Client Choice Programming literally means clients and their counselors get to select which groups will best address the client’s individualized needs. Based on the idea of a college curriculum, similar to the core requirements, clients attend their primary groups with their counselor addressing addiction, relapse prevention, and building a sober support network, while also working on individual assignments identified in their treatment plan. Like electives, clients and their counselors select which additional programming will best meet their needs such as criminal thinking, cognitive skills building, trauma, mental health groups, relationships, parenting, or even yoga to name just a few. The client and their counselor review the variety of groups available and select the most appropriate groups.
The completely individualized nature of the Clients Choice Program allows the client and counselor to structure the program based on their client’s needs, resources, and schedule. It is our contention that clients are more likely to engage in the treatment process if they have influence on what they work on, when they attend, length of participation, and are involved in groups and activities that are designed with their current cognitive functioning in mind.