Moral Reconation Therapy Programs in Tallahassee Florida
Moral reconation therapy (MRT) is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy used to treat drug abuse and addiction. Moral reconation therapy focuses on the connection between internal thoughts and external responses, with therapists helping patients to develop better powers of moral reasoning in order to change unhealthy behavior.
Find drug treatment centers that use this and other therapies to overcome addiction. Call Drug Treatment Tallahassee for more information. Dial (877) 804-1531 now.
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
Moral reconation therapy is based on cognitive behavioral therapy, a form of psychotherapy originally designed to treat depression and now used to treat a range of mental health and substance use disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy acknowledges the limitations of rational thought and power of prior conditioning.
Therapists help patients to deal with their problems through a "problem focused" and "action oriented" approach. This form of therapy attempts to reconcile the split between thoughts, feelings and behavioral responses, with patients working through their core beliefs in order to avoid impulsive and compulsive behavioral responses.
Moral Reconation Therapy Steps
MRT was originally developed by Dr. Gregory Little and Dr. Kenneth Robinson in 1985, and is now used in over 40 states across America. This form of therapy has proved especially useful for members of the treatment resistant population, with practical exercises and various homework assignments used to encourage moral reasoning and relapse prevention.
MRT is held in group and individual counseling sessions, with groups normally used to reduce costs and encourage community support. Workbooks are commonly used to document exercises and homework assignments, with sixteen steps or units focusing on seven basic treatment principles.
There are six steps:
- The first step in MRT involves the confrontation of existing beliefs and attitudes, with therapists helping patients to understand the limitations of current behavioral patterns.
- The second step involves an assessment of current relationships, with elements of family therapy used to acknowledge family dynamics and their role in decision making.
- The third step involves reinforcing positive behavior and habits, with patients now able to see how positive thoughts and feelings influence behavior. By focusing on the positives, therapists can help patients transition beyond pessimistic response patterns.
- The fourth step involves the formation of positive identity, with the limitations of previous steps now turned around as patients start to build new connections.
- The fifth step enhances this self-concept, with the sixth step making a direct attempt to decrease hedonism and develop frustration tolerance.
- The final step in MRT attempts to develop higher stages of moral reasoning, with patients now able to see how positive and negative thoughts influence behavioral responses.
How Moral Reconation Therapy Works
MRT involves a direct attempt to change unhealthy behavior patterns by helping people understand the influence of negative thoughts and emotional patterns on decision making practices. This form of therapy assumes that every person develops attitudes and belief patterns throughout life, many of which they use as defensive mechanisms.
By reconciling the differences between thoughts, feelings and behavior, MRT attempts to bring down these defensive walls so that people can make healthier and more authentic decisions. The primary goal of moral therapy is to foster moral development, with self-discovery sessions and other active exercises used to encourage sustainable and long-term personal growth.
If you or anyone you know is living with a substance use disorder, it's important to make contact with a drug rehab center as soon as possible. Call Drug Treatment Tallahassee at (877) 804-1531 to speak with a qualified addiction specialist now.