
- Spanish
Additional Services
- Pharmacotherapies administered during treatment
- Discharge Planning
- Breathalyzer or blood alcohol testing
Special Programs
- Clients with co-occurring mental and substance use disorders
- Veterans
- Active duty military
- Members of military families
- Criminal justice (other than DUI/DWI)/Forensic clients
Contact Information
DISCLAIMER: The facility name, logo and brand are the property and registered trademarks of First Step Counseling, and are being used for identification and informational purposes only. Use of these names, logos and brands shall not imply endorsement. BetterAddictionCare.com is not affiliated with or sponsored by First Step Counseling.
