FAQ
What are your hours?
We are open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays. If you need to speak with a clinician during non-business hours, please call us at 212-838-0044. We will return your call by the end of the following business day. If it’s an emergency, please call 911.
Do you take insurance?
Freedom Institute does not accept insurance and is private pay only. Although, Freedom Institute can provide a super-bill to the client to seek reimbursement if they wish to do so.
Do I need to pay for my deductible or out-of-pocket responsibility all at once?
No, the majority of our clients with out-of-pocket financial responsibility pay for their services by the week.
Do you provide Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), or work with people who take opioid replacement medications?
Our Medical Director will provide an assessment for clients interested in MAT and, if indicated, can prescribe such medication to be obtained from the client's preferred pharmacy; we do not keep any medications on our premises for dispensing. We do support clients who are already on MAT, including those taking opioid replacement/agonist medication. In such cases, the client must consent for our clinical team to be able to coordinate care with their physician or nurse practitioner who is managing the client's MAT. We also facilitate appropriate referrals for clients who wish to use Methadone while in our program, as we do not dispense this on site.
What is the basis of your clinical approach?
Over a decade ago, Freedom Institute was the first to bring Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for Substance Use Disorders to our treatment program and to the New York City area, adding it to our innovative and pioneering family work. Since then, we have integrated DBT with Relational Family Therapy to form a unique and successful treatment and recovery experience for our clients and their families.
What is Dialectical Behavior Therapy or DBT?
Dialectical Behavior Therapy or DBT was developed in the 1990s by Dr. Marsha Linehan, Professor of Psychology at the University of Washington, to help people deal with self-destructive behaviors. Over the years DBT was adapted specifically for use in the recovery field. DBT incorporates a combination of group and individual therapy and involves the four modules of Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Interpersonal Effectiveness, and Emotional Regulation. We use DBT to teach people to react to stressful situations in more productive ways, to transform negative thinking patterns and destructive behaviors into positive outcomes, to help people regulate their emotions and build self-management skills, and to reduce anxiety and stress.
How can I find Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) near me?
Freedom Institute offers DBT as the core of our clinical programming. We were the first to bring Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for Substance Use Disorders to our treatment program and to the New York City area, adding it to our innovative and pioneering family work. We integrate DBT with Relational Family Therapy to form a unique and successful treatment and recovery experience for our clients and their families.
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a talk therapy (psychotherapy) method that rests on the idea that thoughts and perceptions influence behavior. CBT aims to help an individual identify harmful thoughts, assess whether they are an accurate depiction of reality, and, if they are not, works to view perceived negative situations more clearly and employ strategies to challenge and overcome them and respond in a more effective way.
What is Relational Family Therapy (RFT)?
Relational Family Therapy is a therapeutic approach that focuses on relationships as the client (rather than the individual as the client). By shifting the focus from blaming and reacting to individuals, we create more room for change and growth. Our clinical foundation integrates Relational Family Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), an approach unique to Freedom Institute. We have always treated addiction as a family issue and take a uniquely holistic approach, understanding individuals within the context of their family.
Decades of experience at Freedom Institute have taught us that recovery outcomes improve significantly when family members are involved in the treatment process. We seek to involve all family members and significant others, recognizing that the stressors and supports in our lives come from many sources, and that our struggles and successes as individuals impact our relationships as a whole. Our team of Relational Family Therapists helps guide families in exploring the widespread impact of addiction and substance use on their relationships. We join the family in exploring the ways that relationships have adapted in order to navigate the complications of substance use and help them disentangle the unwanted binds of addiction from the rest of their family life. We counter a condition of isolation with a nurturance of connection, insight, and renewed compassion. We know that inspiration for change can originate from anyone in a client’s life and healing happens through relationships.
I’m an adult. Why is my family involved in my assessment and treatment?
We treat addiction as a family issue, recognizing that the stressors and supports in our lives come from many sources. We seek to involve all family members and significant others throughout the recovery process. Family plays a vital role in the treatment process at Freedom Institute since inspiration for change can originate from anyone in a client’s life and change happens through relationships.
What is the process for admission into Freedom Institute?
Prior to starting any type of treatment at Freedom, prospective clients engage in a comprehensive assessment where we determine the individual’s needs and build a custom recovery program to meet those needs. After the initial phone call with the client, we schedule this assessment, usually at least 48 hours in advance and depending on availability.
The comprehensive assessment is a 2-hour evaluation by one of our clinicians in consultation with our treatment team and any of the client's providers and enables us to determine the appropriate level of care. We encourage prospective clients to invite family members or loved ones to this comprehensive assessment. In this case, while the majority of the assessment is spent on the individual, the client and their family meet with two clinicians in the beginning of the assessment.
Do you teach how to break an addiction?
Freedom Institute helps break the cycle of addiction by offering a range of treatment programs for alcoholism, substance abuse and addiction. At the core of our clinical services is a unique combination of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Relational Family Therapy tailored to meet the complex needs of our young adult and adult clients
We work with individuals 18 years or older and their families, and support our clients at all stages of recovery. We start by conducting an in-depth assessment in order to design a custom treatment program to meet each person’s stage of life, phase of recovery and specific clinical needs. Our highly specialized assessment is conducted by two therapists and includes key family members. We then recommend a specific combination of services for each individual.
We recognize that adults and young adults with Substance Use Disorders have different needs based on their phase of life. We factor this into our treatment recommendations and how we work with clients individually and with their families. All treatment plans are based on the individual’s stage of recovery and consist of a tailored selection of services.
Can you help maintain long-term sobriety?
Yes, we work with client to help them achieve and maintain sobriety no matter what stage of recovery you are at. To maintain long-term sobriety, our Sustaining Recovery Phase is for individuals who have successfully achieved at least 90 days of sobriety and is designed to support clients in reaching one year of recovery while returning to their full life. Services in this phase provide skills and support for navigating the range of life’s challenges without returning to substances. We recommend two to four clinical contacts each week at this level of care.
In addition, our Advanced Recovery Phase is for individuals who have achieved one year of more of sobriety and offers the opportunity to take recovery to the next level. Clients develop deeper levels of understanding of who they are as people in recovery and expand their focus so that, in addition to avoiding relapse, they become more who they want to be, in relationships and in life. We recommend one to three clinical contacts each week at this level of care.
Am I required to attend 12-Step meetings?
Although Freedom Institute is 12-Step supportive, we do not require that our clients attend 12-Step meetings. We are aware that there are many paths to recovery. We also know that people need community, and people who stay connected to others with a shared experience have a better chance at sustainable recovery. As such, we encourage clients to attend 12-Step, SMART Recovery &/or Refuge Recovery meetings.