Posted in: addiction treatment professionals, atlanta treatment centers, certified addiction counselors, excellence in addiction counseling, purple residential treatment, residential addiction treatment
National Recovery Month takes place in September and has been going strong for 20 years. The purpose of National Recovery Month is to raise awareness about drug and alcohol addiction and to honor the successes of treatment professionals around the globe.
GARR, the Georgia Association of Recovery Residences, celebrated National Recovery Month last year by starting a Recovery Awareness Fair. The Fair included breakfast, a keynote speaker, lunch, and plenty of networking opportunities for local treatment professionals.
Joel Bagley, President of GARR and also Executive Director of Purple, Inc. played a large role in organizing the event last year. It was such a huge success, the members of GARR decided to have the Fair again this year. The Fair took place on September 10th at the Renaissance Hotel in Atlanta. There was an even larger turnout than last year. Many came for the endless networking opportunities and to hear keynote speaker, Dr. Ronald Hunsicker.
For more information, please call Purple, Inc. at 770.962.8215 or visit Purple, Inc. online at http://www.purpletreatment.com.
Posted in: addiction recovery meditations, atlanta treatment centers, purple residential treatment, residential addiction treatment, today's gift, touchstones daily meditations
I’m a trader at heart. . . except that I don’t like trades that come out equally–that’s too much like borrowing. I’d rather trade a strong hand for a patient ear or a story for a meal: anything that keeps things turning over.
—Gordon Bok
There is an old saying that there are just two kinds of people in the world: givers and takers. Those of us who are givers delight in it. We have a buck to lend when someone is broke, a kind word when they’re down, a helping hand when they need it. But sometimes we givers are uncomfortable when we’re on the receiving end. We brush off thanks and gifts and help, even when they’re needed or deserved.
Those of us who are takers, on the other hand, know how to receive graciously what others have to give; we know how to ask for what we need. Often, however, we don’t know how to give. We may be afraid our gifts will be wrong or rejected or laughed at.
We can all strive to become traders, people who have learned how to both give and receive. We each have the capacity to give what we have freely and to ask, gratefully, for what we don’t have. That is the greatest gift of all.
What can I give and take today?
From Today’s Gift: Daily Meditations for Families ©1985, 1991 by Hazelden Foundation.
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 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
Click here to view our latest press release on restructuring our recovery program.
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.
Today was a great day because there is so much to celebrate. This morning I sent an email to Joel and Brett thanking them for all that they’ve done to make Purple what it is. There’s been a lot of “trudging the road to happy destiny”, ups, downs, and a lot of long hours. And I can imagine they both had doubts along the way. I encouraged them to give themselves pats on the back for not giving up. This line of work can be so rewarding, but so heartbreaking all at the same time. I thanked them for being complete oppostites of each other and balancing each other out. I can’t imagine a more complimentary duo.
Most importantly, these boys work so hard, they sometimes have a hard time slowing down. So my wish for them today was that they both spend some time today taking a break from thinking about all that’s left to accomplish but rather reflect on how far they’ve come. If they were women, they’d be on a Virgina Slims advertisement.
And I must admit, I even gave myself a pat on the back….afterall, behind every good man is a good woman, right?