JS Dickey

Review of Passages Addiction Treatment C...

I had never been to inpatient treatment before and...

I had never been to inpatient treatment before and was admitted with a dual diagnosis situation. I had a fairly serious medical condition and as a result began heavily self medicating. I have heard about lots of others experiences going to "rehab" and while I don't want to dis any treatment modality, because if it works for you then great, but knowing my personality type I did not want to go anywhere AA/NA was the focus.

Passages treated me as an individual and did not use a "cookie cutter" approach to its treatment paradigm. Also, I was very opposed to going anywhere which group therapy was part of the program. Passages was the closest to meeting those two criteria. My therapy consisted of approximately 80% one on one sessions and the balance were in small groups. In hindsight, some of my group sessions were of my favorites. In part the small groups gave my brain a chance to rest from intensive one on one therapy, but it afforded me an opportunity to get to know the other clients and what they were going through. This proved to be especially valuable when during off hours and interacting in the milieu I grew a bond with several of the other clients who I will consider friends for life.

I am sure that every type of group living a treatment situation has drama and issues - just like life and treatment was no different. However, if there ever was an issue or concern they were heard immediately. I have to say that everyone from the housekeeping and ground staff to the therapists, administration and even the entire extended Prentiss family, Chris, Lynn, Pax and Joe were always warm, engaging and really took a personal interest in getting to know me.

No one day at Passages was the same. After detoxing and getting in a routine, Passages made tremendous strides to assist me in re-engaging with reality for lack of a better word. I learned so much about myself I feel like I could write on for days about my experience. Having put myself through so much trauma by self medicating and feeling shell shocked when I arrived, I can say that gratitude is one of the words I would use in describing my experience at Passages.

From a counseling perspective, I had a primary pscho-therapist, an addiction counselor, a family therapist, a hypnotherapist, a life coach, massage therapist, an acupuncturist, an adventure therapy counselor and an art therapy counselor. My day started around 8 am for breakfast and depending on the day would have counseling from 8 am until noon, or 9 am until noon, each session lasting one hour and then four more one hour sessions after lunch. That was Monday - Friday. One day I could have a heavy psychotherapy session from 10-11 am and then a session with my private trainer from 11-12 which may have been a workout at its onsite fitness center, or a power walk on the beach. Again, no one day was ever the same. Things like equine therapy and art therapy were enjoyable but always had a therapeutic component and it worked very well.

There were many optional activities on the weekends as you "leveled up" through the program. As you progress through the program you also are allowed more freedom. At first when you get there, at least for me, I was pretty exhausted. But as time went on, I started doing the early morning beach walks, which are optional, and a small group would be driven a couple miles up the road to Zuma beach, and some days I would walk on the beach and other days I would sit and stare at the ocean and contemplate life and try to absorb the view. The whole approach at Passages is to help you transcend back to a place where being high or drunk is not your reality or where you reside, instead bring you back to residing where being substance free is your normal natural zone.

Passages was amazing for me - and regardless of where u go and if you need help - go somewhere - get help - it will be the best choice you ever make !!! i give passages all five stars!