Individual Therapy for Drug & Alcohol Addiction Treatment

Overcoming a substance use disorder can be a difficult process, but you don’t have to go through it alone. During treatment at Empowered Recovery Kansas City, we utilize a variety of therapy modalities, including individual therapy, to support our patients throughout their recovery. In individual therapy, you meet one-on-one with a licensed therapist who helps you work through what’s behind your substance use and build skills for long-term recovery.1

Learn more about individual therapy below, or contact our Kansas City drug and alcohol rehab to begin treatment.

What Is Individual Therapy?

Individual therapy, also known as psychotherapy or talk therapy, involves working with a licensed professional one-on-one to identify and change thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that are unhealthy. It consists of structured conversations where you and your therapist engage in various therapeutic activities to enhance your skills and improve your overall well-being.2

Individual Therapy for Addiction

Individual therapy is used in addiction treatment as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. Psychosocial interventions can help you alter unhealthy thought patterns that lead to substance use, uncover the root causes of your substance abuse, identify triggers, and learn recovery and relapse prevention skills. You learn to replace substance use with healthy rewards and boost your motivation for change.1

Psychotherapy is most effective when conducted in a confidential and private setting so patients can feel confident in being open and honest. Confidentiality is a fundamental aspect of the code of ethics that therapists adhere to— there are even laws they must follow regarding confidentiality. Individual therapy in rehab takes place in private sessions with a licensed therapist, which is beneficial if you prefer not to share certain personal information in a group setting.3

What to Expect During Individual Therapy

The experiences you have in individual addiction therapy will be tailored to your specific circumstances and treatment needs, which is why therapists take a patient-centered approach. Initial individual therapy sessions will likely be spent building rapport, earning trust, introducing basic skill-building, identifying treatment needs, setting goals, and creating a treatment plan.2,4

As individual therapy during rehab progresses, your therapist will use therapies that fit your needs. Also, you will learn drug refusal skills, assertiveness, mood management, coping strategies, and building healthier habits that can take the place of using substances.4

In the later stages of treatment, you and your therapist will focus on relapse prevention and building a social support network.4

Types of Behavioral Therapies Used

Many therapists use behavioral therapies in sessions to help you modify unhealthy behaviors to improve your quality of life.5 Some of the most common effective behavioral therapies that may be used during individual therapy sessions include:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) improves the relationship between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It can be customized to meet your specific needs and works to change your thought patterns and behaviors, allowing you to see significant improvements in your mood and quality of life.6
• Dialectical-behavioral therapy (DBT) is a form of CBT, but also includes a mindfulness element to help you accept yourself and your situation while also working to improve it. DBT also focuses on distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.7
• Trauma therapy uses various treatment methods to address traumatic experiences that may be contributing to the symptoms of addiction. Common elements include education, emotional regulation, coping skills, exposure therapy, and cognitive processing and restructuring.8
• Holistic therapies help treat the mind, body, and spirit, not just the addiction. Examples of holistic treatments include meditation, deep breathing, massage, yoga, progressive relaxation, acupuncture, integrative medicine, and more.9
• Exposure therapy is the repeated confrontation of the things that cause you to be fearful, but done in a safe environment with the help of a therapist.10

Individual Therapy and Co-Occurring Disorders

If you have a substance use disorder and a mental health disorder, or a significant health concern, you have a co-occurring disorder. For example, you may have a substance use disorder and a mental illness, or a medical condition like HIV or chronic pain. When one condition gets worse, it can make the other harder to manage, making it harder to stay in individual therapy and drug use treatment, follow treatment guidelines, and more likely to relapse. Treating both disorders simultaneously will produce better recovery outcomes and stability.11

Benefits of Individual Therapy for Addiction

Although it is just you and your therapist working one-on-one, individual addiction therapy integrates multiple techniques and activities. Doing so allows you to experience many benefits that lead to improved outcomes, such as12:

• Building a meaningful relationship with your therapist
• Having a therapist who adapts treatment to your needs
• Having enough time to talk and discuss issues
• Feeling real emotional mindset shifts over time
• Having a safe place to work through problems, not avoid them
• Getting connected with other therapies and supports when you need them
• Participating in more sessions if needed
• Learning more about and normalizing mental health

Individual Therapy vs Group or Family Therapy

The most effective treatments in overcoming substance use issues include individual, group, and family therapy. Addiction therapy helps you improve your thought patterns, as they relate to your feelings and behaviors. Doing so can help you make better decisions and reduce adverse symptoms.13

Group therapy for substance misuse connects you with others who have similar circumstances. Sharing experiences with peers helps improve social skills, which can boost self-esteem and confidence in recovery. You can learn from each other in group therapy and connect with others who understand your struggles.13

