Moral Reconation Therapy Programs in Cambridge, MA (877) 804-1531

MRT, also known as moral reconation therapy, is a form of addiction treatment that is cognitive and behavioral in nature. The essential or central goal of this type of therapy is to lower rates of recidivism. Recidivism is the repetition of certain behavioral patterns that have negative end results. In standard addiction treatment and terminology, this is referred to as relapse.

Moral reconation therapy is a form of step-by-step and systematic treatment and focuses on building up positivity in both habits and behavior. Find assistance with your search for rehabs today when you call Drug Treatment Centers Cambridge at (877) 804-1531.

The Strategy Behind MRT

The strategy behind MRT is not to focus on the negatives of addiction and substance abuse. In other words, the treatment focus is not on taking things away but rather on adding positive aspects to a person's life. The building up rather than tearing down that MRT focuses on is a way to help a recovering addict overcome their addiction while feeling like they are adding things to their lives rather than having things taken away.

Drug treatment centers and addiction treatment centers use MRT in a variety of ways in treatment. In individual and group therapy sessions to help a recovering addict build replace negative patterns of behavior with positive ones. It can be incorporated into the use of art and music therapies and the like as well.

MRT benefits the recovering addict because of its emphasis on positivity rather than negativity. Many recovering addicts feel as if there is something being taken away from them by quitting using a drug or alcohol. However, by adding in positive reinforcement and positive behaviors, a person feels like they are adding to their life rather than taking away from it.

Steps in Moral Reconation Therapy

There are seven steps in the MRT process. These include:

Confrontation

Confrontation treatment and therapy are meant to challenge the recovering addict to directly face their beliefs, behaviors, attitudes, and feelings that contributed to them developing a drug or alcohol addiction and that could potentially prevent them from fully recovering from their addiction. These issues need to be overcome or changed in order to recover successfully.

Assessment

The assessment step of MRT asks a recovering addict to evaluate or assess their current relationships. These relationships include those with friends, family, significant others, a therapist, themselves, and with the substance they have developed an abuse problem or addiction to.

Reinforcement

The use of positive reinforcement is the third step in the moral reconation therapy process. This step is designed specifically to help a person build positive thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that will contribute positively to their life. The idea is to build lifelong good habits that can be used to break and/or replace negative and detrimental habits to a person's overall health and addiction recovery.

Reinforcement can come in many forms including praise from peers and counselors, public recognition by counselors or peers. And sometimes that reinforcement can come in the form of tangible prizes or rewards.

Formation

Formation as a step focuses on a person's image of themselves and their identity in general. Many people with a drug or alcohol addiction have a negative self-image and a negative self-identity. This step is designed to counteract that sentiment and help a person to form a positive identity rather than a negative one.

Enhancement

This step builds upon the newly-formed positive identity a person has developed. This stage is extremely important to make the fresh and new positive identity to become permanent.

Reduction

Reduction is one of the later steps in the MRT process. This is because the focus is on building up rather than taking away. But, removing negative behaviors, thoughts, and hedonistic tendencies is also important to the process so that a person does not resume those problem behaviors after treatment. The process of learning to deal with negative emotions and thoughts is also important in the process of recovery as nobody will be completely free of negativity.

Development

Higher moral reasoning is the ultimate focus of the last step in moral reconation therapy. This is essentially a form of morality that is social and universal. Social morality has to do with laws, the Constitution of the United States, and other guidelines (including religious) for higher reasoning and morality. Universal ideals of good and evil including global ethics and basic human rights are also central in this step of treatment.

Drug Treatment Centers Cambridge can help you to find the right therapy and treatment for you. Call them today at (877) 804-1531 for more information.