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DUAL DIAGNOSIS TREATMENT

Dual Diagnosis Treatment Centers in Tennessee

At Time Wellness Centers, we treat both mental health and substance use disorders simultaneously — with one integrated team, one plan, and one goal: getting you to the other side of this. 

You’ve waited long enough. It’s time.

Co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders are more common than most people realize — and more treatable than most people believe. The key is finding a program that addresses both conditions together, with one team and one plan, rather than treating each in isolation and hoping the pieces connect.

At Time Wellness, our mental health treatment in Tennessee can help you find healing from both mental health and substance abuse. Verify your insurance now.

What is Dual Diagnosis?

Dual diagnosis — also called co-occurring disorders — is the simultaneous presence of a mental health disorder and a substance use disorder in the same person at the same time.

It’s not rare. It’s not unusual. It is, in fact, the most common clinical picture in behavioral health — and the one most consistently under treated.

  • 38% of adults with substance use disorder struggle with a mental illness.
  • 9.2 million adults in the U.S. are living with co-occurring disorders right now. 
  • 9.1% of those with dual diagnosis receive treatment for both conditions. 
  • Over 50% receive no treatment at all. 

The relationship between mental health and substance use is rarely straightforward. Sometimes mental illness develops first and substance use follows as a form of self-medication. Sometimes substance use triggers or accelerates the onset of a psychiatric condition.

The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services has identified co-occurring disorders as one of the state’s most urgent public health priorities — noting that they are “the expectation rather than the exception” and that systems designed to treat single diagnoses consistently fall short for people dealing with both.

That gap is exactly what our dual diagnosis programs are built to close.

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Tennessee Mental Health Programs

Outpatient Mental Health in Chattanooga, TN
supportive housing in Chattanooga, TN
Supportive Housing in Chattanooga, TN
Experiential Therapy in Chattanooga, TN 

Residential Mental Health in Taft, TN

Common Dual Diagnosis Disorder Combinations We Treat

No two people walk through our doors with the same story. But certain combinations appear again and again in our clinical work — and all of them are treatable with the right integrated approach. Our clinical team conducts a thorough, individualized assessment for every client to identify the full diagnostic picture — not just the loudest symptom.

If you don’t see your specific combination listed, that doesn’t mean we can’t help.

Our clinical team is experienced across a wide range of presentations, and our assessment process is built to capture the full complexity of what you’re dealing with — not just what fits a standard category.

Our Approach: Integrated, Not Parallel

Many programs run mental health and addiction treatment in separate tracks that occasionally cross paths. We don’t. At Time Wellness, your entire treatment plan — your therapies, your medication, your group programming, your family involvement, your aftercare — is built around the full picture of who you are. One team. One plan. Both conditions, treated together, from day one.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT identifies and interrupts the thought patterns that drive both mental health symptoms and substance use behaviors. It’s one of the most rigorously validated treatments in behavioral health — and a cornerstone of our dual diagnosis programs. Clients learn to recognize the automatic thoughts and cognitive distortions that fuel both conditions, and develop practical skills to interrupt them before they lead to crisis or relapse.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Originally developed to treat borderline personality disorder, DBT has become one of the most effective tools we have for co-occurring disorders across the board. It builds four core skill sets — mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness — that are foundational to long-term recovery from both addiction and mental illness. For clients who have relied on substances to manage overwhelming emotions, DBT provides concrete, practicaltools to do that differently.

EMDR Therapy

Trauma sits at the root of more co-occurring disorders than most people realize. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a clinically validated therapy that processes what talk therapy can’t always reach — the moments that changed everything — so they stop driving the present. For clients whose substance use is connected to traumatic experiences, EMDR can be transformative in a way that no other modality quite matches.

Medication Management

Our board-certified psychiatric providers evaluate and manage medications for both psychiatric conditions and, where appropriate, medication-assisted components of addiction treatment. Medication is never one-size-fits-all here — it’s an individualized clinical decision made in close collaboration with the client, informed by a thorough psychiatric assessment and ongoing monitoring throughout treatment.

