Drug and alcohol addiction can impact anyone, regardless of their profession. Those in high-stress and safety sensitive roles are not immune to addiction and the constant stress and weight of these roles can be contributing factors in the development of an addiction. While the causes of addiction in healthcare providers and those in leadership roles may vary, help is available at Lakeview Health.  

Our Professionals Program is designed specifically for business owners, doctors, commercial airline pilots, lawyers, executives, and directors of essential services who are struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol. No one, including those in high-powered positions, is immune to substance use issues. Some professionals become dependent on psychoactive substances that they started taking to increase their productivity, improve their work performance, or get a good night’s rest to prepare for a high-stress job. 

As part of Lakeview Health’s inpatient treatment program, the Professionals Program is for those who have already completed a medical detox and are now ready to begin attending group and individual therapy. With a focus on improving overall mental health, Lakeview’s masters-level therapists work with patients to address any co-occurring mental health disorders, including PTSD, that may be present. 

Professional occupations demand elevated levels of responsibility, accountability, and performance that separate them from other occupations. As a professional, you hold a license or official accreditation to do your job, you own a business, or you’re a member of your company’s executive leadership team. This often means that during a typical workday, you may have the lives, livelihood, and future of clients, customers, or complete strangers in your hands. At Lakeview Health, we understand that’s no small thing. 

Taking the first step is tough. We understand what’s going through your mind as you consider rehab. We know what it’s like to be afraid of recovery and sobriety. To get started, provide your contact information in the form below, and one of our specialists will contact you within 30 minutes. They’ll help you begin the admission process and answer any questions you might have – but you have to answer the phone when they call. 

In our drug and alcohol treatment program for professionals, patients live on campus in our gender-specific facilities – men in The Star and women in The Rose – and receive at least six hours of structured therapy per day. Additional recovery groups, exercise programs, wellness activities, and social support meetings round out your schedule. 

The day begins at 8:00 am and concludes at 9:00 pm with lights out at 11:00 pm. You will eat three nutritious, chef-prepared meals per day in gender-specific dining rooms. Healthy snacks are available throughout the day. You will also participate in our professional treatment group which offers a sequence of group therapy sessions designed specifically for the modern professional. This therapy group allows you to interact with others who can relate to you, your story, and the issues common to professionals regardless of their area of expertise. 

Going through the rehab process with peers allows you to share openly in a non-judgmental environment, accept personal responsibility without defensiveness, and develop the tools for personal growth and self-awareness needed for successful recovery, sobriety, and, ultimately, a safe return to work. The professional treatment series includes three group sessions per week over a period of six weeks. 

Treatment will also include one-on-one therapy, daily 12-step meetings, medical and psychiatric care, family therapy sessions, and an individualized combination of group sessions and integrative therapies. 

Our rehab program for professionals includes gender-responsive, trauma-informed modes of treatment tested by time and verified by decades of scientific research. You’ll participate in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing, family therapy, psychodynamic therapy, gestalt therapy, and medically-informed psychopharmacology as needed. 

These evidence-based therapies provide the structure, insight, support, and skill-building that forms a solid foundation for your sustained recovery from addiction and related mental health disorders. A rehab aftercare program teaches you how to transform coping mechanisms from harmful to helpful, replace old, self-destructive habits with new, life-affirming habits, and give you the tools needed to continue your recovery journey after treatment. 

Recognizing addiction in professionals can be a challenge because most work to hide their addiction. For some professionals, admitting they have a substance use disorder could mean the end of their career if they don’t receive appropriate treatment and maintain proper communication with their licensing body.   

Some of the signs you can use to recognize addiction in professionals include: 

• Unexplained or unplanned absences 
• Trouble making decisions 
• Going missing or disappearing for extended periods of time during the workday 

In some instances, professionals may receive assistance accessing treatment through Workers’ Compensation Plans. An example of this occurring includes if an employee were to suffer an injury on the job and subsequently became addicted to the prescribed pain medications. In other instances, those suffering from trauma or other mental health conditions stemming from a work-related incident that later is found to have contributed to the onset of an addiction may also be eligible for assistance through Workers’ Comp Plans. 

At Lakeview Health, our team will work with you to assess all of your options for treatment. You can find more information or submit a referral here. 

Those who provide addiction treatment for professionals in Florida know the struggles professionals go through. This is why we have an addiction treatment program for professionals who need our help. We want you to take control of your life. Despite all you have been through, recovery is still possible.