Many high-quality residential addiction treatment centers set goals for their clients far beyond getting off drugs and alcohol. By offering superior treatment at every level of care including primary care, extended care, and outpatient care, these facilities support individuals from the start of recovery until they have adjusted to life outside of rehab. In some cases, drug rehab programs offer transitional programs that not only return recovering addicts to regular life but help them build a future brighter than they'd ever imagined.

One of these comprehensive, full-service programs is The Rose of Newport Beach, a residential addiction treatment center for women located right on the beach in Southern California. As a member of the prestigious Sober Living by the Sea family of drug rehab facilities, The Rose offers individuals suffering from addiction and co-existing mental health issues the full spectrum of care, helping them return to life sober and with a new sense of direction and purpose.

Primary Care in Addiction Treatment

The first 30 days of treatment in drug rehab generally includes detox, intensive individual and group therapy, and 12 Step meetings. At The Rose, these traditional treatments are just the beginning. Experiential and alternative therapies and sober activities also play an important role. Pilates is offered at a private studio minutes away from the retreat, and residents enjoy tai chi, meditation, art therapy, and beach walks, in addition to sailing off the coast, surfing, shopping, and trips to local amusement parks, nearby zoos, museums, and art festivals.

The recovery program at The Rose is divided into two phases. Phase one is highly structured and focused on identifying issues and committing to treatment through intensive therapy. Through educational and therapeutic sessions, patients learn about the disease of addiction, identify triggers for substance abuse, and create a plan for lifelong recovery. In order to help nurture a trusting relationship with each client, members of the staff are onsite 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Phase two allows clients more freedom to explore their interests and their purpose in life. "Most recovering addicts feel they've lived through the torture of addiction for a reason, that they have some important purpose to serve," says Tanya Desloover, MA, CADC-II, case manager and marriage family therapy intern at The Rose. "We hone in on finding that purpose during phase two by providing life coaches and career testing to all of our clients. Recovering addicts need something to get lit up about in life. Giving up drugs creates a space in their lives that has to be filled. If they don't replace their passion for drugs or alcohol with a new passion, they will almost certainly start using again."

In addition to addressing drug and alcohol addiction, The Rose specializes in identifying and treating other issues such as trauma, grief and loss, depression, sex/love addiction, low self-esteem, co-dependency, and co-occurring disorders. Patients at The Rose receive a thorough mental health assessment and an optional cutting-edge brain scan that can help the addiction experts verify the presence of an underlying mental illness.

Reintegrating Into the Community: Extended Care Programs

For many recovering addicts, 30 days of treatment isn't sufficient to become firmly grounded in their sobriety. Many opt to enroll in an extended care program that is a "step down" from primary care, where they can continue to work the 12 Steps with a sponsor and participate in therapy sessions, workshops, and meetings. Rather than transferring to a different program for extended care, Sober Living by the Sea has created a network that allows patients to remain living in a comfortable home in Newport Beach while receiving ongoing support.

"Some of our clients don't want to leave after only a month or two of treatment," states Desloover. "They have a lot of anxiety around meeting new people and working the 12 Steps on their own. Extended care provides an immense service to these women, allowing them to return to regular life gradually and with the support they need to make a seamless transition."

During the Sober Living 90-day residential extended care program, clients are gradually given more freedom to live independently, re-join the broader community, and test their new skills. They have computers and cell phones and are free to ride their bikes on the beach and participate in community activities.

"In extended care, clients still have lots of structure and support, but we give them enough freedom for them to see how vulnerable they are," explains Desloover. "Research shows that the most effective way to handle relapse is to identify the problem early on and resume treatment immediately. At home, relapse can be crushing. But if clients are still under our care, we can pick them up, work with them, and transition them to and from different levels of care until they are firmly grounded in their sobriety."

Investing in the Future: Transitional Work and School Programs

After individuals in recovery explore new interests and hobbies and begin meeting people in the community, the next step is to create a plan for the future. Sober Living by the Sea also offers transitional work programs and college programs for residents of its facilities. While receiving treatment, women at The Rose can work and earn college credits through the "T.E.A.C.H." program, a groundbreaking educational program that allows recovering addicts to attend classes at local colleges in Southern California. Students receive transcript assistance, career guidance, academic counseling, tutoring, monitored study sessions, and transferable college credits.

The T.E.A.C.H. college program helps students at all academic levels, from high school to college and even advanced degree programs. In addition to earning college credit, students are required to attend daily 12 Step meetings, relapse prevention classes, and workshops to assist them in developing sober leisure skills and healthy college friendships. In a supportive environment, participants in these transitional programs learn to cope with the stresses of work and school that could threaten their program of recovery.

"The T.E.A.C.H. program is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for recovering addicts who wish to continue their education or go back to school," says Desloover. "Though it can be a challenge for them to get up and get to school on time, do their school work, and complete their course of study, they have ongoing support and encouragement from a team of professionals they know and trust."

During treatment for addiction, some remarkable things happen. For one, individuals reclaim their lives from the ravages of drugs and alcohol. In addition, some individuals discover a passion for helping other addicts. Others may return to school or become interested in a new career path. Whatever course recovery takes, it is done with purpose and a belief that from this day forward, life can be what you choose to make it, rather than what it has been.

Resource: The Rose rehab in Newport Beach