16.3 Treatment Modalities

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Distinguish between the various modalities of treatment
• Discuss benefits of group therapy

Once a person seeks treatment, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, they have an intake done to assess their clinical needs. An intake is the therapist’s first meeting with the client. The therapist gathers specific information to address the client’s immediate needs, such as the presenting problem, the client’s support system, and insurance status. The therapist informs the client about confidentiality, fees, and what to expect in treatment. Confidentiality means the therapist cannot disclose confidential communications to any third party unless mandated or permitted by law to do so. During the intake, the therapist and client will work together to discuss treatment goals. Then a treatment plan will be formulated, usually with specific measurable objectives. Also, the therapist and client will discuss how treatment success will be measured and the estimated length of treatment. There are several different modalities of treatment (Figure 16.14): Individual therapy, family therapy, couples therapy, and group therapy are the most common.