aftercare

Leaving Treatment

April 29, 2018 // by Aton Center

When leaving treatment here at AToN Center we think of it as building a plan to protect your investment, your life. We begin planning for departure early on and think of all of the areas of life that need attention.

We look at the living situation, do residents need sober housing or is their current situation at home safe and supportive? Sober living homes can provide a safer transition back into the reality of life’s stressors and give support where one may need it.

Is it appropriate to follow up with Intensive Outpatient Programming? We refer to many outpatient programs in the area and outside the area to have continuity of care and follow up with addiction specific treatment for the next phase of recovery.

We encourage appointments to be scheduled prior to leaving AToN with outpatient providers such as Primary Care Physician, Psychiatrist, Individual Therapy, and Family Therapy when needed.

We look at whether or not someone may need other supportive providers such as Sober Coaching or Companions and Holistic Providers. Also considered is a weekly commitment to community meetings such as 12 Step, SMART Recovery, Refuge Recovery, or Lifering meetings.

We also offer Aftercare which includes weekly calls from clinicians, a weekly aftercare group meeting on Saturday, and other functions hosted by AToN Center.

We ask our residents to fill out a schedule outlining what a week at a glance will look like post treatment as often people struggle to transition back into life after treatment.

We believe that it is just as important, if not more, to maintain the work you are doing after residential treatment as the treatment is itself.

Stay on the Path, Enjoy the Journey

Kristin Colton, CADC II, CATC II
Addiction Counselor
AToN Center 888-535-1516

Structure

April 9, 2018 // by Aton Center

A theme many of our residents have been discussing over the past few months is the positive effect structure has had on their recovery. At AToN, our residents have a daily schedule, which is filled with recovery based activities.

Many have reported that they would love to create a daily schedule for themselves after discharge to mimic this structure that was instilled with them while they were residents at AToN. Here are some tips to help with structure:

1) Be realistic about how much you can complete in a day. Don’t fill your daily structure too heavily, but also don’t leave large gaps of unproductive time available. Balance is key here!

2) Fill your day with recovery based activities (IOP, therapy, community meetings), but also include time for exercise, stress management and sober socialization.

3) Take the time to plan your structure in advance, you can plan your day the night before, or you can plan each week in advance.

4) ADHERE TO YOUR STRUCTURE! We are so good at talking ourselves out of that recovery meeting, run, or sober outing. Remember, you will feel better when you adhere to your structured plan. You will find that once you take the first steps to go to that meeting, or go on that run, that you will likely end up being glad you did it in the first place.

5) Remember that your AToN Family is here to support you in your recovery – come to Aftercare on Saturdays and keep in touch with us!

AToN Center 888-535-1516

Drug & Alcohol Residential Treatment Aftercare

August 24, 2017 // by Aton Center

The work you do in treatment is significant and can be really deep and emotional work. Equally and often more imperative is what you do after treatment to maintain your sobriety. People tend to mistake the time after treatment for the easy part or the time where you let the hard work “carry you through” the rest of time.

This can be a dangerous and sometimes grave mistaken belief. When you leave treatment is truly where the rubber meets the road and life begins to challenge us in ways we can only hope to have prepared for. At AToN Center we begin working on Discharge planning early on in treatment and make recommendations for continued care for our residents to remain supported along the way.

We also offer Saturday Aftercare Groups and weekly calls to check in and assist when needed. The road of recovery does not end when treatment shifts, it is just the beginning of a new chapter. We wish you all a happy, healthy, amazing journey!

Namaste
Kristin Colton, CATC II
CD Counselor
AToN Center 888-535-1516

After Your Loved One or Friend Gets Out of Treatment

July 8, 2016 // by Aton Center

After your loved one or friend gets out of treatment, you’ll likely want to support him or her as much as possible. While there are many things you can do to ensure that you are not enabling your loved one, there are also more simple actions you can take to empower your friend and make their recovery walk just a little bit easier. So whether you’re an ally to coworkers, acquaintances, friends or family, follow these recommendations in order to best support people in recovery who are getting used to a new lifestyle in an often unfamiliar and challenging environment.

