One of the most valuable things a rehabilitation program can offer its clients is the gift of getting to know them and working with their needs. All too often, rehabs become overcrowded and understaffed, leaving clients to fend for themselves when they need personal attention. This is the opposite of what a rehab experience should be. Rehab clients should feel attended to and cared about. They would not have committed to the program if they were not in serious need of help and attention. A quality rehab will tailor their programs to their client's needs in the following areas:
- Treatment sessions. A rehab's treatment sessions should always be based on their client's needs. Treatment sessions may include anger management, boundaries, panic attacks, codependency and so on. As facilitators and counselors begin to learn where each client's strengths and weaknesses are, they can determine which sessions apply to which client and expose them to material that will help strengthen them against their addiction.
- Counseling. Everyone has individual counseling needs. In rehab, these needs should be met by assessing whether a person needs more individual counseling or group therapy time, and what direction these counseling sessions should aim towards. If a person has past trauma, they should have the opportunity to receive counseling for it. If a person has anxiety, they need to discuss it with a counselor. Any mental problem a person struggles with should be addressed in rehab with a counselor.
- Personal space. Everyone has a personal bubble that they do not want invaded. It is important in rehab that clients feel that their personal space requirements are respected and never violated. For some, this may mean that a private room is an absolute necessity.
- Dietary needs. Everyone has some kind of dietary need. It may be a critical need, such as food allergies, or it may just be to keep a person's body in optimal health. Regardless, a rehab program should care enough for its clients to consider which foods are safe and work best for every client, and adjust their menu accordingly.
- Recreation. People tend to have very different ideas of what enjoyable recreation looks like. Some people are extroverted and want active, social recreation, such as group hikes and team sports, while others are introverted and crave the solace of a garden or a good book to unwind. Both options should be made available to rehab clients.