Opioid Use Treatment
Addiction is America’s #1 health care problem. Therapeutic Health Services (THS) is a nationally accredited, non-profit organization offering a wide range of treatment options for individuals, youth and families struggling with substance use. THS is a different kind of rehab, we provide evidence-based Opioid Use Treatment using medications like Methadone and Suboxone® along with strengths-based counseling and support. Since 1972 we have helped people in Seattle, Everett, Bellevue, Shoreline, King, and Snohomish counties recover from addiction. Lives are restored and hope is renewed as our patients begin to lead the lives they were meant to live.
The “Gold Standard” in Opioid and Heroin Addiction Treatment
Medication-Assisted Treatment plus evidence-based counseling is recognized as the most effective means of treating opioid addiction, using methadone and other medications to help patients move past their dependence. Therapeutic Health Services has been providing this powerful combination of recovery support for almost 50 years. Complete the form at the bottom of the page to be connected to care. If you want to hear more about how successful our pathways to recovery are, please check out our patient success stories here. These stories of compassionate care and effective treatment show the change in life our services can bring.
With Opioid Use Treatment at THS, people can end their dependence on heroin, fentanyl, prescription pain killers, and other opiates that are keeping them from living their best lives. Our goal is to help anyone get the support and care they need to stop using.
NOTE: Therapeutic Health Services is now accepting medication-assisted treatment walk-ins for new patients at many of our locations! Click here to learn more and find out when and where you can come in for a walk-in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Methadone is often discussed in the context of Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) or Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD).
Both terms refer to treatment that combines FDA-approved medications—such as methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone—with counseling and behavioral therapies.
MOUD is considered the gold standard of care because it:
- Reduces opioid use
- Lowers the risk of overdose
- Decreases the spread of infectious diseases
- Improves retention in treatment
- Supports long-term recovery
At THS, methadone is not used as a stand-alone solution. It is part of a comprehensive care plan tailored to each patient.
To learn more about methadone, read our article titled ‘What Is Methadone?’
When taken as prescribed under medical supervision, methadone does not produce the high associated with opioids like heroin or fentanyl.
Methadone works differently because it:
- Is long-acting (lasting 24–36 hours or longer)
- Enters the body gradually
- Maintains stable levels in the bloodstream
At the proper dose, most patients report feeling normal, stable, and free from withdrawal symptoms. Because it is long-acting, methadone stabilizes the brain throughout the day, reducing the cycle of intoxication and withdrawal that often drives continued opioid use.
The goal of methadone treatment is not to create a high. Instead, it helps people feel well so they can go to work, engage in therapy, and move forward in recovery.
To learn more about methadone, read our article titled ‘What Is Methadone?’
A methadone clinic—also known as an Opioid Treatment Program (OTP)—is a licensed healthcare facility where patients receive methadone under medical supervision.
In the United States, methadone for opioid use disorder can only be dispensed through certified opioid treatment programs. These clinics typically provide:
- Medical evaluations
- Daily or scheduled methadone dosing
- Counseling services
- Case management
- Ongoing monitoring and support
This structure helps ensure that methadone is used safely and effectively.
At Therapeutic Health Services, our programs are designed to be welcoming, nonjudgmental, and patient-centered. We understand that entering treatment can feel overwhelming, and we work to make the process as supportive as possible.
To learn more about methadone, read our article titled ‘What Is Methadone?’
Methadone is primarily used to treat opioid use disorder as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. Opioid use disorder changes how the brain responds to stress, reward, and pain. When someone stops using opioids, they often experience withdrawal symptoms such as:
- Muscle aches
- Nausea and vomiting
- Anxiety and restlessness
- Insomnia
- Strong cravings
Methadone helps prevent these withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings. By stabilizing the brain and body, methadone allows people to focus on recovery activities such as counseling, mental health care, rebuilding relationships, employment, and long-term recovery goals.
Research consistently shows that people who receive medication treatment for opioid use disorder have better outcomes than those who attempt to stop using opioids without medical support.
To learn more about methadone, read our article titled ‘What Is Methadone?’
Methadone is typically provided through our dispensary and is generally for those patients who are high risk for chronic severe opioid dependence, where individuals inject more than a gram per day. Methadone is also a full agonist, requiring medically supervised withdrawal and maintenance that is in tandem with additional treatment and psychosocial support.
Suboxone has the combination of Naltrexone and Buprenorphine and is an antagonist (Naltrexone) and a partial agonist at the mu-Opioid Receptor. It is a prescribed medication where the treatment is focused on the prevention of potential relapse due to opioid dependence that is either moderate to severe, and generally beneficial for those individuals who smoke or intermittently inject heroin that is less than a gram per day. Suboxone is also medically supervised through withdrawal management.
Methadone is an opioid medication, but it functions differently from substances like heroin or fentanyl. Those drugs act quickly on the brain, producing a rapid high followed by withdrawal symptoms that can reinforce ongoing use.
When taken as prescribed under medical supervision, methadone does not produce the high associated with opioids like heroin or fentanyl.
Methadone works differently because it:
• Is long-acting (lasting 24–36 hours or longer)
• Enters the body gradually
• Maintains stable levels in the bloodstream
At the proper dose, most patients report feeling normal, stable, and free from withdrawal symptoms. Because it is long-acting, methadone stabilizes the brain throughout the day, reducing the cycle of intoxication and withdrawal that often drives continued opioid use.
The goal of methadone treatment is not to create a high. Instead, it helps people feel well so they can go to work, engage in therapy, and move forward in recovery.
To learn more about methadone, read our article titled ‘What Is Methadone?’
Program Features
Recovery Starts With an Assessment
Every new patient at THS takes time with a counselor to explore the challenges they’re facing and how we can support the recovery process. The assessment shapes an individualized treatment plan outlining the patient’s health goals. Treatment plans play to the patient’s unique needs and strengths, while helping the individual in recovery to build on their own resiliency.
Watch the video here to learn about taking the First Step to Recovery.
I’m able to get up every day, go to work and I don’t need help from anybody. I know without treatment, it would be a downward spiral for me. I consider my counselor to be a friend, because I know I can come to them with anything I’m struggling with and I won’t be judged. Treatment is always worth a shot, give sobriety a chance.
You’re able to come off opiates safely on your own time. I never thought it was possible, but I did it. It’s just so much better living a clean life.