1. Dispel myths. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon to hear many misconceptions about people in recovery. Although almost every American is impacted by addiction in some way, we tend to act like it is something that only happens to other people. If you hear a falsehood about addiction or recovery, speak up! Some of the most common myths are: people in recovery don’t have fun, people in recovery cannot be trusted, addicted people cannot recover, people in recovery can relapse at any moment, and you can spot someone with an addiction just by looking at them.

2. Speak respectfully and with compassion about people with substance use concerns. Remember, they are people first. When we casually call someone a drunkard, junkie, alkie, stoner, cokehead, boozer etc., we can trivialize the seriousness of the situation and shame people at the same time.

3. Be open to doing activities with your loved one that don’t revolve around substance use. What can you both do together where alcohol is not the main focus? Having fun in early recovery is important for your loved one, and they need to know you support them. One great way to do that is to engage in healthy and fun recreational activities together.

4. Discuss drinking and using around them beforehand so they can make an informed choice. If you’re best friend is newly sober, be understanding if they opt out of attending your birthday party at a bar. They may just not feel comfortable doing so, and having your support will mean a lot. If you discuss a potentially risky event beforehand, they’ll be less likely to feel pressured and they’ll be able to clearly think through things and make a wise choice.

5. Don’t “out” them. Do not ever share your friend’s story without their permission. Addiction and recovery are very personal matters for many people, and it is up to them how they decide to disclose these things to outsiders. It is not your responsibility to do it for them.

6. If you don’t know, ASK! Everyone in recovery is unique and has their own preferences, desires and dislikes. Your loved one is not suddenly an alien just because they get sober! Ask them how they would like you to handle things in order to best support them, and just do the best you can.

In summary, there is a lot you can do to be helpful to your newly sober loved one. While it is true that people in recovery are responsible for their own choices, and in the end what they decide to do is outside of your control, you can still make their journey just a little bit easier by being a supportive force in their life. Remember, AToN is here to answer any questions you may have and we can connect you with support networks. Thankfully, you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Dr. Zucker
AToN Psychologist 888-535-1516

September 19, 2014 // by Aton Center

“One man has enthusiasm for 30 minutes, another for 30 days, but it is the man who has it for 30 years who makes a success of his life.” – Businessman Edward B. Butler

This is one of those quotes that really rings true for me. In recovery you often hear “take it one day at a time” and “stay in the moment”. Neither are bad mantras, but often times we need to challenge ourselves to look at the big picture. Recovery isn’t something that is won in a week or 30 days, or even a year for that matter. Like anything worth having, it requires constant work and effort. Recovery is definitely a marathon rather than a sprint. Although you can apply this to all areas of life, when talking about recovery we are always thinking aftercare. That’s why we stress follow up care, transitional or sober living, community support meetings and our aftercare meeting. While your sobriety doesn’t need to define you, it is crucial that it is constantly on your mind and something that you are continuing to work at.

And don’t forget, free weekly aftercare meetings are available for all AToN Center graduates, forever!

Dr. Sanders

Program Director

It’s Not Too Late

July 17, 2013 // by Aton Center

AToN Center grieves the loss of yet another life as a result of an ongoing battle with addiction. Actor Cory Monteith died from a lethal combination of heroin and alcohol, it was revealed on Monday. The Glee actor, who was found dead in his hotel room on Saturday at the age of 31, died from a ‘mixed drug toxicity, involving heroin and alcohol, according to authorities.

We are reminded all too often that the battle with addiction can lead to death when left untreated, or when a relapse occurs. It is imperative that both treatment providers, as well as friends and family involved with those who are fighting this battle, communicate the seriousness of what our loved ones are facing. AToN Center staff continue to remind our alumni about the importance of participating in consistent aftercare support, along with community support meetings, outpatient treatment, and when indicated sober living.

Please take comfort in knowing that you are not alone in your journey, and that whether you’ve completed treatment and are sober, or are still in your addiction, it is never too late…until it’s too late. We encourage you to reach out to trusted loved ones, as well as treatment professionals, in order to ensure you receive the attention you deserve!

Jessica Yaffa
Director of Referral
AToN Center 888-535-1516

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