Posted in: addiction counseling blog, addiction recovery for men, live life drug free, men in recovery, overcoming obstacles to recovery, parents of recovering addicts
For a lot of our clients this holiday season will be their first sober Christmas and New Years, which brings about a lot of excitement and gratitude for their new lives. They will know what it feels like to truly enjoy giving instead of receiving. After all, there is no better gift they could give to their families than the gift of sobriety. They might even discover that a season they used to dread is not only enjoyable but something they will look forward to in the future.
However, for some of our clients (and recovering alcoholics and addicts in general for that matter), celebrating this holiday season sober with family and friends isn’t an exciting prospect, its downright scary. What is one to do if the family drinks and drugs the way he used to before he got sober? What if he’s the only one there not drinking? What if his alcoholic father picks a fight with him AGAIN? Is it possible to stay sober through this stuff?
Any recovering person would tell you the answer to that question is an emphatic “yes”! It is not only possible, it is a guarantee as long as the recovering alcoholic/addict is willing to stay sober and willing to take the suggestions of his fellow recovering alcoholics and addicts.
For our clients, we require a plan in writing before leaving to spend time with their families. If that plan does not include talking to their sponsor and other recovering folks while away, they cannot go. If the plan does not include attending 12-step meetings, they cannot go. If that plan does not include a willingness to go to any length to stay sober, they cannot go. We have found the best solution to staying sober during these “firsts” is a solid plan that is laid out ahead of time mapping hour by hour and sometimes minute by minute. It’s a solution that works for our clients and has worked for many recovering alcoholics and addicts.
Here’s hoping everyone has a sober, safe, and happy holiday!
Posted in: addiction counseling, addiction recovery for men, addiction treatment professionals, atlanta treatment centers, certified addiction counselors, excellence in addiction counseling, live life drug free, men in recovery, purple residential treatment, residential addiction treatment
The residential addiction counseling and recovery program is structured as a four – six month program and consists of three primary components:
1. A safe, supportive, structured, drug and alcohol-free living environment where the client is immersed in sobriety as a way of life and surrounded by a group of his peers all with the common goal of acquiring and maintaining sobriety.
2. Group sessions led by certified addiction counselors with varied life and scholastic experiences in a non-judgmental, loving atmosphere.
3. Participation in the recovery community and attendance at 12-step meetings everyday develops a sense of ownership for one’s own recovery and often leads to opportunities to give back to the recovery community.
Included in this treatment structure are:
• Screening & Intake, Assessment & Treatment Planning
Each individual will be thoroughly interviewed for appropriateness to the program and will have an opportunity to interview staff as well. Upon admission, each client will be oriented to “the way we do things.” We will discuss with him the things that brought him here and what he hopes to accomplish while he is here. Together we will develop goals and a plan for his sober recovery.
Some of the tools used to accomplish those goals are:
• Step Work – clients will work towards completing 12-step assignments as a means of uncovering causes and conditions for their substance abuse
• Weekly Goal Setting - setting small goals on a weekly basis enables the client to track his progress without feeling overwhelmed
• Life Skills Education – an important introduction to sober living out there in the real world – finding and keeping a job, completing or continuing his education, buying groceries, preparing his own meals and money management
• Spiritual Life Group – a group session focusing on developing a relationship with one’s higher power and one’s self
• Anger Management – learning to respond, rather than react, to life’s situations and becoming willing to explore the fear that is the fuel of our anger
• Addiction Issues – getting to the “real” reasons we use drugs and alcohol to change the way we feel and exploring a new way of thinking and living that is based on sobriety as a way of life
• Recreation Therapy – life is more fun without alcohol and drugs; we can prove it!
• Drug and Alcohol Testing – regular and random screening to ensure they remain drug and alcohol free
• Family Support Groups – healing the family unit is as important as healing the alcoholic or addict to promote healthy, happy relationships
As the client progresses in his recovery and nears the time for him to leave the residential program, together we address:
• Relapse Prevention – an integral part of the recovery process developed to give the client tools for staying sober even in the midst of depression and challenging times
• Transition Planning – an in-depth plan used in conjunction with the relapse prevention plan to address ongoing recovery needs and to foster a smooth transition to the next phase of his recovery
• Aftercare – each client who has successfully completed the residential program is encouraged to attend ongoing group therapy, outings, and events which will solidify his own sobriety and offer hope to the new clients.
