As much as everyone would like recovery from drug and alcohol addiction to be quick and easy, the reality is that it’s a series of steps and you can only take one at a time. Such is the case for our day treatment program here at Alpine Recovery Lodge. Day treatment (or as it is also known, PHP), is step two of a three-step drug and alcohol addiction treatment program. It allows those in our recovery program to use the skills they learned in residential treatment in a less-structured environment, but with the support and stability they have been used to receiving. It’s exciting for our therapists and other practitioners to see our clients move from the initial stage of drug and alcohol addiction treatment into this stage with more freedom and accountability.
Our clients begin their drug and alcohol treatment program with us with a stay at our inpatient treatment center. It is there they move through detox and tackle the initial stages of drug and alcohol rehab. Detox is a big first step. It can be physically grueling and once you come out on the other side, you must learn how to live without your drink or drug of choice. The reason so many people choose our residential recovery center is because this stage can be so difficult to undertake on your own, without the support of learned professionals.
Those who go through our inpatient detox and rehab program learn the value of therapy. Individual therapy helps you identify areas of your life where you have struggled and teaches you how to cope with the fallout from past events and disappointments, eventually learning to replace destructive behaviors with constructive ones. This is one of the reasons we encourage our clients to participate as fully as possible in experiential therapy — to give them a useful outlet for safely expressing emotions that they can depend on for life. Whether you favor playing music, writing poetry, painting or another engaging in another creative pursuit, you can turn to this activity in times of stress and uncertainty.
It is common for people who have worked though a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program to seem to replace one obsession with another, be it running, writing, cooking, cleaning, meditation or another new activity. While you want to be safe and flexible in your life whenever possible, it’s good to be aware that others may try to suggest you are devoting too much time and energy to your new passions post-rehab, but you will know that these activities are infinitely preferable to the alcohol or drugs you were once addicted to.
Once you complete our residential treatment program and enter our PHP or day treatment program, you will attend therapy sessions and participate in other recovery-centered activities five to six days a week from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. After 2:30, you are free to return home and engage in meaningful and social activities such as cooking and eating dinner, watching TV with your family, playing with your children or attending their games and activities, or just relaxing in your own home. It is important to note that while many of our clients enjoy the transition to returning home, not everyone is ready for it, and you have the option of remaining a resident of our Utah rehab facility through this stage.
While you are onsite at the day treatment program, you will participate in at least one individual therapy session a week and one family session. You will take part in morning and afternoon sessions, with the focus being on education and relapse prevention. Therapy sessions in day treatment are important to reinforce the skills you have been working on, to continue delving into the source of your struggles and to rebuild your relationship with your family members. During this time, you will also receive support from your case manager with navigating your new life, which may include help creating a resume and finding new employment. Our job is to help you get clean from your drug or alcohol addiction, but it doesn’t stop there. The challenges of daily life can be stressful, and getting support can mean the difference between continued success and relapse.
Additionally, clients in the day treatment program will meet weekly with our staff doctor and nurses. This is important not just to help ensure your continued health, but also to manage any medications you might be taking. Oftentimes when clients come to us seeking a residential drug treatment facility, they receive a dual diagnosis during the initial stages of treatment. This might be depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD or another mental health condition. These underlying mental health conditions are often at the root of the client’s struggles with drug and alcohol addiction, and treating them greatly improves the odds of success. Whether our medical doctor prescribes an antidepressant, anti-anxiety medication or a mood stabilizer, continued monitoring until your condition stabilizes is crucial.
The final step in our program is the intensive outpatient program or IOP. It is structured much like the day treatment program, but on a decelerated scale. Attendance starts at five days per week and gradually tapers to three. Hours are shorter as well — 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Only one therapy session per week is included; the client is allowed to choose between individual or family therapy. You will still have access to your case manager to help you with your adjustments to your new life, but medical oversight will no longer be required unless necessary.
Those clients who stay at our residential drug treatment center come to love the warm and welcoming surroundings. Our well-appointed lodge was built with floor-to-ceiling windows that afford stunning views of the Wasatch Range. Appreciating nature and spending time outdoors are keys not just to recovering from drug and alcohol addiction, but also to living a healthy lifestyle filled with peace and gratitude.
Clients who transition to the day treatment program and IOP appreciate that they still have some access to the meals prepared by our celebrated chef. Even those who enjoy cooking like being served these delicious, nutritious, artfully presented meals.
The transition to day treatment is a big step. Many people struggling with drug and alcohol addiction wish they could skip the residential treatment program and move straight to day treatment, but we know from experience that this isn’t the way to recover from drug and alcohol addiction. It’s hard — we know it’s hard, and that’s why we created our inpatient treatment facility: to help you get your life back. We’re just a phone call away, and we’ll be here when you’re ready.
Alpine Recovery Lodge
