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Our Approach to Recovery

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If you have had a negative experience with a rehab facility in the past, you may be skeptical — and concerned — about finding another one. After all, those experiences may have left you deeply discouraged about the effectiveness of treatment programs. How do you know if another treatment center’s staff will be kind or knowledgeable? How do you know if they will put your needs first, when other rehabs seem to have failed you and your loved ones?

At Skywood, our goal is to be deeply honest with you about the realities of treatment and recovery.

It is important to understand a treatment center’s approach to recovery — before you make the decision to go. This information will tell you what the program and staff can do for you. Here are some questions that are important to ask yourself about any rehab center:

  • How do they view addiction? How do they view the treatment of mental health issues? In other words, do they believe that addiction is fundamentally behavioral, or do they think it is a complicated condition with causes related to brain chemistry, mental health conditions, and/or personal trauma? Will they try to identify any underlying mental health conditions and treat them, or will they ignore those symptoms and only treat addiction?
  • How do they approach patients and families?  You should be treated with respect, compassion and courtesy throughout the entire process. You will experience the treatment center’s philosophy of customer service from the first phone call, even while they verify your benefits. If you’re not satisfied with that experience, you may want to move on.
  • What is their take on treatment methods? The information on a rehab center’s website should tell you how innovative or traditional its approach will be. What you’re reading there doesn’t plainly state the kinds of programs they offer and what each one can do for you or your loved one.
  • Are they transparent about how they work? Any materials you receive or see online, as well as your conversations with admissions coordinators, should transmit honesty and authenticity. Things that sound too good to be true often are, and your admissions coordinators should be up front with you about the hard work of recovery and the costs of treatment.

Skywood’s Approach to Recovery

At Skywood, our goal is to be deeply honest with you about the realities of treatment and recovery. Our parent company, Foundations Recovery Network, has defined specific principles about how we treat patients, co-occurring conditions, and the recovery process. Here are some defining tenets of our approach:

1. We believe in the scientific disease model of addiction.

While the use of substances may start out as a choice, addiction takes root in a way that affects a person’s biological and psychological makeup. Behavioral responses become symptoms in the chronic progression of an addictive disease, meaning that person will eventually lose his or her values, identity, and health for the sake of substances. Addiction stunts the brain’s ability to make rational decisions.

Much like cancer, addiction is a chronic condition with no real cure. It is treatable, but it may also reemerge after periods of remission. Experiencing the renewed symptoms of a chronic disease should not incite shame. It should inspire immediate action and support. We believe that every person can recover from the disease of addiction.

2. We focus on patient-centered care.

When patients win, we win. We are here to fight for the personal success of individuals and their families. We know how to assess each person’s readiness for change, and we are equipped to usher them along through each stage of recovery. Research has proven to us that out of all the methods, programs, and tools we could use, relationships are what matter most. Our relationships with patients and their families are what drive the programs and the transformational change that people experience.

3. We meet people where they are with acceptance and without judgment.

Counseling group hugJudgment clouds the recovery process. Shame, whether internal or external, hinders a person’s ability to get well. We know how important it is to accept people exactly as they are, without any commentary or opinions on where they’ve been or what they’ve done. What matters is embracing the reality of a person’s circumstances—understanding what needs to be addressed—and then focusing on his or her potential for an incredible future, which we believe is fully possible.

4. We have a core belief that everyone has the ability to recover.

We have helped helpless people and instilled hope in hopeless people. If you are still alive, you still have the capacity for change. We will put you in the best position possible to make the changes in your life that will sustain real healing. You can get well. You may have no idea what that looks like, but we’ve seen it before, and we believe you can recover. We believe in you, even if you don’t believe in yourself right now.

5. Internal changes proceed through various stages.

Recovery doesn’t happen all at once, and our program accommodates a person’s gradual stages of change. We have a level system that allows us to help each person along at specific points in their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual rehabilitation.

Many people aren’t even ready to change when they come to treatment. Did you know that this is a stage? It’s called “precontemplation.” We know how to work with people who aren’t even considering making changes in their lives just yet.

We can help you get started wherever you are. You don’t have to want to totally change your life to begin taking incremental steps toward a better future. But you may be surprised by how your goals could change as you continue.

6. Motivation is the key to change.

Treatment isn’t something that happens to you. It’s something that we work with you to do, because if you aren’t a partner in your own recovery, you won’t experience real life change. All of our staff are trained in Motivational Interviewing, a positive, therapeutic way of speaking and interacting that inspires people to create their own goals in recovery and move forward at their own pace.

Maybe your goals start out like this:

  • “I just don’t want to lose my career.”
  • “I don’t want my wife to take away the kids.”
  • “I don’t want to die. I’ve already overdosed in the past.”
  • “I want my mom to stop nagging me about my drinking habits.”
  • “I don’t want to go to jail.”

We can help you get started wherever you are in your journey. You don’t have to want to totally change your life to begin taking incremental steps toward a better future. But you may be surprised by how your goals could change as you continue.

Later down the road, your goals may become something like this:

  • “I want to get to a place where I can take up photography again.”
  • “I want to be healthy enough to keep up with my grandkids.”
  • “I’d like to help other people recover, too.”
  • “I want to reconcile with my husband and the friends I’ve hurt.”
  • “I’d like to write a book about my experiences.”

We can give you the tools and encouragement you need to get there. It’s your life and your recovery—and we’ll make sure that you have a firm foundation to build on.

7. Recovery is a long-term process.

When treatment ends, recovery is just beginning. You should feel supported and have communities to connect to when you or a loved one finishes a treatment program. During treatment, we work to create relationships that will sustain recovery for the long-term. We introduce people to 12-step or other peer support groups during treatment, and we encourage them to participate in meetings and sober activities once they leave. We also began a movement called Heroes in Recovery and a program called The Life Challenge to inspire, motivate and activate those who want to live healthy, fulfilling lives.

If you or a loved one is struggling with recovery, don’t waste time feeling previous treatment has failed.  Rather, it is a time to rally together and truly address what’s going on. The tools that someone has learned during treatment will give him or her the capability to retain or regain sobriety, but the support from family members and peers is critical. Recovery can be a bumpy, challenging road, and everyone should have help—and not judgment—along the way.

Want to Learn More?

If you want to know more about Skywood’s approach to recovery, contact us today. Our admissions coordinators will diligently listen to your situation and help you understand what kind of treatment may be helpful for you or your loved one. We can answer your questions and make sure that you find the right fit for your recovery. What matters is healing, and you can get well. Call, email, or chat with us today.