There is no such thing as graduation from treatment. As part of a continuum of care, completion of the residential program leads to aftercare and ongoing self-care through involvement in the 12-step community. We encourage all of our clients to be active in our alumni program so that we can continue to support their ongoing recovery.
Posted in: addiction recovery for men, atlanta treatment centers, purple residential treatment, today's gift
Creativity is so delicate a flower that praise tends to make it bloom, while discouragement often nips it in the bud.
—Alex Osborn
A garden of flowers blooming is a beautiful sight to see. Through the green leaves surrounding a tulip we see hints of yellow or pink or red. Each day the flowers greet us with their radiant color. Yet, a sudden frost would wilt and fade the flowers.
Each time we create something new with our talents we are like a young flower opening. Whether we draw or write or sew or play a musical instrument, all creativity has this in common. Appreciation from those around us is like sunshine for the flowers. Harsh criticism, however, is like the cold air - it wilts and deadens our desire to create.
We all need warm encouragement for our endeavors, and we can give as well as receive it. In this way, creativity can bloom in our homes and our friendships, bringing a garden full of color and delight into our lives.
What encouragement can I offer to someone near me?
From Today’s Gift: Daily Meditations for Families ©1985, 1991 by Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.
Posted in: addiction blog, addiction counseling, addiction counseling blog, addiction recovery for men, addiction treatment professionals, atlanta treatment centers, certified addiction counselors, excellence in addiction counseling, men in recovery, modern addiction recovery, purple residential treatment, reinvent addiction recovery, residential addiction treatment
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Posted in: addiction counseling, addiction recovery for men, addiction treatment professionals, atlanta treatment centers, certified addiction counselors, excellence in addiction counseling, men in recovery, purple residential treatment, residential addiction treatment
These days the treatment options for individuals afflicted with the disease of alcohol and drug addiction seem to be endless. The benefits of having plenty of options are obvious. The more treatment options out there, the more people being helped. The first challenge is to differentiate between which programs offer quality services and which ones don’t. Even the treatment professionals would be inclined to admit the treatment industry is overrun with too many “flop houses” and not enough quality treatment facilities. Check out the certifications of the facility. A facility that is licensed by the state and/or certified by JCAHO, CARF, or GARR indicates the facility has met their quality standards and has oversight by an outside organization.
The decision now becomes even more complicated. The individual has several quality options to choose from, but the facilities all offer different levels of care. One option may be a 3/4 house offering a supportive environment, but no treatment. Another may be an outpatient facility offering treatment, but no supportive housing, and yet another may be a residential program offering all of the above. And then there is the medically managed facility or hospital that offers detox, medical stabilization, short term inpatient care and a partial hospitalization program. How is one to know which will be right for him or her? The answer is to be found by seeking the advice of a reputable addiction treatment professional.
These questions were carefully considered during the creation of the program at Purple Inc. We recognized a need for a quality residential recovery program in Gwinnett County that offered services to the suburban middle-class family. There were already several options in the area for the indigent and the well-to-do, but no one was taking care of the working middle-class alcoholic and addict. And thus, Purple’s Residential Program was born and has been going strong ever since. Purple is geared toward the suburban middle-class male, ages 17-70, who is in need of a supportive, structured residential recovery program. Treatment includes group therapy, individual therapy, access to twelve-step meetings, job assistance, transportation assistance, and most importantly, life skills that will allow the individual to transition back into the real world more easily and ultimately maintain a life long journey through the world of sobriety.
Posted in: addiction recovery for men, men in recovery, touchstones daily meditations
Let no one be deluded that a knowledge of the path can substitute for putting one foot in front of the other.–M. C. Richards
Recovering men know this path is not always easy. We usually talk about the benefits of recovery and the many promises of the program. Today, in our fellowship, we talk of the challenges we must face in order to recover. Honesty may be the greatest challenge. It is frightening to be honest with ourselves about things we have never really admitted or faced before.
Sometimes we have new and confusing feelings and think something must be wrong with us. But we may be just experiencing the logical outcome of our earlier commitment to be honest. No one recovers by thinking about it. We must actively take each Step and meet the challenges presented. We are not alone with our difficulties. We are part of a large movement of men committed to recovery, and this quiet moment is one way in which we are simply putting one foot in front of the other.
Today, I pray for the courage to remain faithful when the fears and pains of my transformation are overwhelming.
From Touchstones: A Book of Daily Meditations for Men ©1986, 1991 by Hazelden Foundation.