Cottonwood Tucson

Five-Day Residential Assessment

A dedicated five-day inpatient assessment program is designed for individuals seeking answers before committing to treatment. This short-term residential stay includes a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, psychological testing, medical assessment, and input from nutrition, wellness, and counseling staff. Clients receive coordinated recommendations from a multidisciplinary team. The assessment is ideal for people facing complex symptoms, uncertain diagnoses, or a history of fragmented care. This model helps individuals and families make informed decisions about next steps.

Specialized Support for Veterans and First Responders

The Tactical Recovery program is tailored for military personnel, veterans, and first responders who face trauma linked to combat, operational stress, or service-related experiences. The program is led by staff trained in military culture and trauma-informed care, and includes targeted group therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and mind-body approaches. Clients process moral injury, grief, and chronic stress in a peer-supported environment. The facility participates in the VA’s Community Care Network (TriWest), allowing qualifying veterans to access treatment through approved referral pathways.

Innovative Therapies Designed to Address Trauma

Therapies that address trauma at both the neurological and emotional levels are integrated into residential treatment. Brainspotting helps access unprocessed trauma by linking eye position to deep brain activity, while the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM) supports healing from early developmental and attachment wounds. Acudetox, a form of ear acupuncture, aids in managing anxiety, sleep disruption, and withdrawal symptoms. Clients also engage in ropes courses and structured challenge activities that promote trust, emotional regulation, and resilience. These therapies are woven into daily care, supporting holistic healing.

Equine-Assisted Therapy

Equine-assisted therapy is offered weekly on a quiet ranch adjacent to the campus. It is led by certified therapists in collaboration with equine specialists. Clients interact with horses through ground-based exercises—no riding—focused on building emotional attunement, trust, and healthy boundaries. The therapy uses the horse’s intuitive responses as a mirror to help clients process relational trauma, nonverbal communication patterns, and internal emotional states. These sessions can be particularly valuable for individuals recovering from attachment injuries or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Whole-Family Engagement in Recovery

The five-day Family Program is structured to help loved ones actively participate in the recovery process. Held on-site, the program includes multi-family therapy groups, substance use education, experiential exercises, and trauma-informed communication coaching. Families explore their own patterns, learn about co-occurring disorders, and gain tools to support long-term healing. The program emphasizes shared understanding, boundary-setting, and emotional regulation for the family as a whole.

What Patients Are Saying

Patients repeatedly describe Cottonwood as life-changing, not because it’s easy, but because it’s real. They highlight the commitment of staff—clinicians, therapists, nurses—as unusually compassionate and capable. The community environment fosters trust and openness. While a few note challenges with billing or admin communication, the overwhelming sentiment is gratitude for a place that addresses the whole person, not just symptoms.