When seeking treatment for mental health disorders, you will be introduced to several mental health treatment therapy programs. While new approaches to therapy are being developed and studied constantly, several tried-and-true evidence-based therapies remain at the forefront of mental health treatment.

One such approach is contingency management therapy. Sometimes referred to as motivational incentives, contingency management (CM) is based on the principles of operant conditioning, which is the belief that behaviors are shaped by their consequences. CM uses a broad range of interventions that provide or withhold rewards or negative outcomes in response to measurable behaviors.

At Harmony Hills, our highly-skilled multidimensional treatment team employs a full spectrum of evidence-based and holistic therapies and treatments to help our clients overcome the symptoms of their mental health disorders to lead fulfilling, productive lives. Contact us at 855.494.0357 to learn about all of your treatment options.

What Is Contingency Management Therapy?

Contingency management therapy (CM) is a particular approach to therapy used by trained mental health professionals to improve clients’ symptoms and overall well-being. Unlike many other therapies, contingency management focuses solely on a person’s behaviors and does not account for their thoughts or feelings. CM is an ideal treatment approach for addressing mental health disorders, including:

• Self-harm
• Substance use disorders
• Eating disorders
• Anger management
• OCD
• Bipolar disorder
• PTSD

Contingency management therapy is helpful for a wide range of people, from young children to older adults. While it can be a stand-alone intervention, CM is best utilized as a component of an integrative approach to treatment in residential mental health therapy programs.

How Does Contingency Management Therapy Work?

Contingency management therapy is rooted in the principle of operant conditioning. In this approach, the therapist pairs a valuable reward with the desired behavior to increase the frequency of said behavior. The reward is reduced and ultimately stopped in time while the desired behavior continues. The underlying principle of CM is that individuals are willing to make significant changes if they are adequately rewarded for their behaviors.

The therapist works with clients to devise a plan that identifies desired rewards for desired behaviors. When the client engages in the behavior, they receive a tangible reward. However, when they engage in unwanted behaviors, they receive nothing.

To further understand how CM works, consider the following principles:

• Behaviors that are rewarded are more likely to continue and do so with increased frequency and duration.
• Behaviors that are punished are more likely to be reduced in frequency and duration until they are eliminated.
• Behaviors that are ignored – given no reward or punishment – will be reduced until eliminated.

Contingency management therapy is a typical component of residential mental health therapy programs, as it encourages behaviors conducive to individual and community well-being.

Opportunities for Health and Healing Through Contingency Management in Tampa, Florida

Harmony Hills was founded to help foster healing and growth, enhance daily functioning, and restore hope for individuals suffering from mental health disorders. We strongly believe in the importance of healthy family support in the healing process, so we put great effort into our family therapy support and programs.

At the core of our mental health treatment is a team of dedicated, experienced mental health professionals who provide the highest quality, compassionate and effective treatment. In addition to contingency management therapy, we provide:

• Individual therapy
• Group therapy
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
• 12-step therapy
• Yoga and meditation
• Nutrition and physical fitness
• Medication management

Our staff truly cares about the people we serve and strives to help our clients achieve their best life. We offer comprehensive residential mental health treatment to address various mental health disorders. Where necessary, we also provide treatment for co-occurring substance use disorders.

Contact Harmony Hills for Mental Health Treatment in Florida

Through the use of evidence-based treatments, including contingency management therapy, Harmony Hills provides the tools you or your loved one need to achieve lasting recovery from mental health disorders. With an accurate mental health diagnosis, you have the opportunity to seek appropriate treatment. Contact the team at Harmony Hills at 855.494.0357 to discover your mental health treatment options in Florida. You can also reach out using our secure online form.