Why continuing care at Beachwood creates better recovery outcomes
March 9, 2022
Leaving An Inpatient Program Is A Big Moment; You’ve Spent Weeks In A New Environment, With No Outside Distractions And You’ve Given Yourself Time To Really Focus On Healing And Recovering.
It’s understandable that many people wonder how they’ll cope when they walk out the doors, and whether the skills and new perspectives gained during their program will be easily applied to their ‘real lives’.
What’s important to acknowledge is that recovery doesn’t finish when you leave South Pacific Private. While some are excited to get home, see friends and family and find their new normal, others may feel apprehensive, and need a way to ease back into independence. Because when we’ve spent long periods of life in a state of dysfunction, finally feeling a sense of normality can be an overwhelming, and unfamiliar territory. The Continuing Care team at South Pacific works with you before discharge to address all aspects of this to prepare you for your departure.
These include:
- Identifying what you’ve taken away from their time at SPP. Have they got all the tools they need to thrive?
- Where you will be living, and who you will be living with. Will this environment be conducive to sobriety?
- Identifying what stressors exist for you. What are the major factors at play when you are feeling triggered?
- Which strategies and self-care they will you utilise after discharge. Do you have systems in place to support your own self-care?
- Planning your 12 step strategy. Which meetings will you attend and how often?
- Identifying if there is a supportive family member available, and whether they will be helpful to undertake the Family Program with.
- Guiding you through the available support for your ongoing recovery, either through Day Programs or a stay at Beachwood Recovery House.
When entering recovery, it’s very important to address, plan and maintain the above considerations. With these support systems in place, our client’s recovery outcomes are much better.
This is the reason that Beachwood Recovery House exists. A residential sober living facility, right next door to South Pacific Private, that provides residents with ongoing support and guidance during the early days of their recovery, Beachwood is staffed by support workers 24 hours a day.
The team at Beachwood looks at recovery holistically, bringing together healthy living, spirituality, therapeutic programs, continuing recovery planning, relapse prevention and community peer support. Located close to the beach, Beachwood gives clients the freedom to come and go, enjoy walks on the beach and healthy, nutritionally-balanced meals.
Research shows that clients that spend more time in supported recovery have better outcomes and lower chance of relapse. A residential sober living facility, Beachwood helps to prevent clients from slipping into old behaviours after attending the in-patient program. This is an important step in recovery as according to psychiatrist, Dr Anna Lembke, it takes on average, 30 days to reset the dopamine system and break behavioural patterns.
Beachwood also gives clients the chance to continue to grow and develop their skills, engage in group therapy and embed the tools they have learnt at inpatient to support their recovery journey. “A further two weeks at Beachwood provides a therapeutic space, whilst allowing clients to go to their day program and go out without supervision,” says Diane Young, senior therapist at South Pacific Private. “It is a gentle, gentle approach, which allows the client to integrate their learnings with the reality of their lives.
“This gives them the opportunity to take small steps into their new lives, whilst being able to come home to Beachwood and continue to have additional support early in their recovery. Whilst in Beachwood clients often attend our Transitions Day Program which further enhances their knowledge and experience of their new lives.”
Who is Beachwood suitable for?
- Those who have completed the South Pacific Private inpatient program
- Those who have completed an inpatient treatment program in another treatment centre and require emotional support as they take their first steps into their new life
- Those who are sober/abstinent from their addiction and require extra support
Program Snapshot
Attendance of our range of South Pacific Private Day Programs individually recommended by the clinical team, and includes:
- Daily attendance of local 12-step meetings and support groups
- Peer group community meetings each morning and evening
- Daily exercise and mindfulness activities
- 1:1 support worker meetings with a Beachwood Supported Living Support Worker
- Optional art therapy on Sundays
- House curfew is between 10pm – 6am daily
- This accommodation includes all board, meals and some services.
For a free, private and confidential discussion about whether you may benefit from a residential stay at Beachwood Supported Living, please phone us on 1800 063 332 or email us to find out more.
Healthcare professionals can also refer a client into Beachwood Supported Living.
Online Self-Assessments for Trauma, Mental Health and Addiction