Asheville, NC based Next Step Recovery is in the process of exploring new avenues for helping people suffering from addiction to reintegrate back into society with long-term and enduring success. While the vast majority of rehabilitation centers in the US focus on specific strategies to combat addiction, the Next Step Recovery team strongly believes that true progress can only be achieved by taking these programs a step further. To this end, they offer Extended Care, a program they assert will do more to help their patients break free of the hold addiction has on them.
According to Next Step Recovery, two key types of addiction program have to be understood before the full benefit of Extended Care can be effectively utilized. The first of these are Sober Living programs, which are meant to help their patients transition from intensive addiction treatment to independent living. The rehabilitation center warns, however, that it is vital for patients (or their families) to carefully examine every rehab aftercare program they come across before they commit to one. This is due to the fact that the people behind such programs may have ulterior priorities that do not thoroughly support the program’s supposed goal of sustainable sobriety. In turn, this can destabilize an individual’s life upon leaving rehab, especially since the mere process of locating a reliable Sober Living program can in itself be a stressful experience that adds unnecessary weight to the issues they are already attempting to address.
As the center explains, “Sober Living Homes, or SLH, provide continuing care after addiction rehabilitation treatments. These homes are also known as transitional living or recovery residence programs. Residents stay in a supervised recovery home. They share the goal of achieving full independence after proof of stable sobriety.” Such homes are intended for those who require more accountability and assistance in maintaining their sobriety, especially if they have recently undergone an intensive inpatient or outpatient program. These homes can also offer people a sense of structure and independence. Crucially, residents must already be free of drugs or alcohol to be admitted; their sober home is meant to help them maintain their sobriety. Other programs are required if they are currently under the influence.
On the other hand, those suffering from addiction may elect to undergo Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP). The center states, “Intensive Outpatient Programs provide part-time addiction recovery treatment. Also known as IOP or IOT, they provide post-detox therapy to guide clients through early recovery into sustainable sobriety. IOP treatments build life skills via onsite sessions. Unlike residential programs, however, clients live offsite.” IOPs, the center says, are primarily intended for those who are experiencing an emotional crisis due to their addiction that disrupts their ability to lead a normal life, be it at home, their place of employment or other social settings. IOPs can provide people the extra support they need to get through the early stages of their addiction recovery, which are notorious for being one of the most difficult parts of the journey. An integral aspect of IOPs is that participants are required to continue working, attending school or caring for family as they normally would. This means that IOPs are unsuitable for those who require inpatient services such as medical detox and so on—and they must be willing to attend and engage with all phases of the program.
“A lot of people come out of treatment centers in a pink bubble because they think everything is fine now, everything is great,” says Susan Stader, CEO of Next Step Recovery. She adds, however, that, “the bubble is definitely going to burst, and I’m going to be here when it does—because you can’t take that next leap into integrating into society without having a period of time where you can get your feet on the ground.”
Stader observes, “if you’re coming from an inpatient treatment center, you might not feel like it’s enough. And, quite honestly, I don’t know how 30, 60 or even 90 days is enough to treat an individual battling addiction.” As such, the center strives to treat each person on an individual basis, catering to their personal requirements. They do not believe a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach is adequate for people recovering from addiction.
It is for this reason that Next Step Recovery has pivoted to their new Extended Care program, which smoothly combines Sober Living with IOP with respect to each patient’s requirements such that their journey away from addiction receives the utmost support possible. Notably, the recovery center states that Sober Living programs and IOPs around the country have their own individual quirks and requirements, so patients or their families should investigate carefully to find one that suits them best. Next Step Recovery has similarly curated their own programs with great care, supported in part by the other activities they offer as well as the beautiful and reinvigorating environment of their home city, Asheville. These activities include high ropes courses, rafting, paintball and many more.
As such, interested parties are encouraged to contact Next Step Recovery’s customer service team to explore their diverse programs and amenities in greater detail, many of which are widely lauded for their engaging nature and variety. More information can be found on their website as well, and social media users may follow the center on their preferred platform to stay abreast of their latest news and announcements.
###
For more information about Next Step Recovery, contact the company here:
Next Step Recovery
(828) 350-9960
Next Step Recovery
900 Hendersonville Rd
Ste 203
Asheville, NC 28803
