Equinox Counseling Center is certified, licensed, and funded by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) to provide outpatient substance abuse counseling. Equinox employs certified and Master’s level counselors who provide comprehensive treatment planning, case management, and counseling services.
Counseling is provided within a holistic, multidisciplinary context. The primary therapeutic approach is that of a "Medicating for Feelings" model, which addresses why a client begins to use/abuse substances, along with residual feelings once a client becomes drug free. This model works well with Twelve Step support programs, such as Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).
Overall treatment goals for clients are to:
- Remain drug-free
- Prevent relapse
- Improve self-esteem
- Increase awareness of feelings
- Increase positive self-focus
- Strengthen one’s support system(s)
- Increase the constructive expression of feelings
- Improve one’s vocational/educational status
- Access drug education resources
- Decrease/eliminate current drug abuse.
The client population is predominantly that of urban-based Albany. The center serves all socioeconomic strata, including African American, Latino and Caucasian working-class persons, adolescents, and sexual minorities. Counselors help address individuals’ unique issues related to substance abuse and chemical dependency, such as lifestyle, cultural stresses, domestic violence, childhood abuse, and spirituality.
Equinox also engages the services of a psychiatrist to prescribe psychotropic medication and direct psychiatric treatment when necessary.
