Veterans Program

Lionheart Recovery Center has dedicated a significant amount of time hand-crafting our program for veterans. Our team has personal experience as both members of the military and family members of veterans. We understand the specific needs of our military personnel when it comes to substance use treatment.

Addiction is a disease that does not discriminate and impacts millions of people across the nation. The risk factors for developing a substance use disorder vary from person to person. However, there are specific circumstances, career paths, or life events that elevate one’s risk for turning to substances as a way to cope with trauma or mental health symptoms. The experiences of our nation’s Veterans are not always light-hearted or pleasant.

Many witness the trauma and emotional turmoil that results from a tour of duty in active combat or experiencing physical, sexual, or emotional trauma during their time in service. Others struggle with the difficulties of adjusting to civilian life post-discharge. Regardless of the root causes, as many as one in fifteen Veterans (from all branches of the armed services) use a controlled substance.

Knowing these numbers, Lionheart Recovery Center has created a hand-crafted program made for the specific needs of veterans who are struggling with substance use disorder. Our exclusive veteran’s program utilizes the following specialized addiction treatment services:

Detoxification
Residential Inpatient
2 Individual Sessions Weekly
Dual-Diagnosis Treatment
Trauma-Focused Program
Sober Companion & Travel Assistance
Equine Therapy for Trauma
Trauma-Informed Yoga

Recovery Fitness Program
Experiential Therapies
Family Support & Counseling
Medication Management
Art & Music Therapy
Daily Veterans Groups
Speciality Case Manager for Veterans
Alumni Support Program

At our Las Vegas treatment center for Veterans, we will work with you to create a unique and personalized treatment program that addresses your specific treatment needs and goals. We use a combination of evidence-based traditional treatment models like:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Rational Emotive Therapy
Moral Reconation Therapy
Family Systems Therapy
Solution-Focused Therapy

Combined with alternative, holistic models like non-narcotic pain management, massage therapy, chiropractic services, we work with you to ensure the most comprehensive, thorough treatment possible.

The staff at Lionheart Recovery Center is composed of highly qualified, experienced individuals from a variety of backgrounds—civilians, Veterans. All staff are educated on the topics of military service, trauma, PTSD, and addiction. We wholeheartedly believe in the guidelines implemented at Lionheart Recovery Center below:

Your Safety Comes First – Lionheart Recovery Center (LRC) is a private, residential environment. All of our clients are safe from the physical chaos of the outside world, which helps them feel a sense of emotional security.
Transparent & Open-Minded – Our staff works with each client individually to earn trust through open, respectful, and compassionate communication.
The Individual Client Comes First – LRC promotes a truly individualized program through our intensive inpatient programming, which is rooted in the belief that no two clients are alike.
Collaboration in Treatment – Our approach to treatment is unique because we tailor each client’s stay to their individual needs. From providing personalized entertainment systems to our onsite chef and dietician who helps craft individual meal plans, and recreational activities, we always encourage our staff to make sure our clients are comfortable and succeeding in treatment.
Trauma-Focused Approach – The exclusive veteran’s program at LRC focuses on the deep-rooted issues that many of our clients experience prior to entering treatment. Through a number of evidence-based, trauma-focused therapies, we work to identify and treat individual trauma in an empathetic way.
Self-Love Through Empowerment – Our program offers a number of ways for our clients to participate actively in treatment and to advocate for themselves. This includes a dedicated Veteran staff member who can advocate on behalf of our military clients.

As you approach the end of your treatment program, our treatment team will work with you to develop an aftercare plan that works best for you. It’s important to maintain your physical and emotional wellbeing after leaving treatment. Our case managers will coordinate with VA providers to have a multi-disciplinary discharge plan in place. Throughout your stay at Lionheart Recovery Center, your case manager will help you connect with ancillary services such as housing, job programs, education, dental services, and more. Our goal is to ensure each client is set up for success in long-term recovery.

The rate of addiction among United States Veterans remains high. Several factors put Veterans at increased risk for developing a substance use disorder. The first and likely most notable is exposure to trauma. Military service is daunting and those serving in armed forces can witness extreme violence. Men and women with a history of multiple deployments, especially to active combat areas, are at a high risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues that can lead to overwhelming symptoms. Some Veterans who develop these conditions will turn to drugs or alcohol to self-medicate and reduce the intensity of symptoms such as nightmares and sleeping difficulties. Also, returning home after a tour of duty can pose its own unique series of different yet equally fatal challenges for the men and women who have served in the armed forces. When discharged from military service, it’s all too common for someone to struggle with being a civilian again. Most Veterans are unable to assimilate and find it hard to relate to their family and friends.

Veterans also struggle with various barriers to treatment. One such barrier is homelessness. Veterans who have ended their service to the armed forces experience some of the highest rates of homelessness of any demographic. Approximately ten percent of the homeless population in the United States is Veterans. Of those, nearly 75% struggle with mental health and/or addiction-related issues. Another barrier to treatment is stigma. Serving in the US military is often a matter of pride for many individuals who choose to serve. However, admitting to a struggle with addiction or mental health is often fear-inducing. Veterans who struggle with these problems may be reluctant to seek help due to the stigma surrounding addiction and addiction treatment services today. Other significant concerns include exposure to sexual trauma and increased access to prescription medications. As many as 25% of women and 10% of men report experiencing military sexual trauma.

The incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder among Veterans is as high as 30%. Mental health conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression frequently co-occur with substance use disorders among both male and female Veterans. When struggling with a co-occurring disorder (both mental health and substance use), Veterans may use substances to alleviate the more intrusive symptoms related to their mental health. While self-medicating may work to mitigate symptoms in the short term, over time, this behavior may ease short-term pain and discomfort; it can intensify some of the more intrusive symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder leading to worsening substance use and complications. Treating mental health conditions as part of a dual diagnosis treatment program can help provide ways to address symptoms in a healthy, safer, more effective way.

At a Veterans drug treatment center like Lionheart Recovery Center in Las Vegas, you should expect care that addresses the unique needs of dual diagnosis treatment. At Lionheart Recovery, our treatment modalities address the physical aspects of our clients and the behavioral aspects. Addiction and trauma affect a person’s body and mind. If someone is suffering from addiction and trauma, it’s imperative to treat both at the same time. Failure to address both mental health and addictive behaviors leaves a significant portion of your struggle unaddressed and increases the chance for relapse after treatment.

Our team at Lionheart Recovery is experts in identifying and treating trauma & addiction. We know how deeply intertwined the two can be. The clients participating in our veteran’s program receive equal treatment for their trauma/PTSD and substance use disorder.

At Lionheart Recovery Center, we understand the specialized and unique experiences of our Veterans. The concerns and struggles many Veterans face when returning home are unlike the struggles faced by most Americans. While all treatment programs address addiction, not all are equipped to address dual diagnosis or the unique needs of veterans facing mental health and addiction struggles. If you would like to learn more about how our Veteran program can help you begin your journey to sobriety and recovery, contact us at Lionheart Recovery Center in Las Vegas today.