Family therapy is beneficial to recovery because addiction can cause relationship problems with loved ones— or be a symptom of relationship problems. In treatment, you and your family can learn to resolve the relationship problems by improving your communication skills. In addition to individual, group, and family therapies, you can also benefit from complementary and holistic therapies to ensure a comprehensive recovery treatment.13

How to Get the Most Out of Individual Therapy

You will get the most out of individual therapy in rehab by building a collaborative and trusting relationship with your therapist, also known as rapport. A licensed professional, with the proper credentials and experience, will offer respect, empathy, and a safe space to discuss your unique circumstances. The individual therapy sessions are confidential, so you can explore your issues, grow, and heal.2

At Empowered Recovery Kansas City, we encourage our patients to open up to their therapists and engage during their individual therapy sessions for the best outcomes. Engaging during sessions and being open with your therapist allows them to better adjust your treatment, help you work through ongoing issues or triggers, and make meaningful progress during your recovery.

Will Insurance Cover Individual Therapy?

Yes. Many insurance plans cover some or all of the cost of individual therapy and addiction treatment. Because of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), mental health and substance use treatment usually have to be covered in a similar way to medical and surgical care.14 The exact coverage depends on your specific plan, so it is important to call your insurance provider or contact us to let our team check your insurance benefits for you.

Individual Therapy for Addiction in Kansas City

At Empowered Recovery Center in Kansas City, we offer individual addiction therapy to all patients in our treatment program. We have fully licensed therapists with special training in addiction treatment, including evidence-based behavioral therapies, to teach you the skills you need for a successful recovery. We understand everyone has unique circumstances that lead to their substance use disorder, which is why you will receive individualized care tailored to your needs.

Contact us to begin your wellness journey, and we will guide you through the admission process. We first start by assessing your needs, explaining our various rehab programs in Kansas City, and discussing the cost of rehab, as well as different payment methods for individual therapy and substance use treatment. Our admissions team can verify your insurance benefits online and help you understand how to access other funding sources if using insurance for rehab is not an option.

With our experience and your commitment to treatment, we can help you regain a productive and healthy life. Reach out today to learn more about therapy and substance abuse in Kansas City.

References

1. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2025). Treatment. Retrieved on October 31, 2025, from https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/treatment.
2. Opland C, Torrico TJ. (2024). Psychotherapy and therapeutic relationship. StatPearls. Retrieved on October 31, 2025, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK608012/.
3. American Psychological Association. (2019). Protecting your privacy: Understanding confidentiality in psychotherapy. Retrieved on November 1, 2025, from https://www.apa.org/topics/psychotherapy/confidentiality.
4. Magill, M., Kiluk, B. D., et al. (2023). Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Alcohol and Other Drug Use Disorders: Is a One-Size-Fits-All Approach Appropriate? Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation, 14, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.2147/SAR.S362864. Retrieved on November 2, 2025 from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9948631/.
5. Opland C, Torrico TJ. (2024). Behavioral therapy. Retrieved on November 2, 2025 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK609098/.
6. Chand SP, Kuckel DP, et al. (2023). Cognitive behavior therapy. Retrieved on November 2, 2025 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470241/.
7. University of Washington Behavioral Research and Therapy Clinics. (2025). Dialectical behavioral therapy. Retrieved on November 2, 2025 from https://depts.washington.edu/uwbrtc/about-us/dialectical-behavior-therapy/.
8. Yadav G, McNamara S, et al. (2024). Trauma-informed therapy. Retrieved on November 2, 2025 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK604200/.
9. Mortada EM. (2024). Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine in current medical practice. Cureus, 16(1), e52041. Retrieved on November 2, 2025, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10857488/.
10. Benito, K., et al. (2025). Mechanisms of change in exposure therapy for anxiety and related disorders: A research agenda. Clinical Psychological Science, 13(4), 687–719. Retrieved on November 2, 2025, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12373099/.
11. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2024). Co-occurring disorders and health conditions. Retrieved on November 2, 2025, from https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/co-occurring-disorders-health-conditions#problems-occur
12. Amos, R. et al. (2019). Clients’ experiences of one-to-one low-intensity interventions for common mental health problems: An interpretative phenomenological analysis. Psychology and Psychotherapy, 92(4), 565–583. https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12200. Retrieved on November 2, 2025, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6899546/
13. Stewart, T. (2024). Individual, Group, and Family Therapies. Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program Companion and Board Certification Exam Review Workbook. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-60894-0_17. Retrieved on November 2, 2025, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/385999456_Individual_Group_and_Family_Therapies
14. Isola, S., & Reddivari, A. K. R. (2023). Affordable Care Act. Retrieved on November 1, 2025, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/books/NBK549767/?report=reader