Serenity Counseling Services

Serenity Counseling Services offers two levels of outpatient substance abuse treatment: a standard Outpatient Program and an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). Both are structured for individuals who are past the acute phase and focused on building the habits, coping tools, and insight that make long-term recovery sustainable. The IOP level is particularly well-suited for those who need a higher clinical intensity — more frequent sessions and structured accountability — without transitioning into a residential treatment setting.

This outpatient model works for people managing recovery alongside real-world responsibilities. Operating four days a week with hours extending into the early evening, the schedule is designed with working adults, parents, and students in mind. For Tacoma-area residents weighing their options between residential treatment and fully independent recovery, the IOP at Serenity offers a meaningful middle ground.

Many people entering a recovery program carry more than a substance use disorder. At Serenity Counseling Services, co-occurring mental health conditions — including trauma and PTSD — are treated as part of the clinical picture from the start. The center's dual diagnosis designation reflects a treatment approach that recognizes addiction and mental health as deeply connected, not separate problems requiring separate programs.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the primary therapeutic method used at the center. CBT is a structured, skills-based modality that helps clients examine how their thinking patterns influence behavior — including substance use — and develop practical strategies for change. For individuals whose substance use is entangled with trauma history or mental health challenges, this clinical combination provides a coherent framework for recovery rather than treating symptoms in isolation.

Serenity Counseling Services serves a wide cross-section of the adult population in Tacoma and the surrounding Pierce County region. The center works with veterans, young adults ages 18 to 25, older adults and seniors, men, women, and individuals who are court-ordered into substance abuse treatment. This breadth is not incidental — it reflects a clinical environment prepared to meet clients at different life stages, with different histories and different pressures shaping their recovery needs.

Court-ordered clients receive the same clinical programming as voluntary participants, which matters for those navigating legal requirements alongside genuine recovery goals. Veterans, who often present with trauma histories tied to service, benefit from the center's explicit focus on trauma and PTSD treatment within the substance use framework. Whatever the entry point into treatment, Serenity's outpatient structure allows clients to remain connected to their communities while working through the recovery process.

Serenity Counseling Services accepts Medicaid, state insurance, private insurance, and self-pay arrangements. This range of accepted payment methods means that financial circumstances are less likely to stand between a Tacoma resident and access to outpatient addiction treatment or IOP services. Medicaid and state insurance acceptance in particular broadens the center's reach to individuals and families for whom private coverage is not an option.

Anyone exploring payment options or verifying insurance coverage is encouraged to contact the center directly at (253) 922-6522. The admissions process can clarify what your specific plan covers and what out-of-pocket costs, if any, to expect before beginning a program.