Over the years we have heard a lot of stories from clients. Though escapades while intoxicated are always jaw dropping, but the ones that puzzle us are their journeys to recovery.
More often than not we hear about therapists who turn addicts away until they are a part of a 12 Step recovery group. On one hand 12 Step Group are an outstanding, constant resource for help. Finding a community in the 12 Step recovery world can be paramount to lasting recovery. On the other hand, it takes so much spiritual, physical and emotional help to help an addict recover that we believe it’s imperative for therapy to start immediately.
Another thought to consider is how do you ever “get” someone to stop doing a compulsively driven behavior? As addicts and loved ones of addicts we all know that this is fundamentally impossible. When an addicts changes their behavior it is because something has changed inside of them. That’s what happens in a successful psychotherapy. To us it makes no sense to advise people to delay psychological help for their psychological problem in the hope that something else will fix it first or make the therapists job a little easier. Sierra by the Sea believes in a holistic approach to recovery. An Emotional, Physical and Spiritual approach to recovery is what we model all of our programs on. Counseling, 12 Step Meetings, community, a healthy diet, exercise, outside activities, job, school and friendships. All of which is offered at Sierra by the Sea.