Holistic Therapies

Clinical care is the foundation, but recovery built only on clinical care has cracks in it. Our holistic programming — including equine-assisted therapy, yoga and mindfulness, biosound therapy, red light therapy, art therapy, music therapy, and FLOAT tank therapy — addresses the body and spirit alongside the mind. These modalities aren’t add-ons. They’re integrated into treatment plans because the research consistently shows they work, and because healing should feel like more than just surviving.

Family Program

Dual diagnosis doesn’t only affect the person in treatment — it reshapes entire family systems, often over years or decades. Our structured family programming helps loved ones understand co-occurring disorders, recognize enabling patterns, set healthy boundaries, and become a sustainable, active part of the recovery process. Families don’t just observe treatment here. They’re part of it.

Ami G. Risinger, LPC-MHSP

Ami is a mental health professional with formal training in clinical mental health counseling and psychology, holding both her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Southern Adventist University.

Contact Us Today

If you or your loved one need mental health treatment in Tennessee, we’re here to help. Contact Time Wellness today to get started.

Tour Our Dual Diagnosis Treatment Centers

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  • Taft - residential facility

Levels of Care for Dual Diagnosis in Tennessee

Time Wellness offers a full continuum of care — meaning wherever you are right now, there’s a level of treatment designed to meet you there. You can step up or step down as your needs evolve, and our team coordinates every transition so nothing falls through the cracks.

Residential / Inpatient Treatment

Our highest level of care. Clients live on-site at our serene Taft estate and receive 24/7 clinical support, intensive daily programming, psychiatric medication management, and group treatment built around the full complexity of co-occurring disorders. Recommended for severe symptoms, significant psychiatric instability, or a history of relapse when mental health goes untreated. Residential stays typically range from 30 to 90 days.

Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)

Five days a week of intensive dual diagnosis treatment, with evenings at home or in supportive housing. PHP offers the clinical depth of residential care with greater flexibility — ideal for clients stepping down from inpatient or those whose symptoms don’t require 24-hour supervision but still need structured daily programming.

Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)

Three days a week of structured dual diagnosis programming for clients who need meaningful clinical support while maintaining work, school, or family responsibilities. IOP is a strong step-down from PHP and a solid entry point for those who don’t require a higher level of care to start.

Outpatient Program (OP)

Our lowest level of structured care — ongoing individual therapy, group programming, and medication management as clients build independence and long-term stability in recovery. Outpatient care is also an essential part of aftercare planning for clients transitioning out of higher levels of treatment.

Virtual Treatment

Telehealth options for qualifying clients who face barriers to in-person care — whether due to transportation, mobility, geography, or scheduling. Same clinical quality, same integrated dual diagnosis approach, delivered where you are.

Supportive Housing

A safe, structured, peer-supported sober living environment for clients transitioning between levels of care or building the foundation for independent recovery. Supportive housing provides immediate access to clinical and peer support in a community setting — an invaluable asset in early recovery.

Signs You May Be Living With A Co-Occurring Disorder

It can be hard to know where the mental health ends and the substance use begins, especially when both have been present for years.

Some indicators that a dual diagnosis evaluation may be the right next step:

      • Using alcohol or drugs to manage anxiety, depression, trauma responses, or mood swings
      • Mental health symptoms that persist or worsen even during periods of sobriety
      • Repeated attempts at recovery that didn’t hold — without fully understanding why
      • Feeling like sobriety is unbearable, empty, or terrifying — without knowing the reason
      • Mood instability, paranoia, or psychological symptoms that intensify with substance use
      • Withdrawal from relationships, work, and daily life driven by both conditions at once
      • Being told your mental health and addiction need to be treated separately, at different times, by different providers
      • A sense that something is still wrong even when the substances are gone

    If any of this sounds familiar — for yourself or someone you love — you don’t need a diagnosis to make the call. You don’t need to have the right words or know which condition came first. You just need to reach out.

    Our clinical team will conduct a thorough assessment and make sure you understand exactly what you’re dealing with — and what we can do about it.

    Joint Commission accredited

    We hold The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval — one of the most respected independent accreditations in behavioral healthcare. Our clinical standards, staff credentials, and programs have been independently verified against the highest national benchmarks for safety, quality, and patient care.

    supportive housing in Chattanooga, TN
    Board-certified psychiatric leadership

    Our medical team is led by Dr. Jawaun Lewis, and supported by psychiatric nurse practitioners and licensed clinicians with deep, specialized expertise in co-occurring disorders.

    A true continuum of care

    You shouldn’t have to piece your recovery together from multiple providers. From residential through aftercare, we walk the entire journey with you — as one team, with one integrated plan, coordinating every step of the way.

    Insurance Coverage For Dual Diagnosis Treatment

    Cost should never be the reason someone doesn’t get help. Mental health parity laws require most insurance plans to cover mental health and substance use disorder treatment at the same level as medical and surgical care — which means your benefits may cover more than you think.

    Time Wellness works with most major insurance providers, and our admissions team can verify your benefits within 24 hours, completely free, with no obligation. We accept:

    Don’t see your plan listed? Call us anyway.

    We accept many additional insurance plans and can help you explore self-pay and financing options if needed. One phone call is all it takes to know where you stand.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What’s the difference between dual diagnosis and co-occurring disorders?
    The terms are used interchangeably. Both describe the simultaneous presence of a mental health disorder and a substance use disorder in the same person. “Co-occurring disorders” has become the preferred clinical term, but dual diagnosis is equally common and refers to the same condition.
    Can both conditions really be treated at the same time?
    Yes — and treating them simultaneously is the clinical standard of care. Addressing one without the other dramatically reduces the likelihood of lasting recovery. At Time Wellness, both conditions are treated by the same team within a single, unified plan. There is no separate “addiction track” and “mental health track” — it’s all one program, built around the full picture of who you are.
    How long does dual diagnosis treatment take?
    Length of treatment varies depending on the severity of each condition, your history, and how you respond to treatment. Residential stays typically range from 30 to 90 days, followed by step-down care through PHP, IOP, and outpatient programming. Your clinical team will build a timeline tailored to your specific needs — not a one-size-fits-all schedule.
    Does insurance cover dual diagnosis treatment?
    In most cases, yes. Mental health parity laws require most insurance plans to cover mental health and substance use disorder treatment at the same level as medical care. Our admissions team will verify your specific benefits at no cost to you — typically within 24 hours.
    What if I’m not sure whether I have a dual diagnosis?
    You don’t need to know before you call. Our clinical team will conduct a thorough assessment during the admissions process to identify the full picture of what you’re dealing with — and make sure you understand exactly what that means and what we can do about it. You just need to show up. We’ll handle the rest.
    What happens after dual diagnosis treatment is complete?
    Recovery doesn’t end at discharge — and neither does our commitment to you. Clients graduating from residential care typically step down into PHP, IOP, or outpatient programming to maintain momentum. From there, Time Wellness provides ongoing aftercare support including group programming, individual check-ins, and one-on-one therapy for program graduates.

    Begin Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Tennessee Today

    49,000 Americans die by suicide in a single year. The average person waits 11 years between their first mental health symptoms and their first day of treatment.

    You don’t have to be part of that statistic. You don’t have to keep choosing between getting help for your mental health and getting help for your substance use. At Time Wellness Centers, you get both — fully integrated, clinically rigorous, and built entirely around you.

    We built our programs for exactly this moment — the moment you decide that waiting is no longer an option. That both things can be treated. That recovery isn’t just possible. It’s available, right now, for you.

    Begin Your Treatment Today

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