It can be difficult to stay motivated after treatment ends. When motivation lags, it’s helpful to have a community of like-minded people to turn to for support and help. A support system and sober community are important resources for everyone in recovery, whether they are in treatment or have graduated from one of First Steps Recovery’s programs. First Steps Recovery provides clients with the recovery alumni program to achieve this necessary level of support.
The recovery alumni program at First Steps Recovery provides all clients with this close-knit, sober community to participate in post-treatment. Continuing to be supported by a group of people who have a solid and personal understanding of the recovery process is important in providing hope, safety, and a healing environment. Clients are welcomed and encouraged to take advantage of the alumni program at First Steps Recovery to promote an ongoing substance-free life.
What Is the Recovery Alumni Program at First Steps Recovery and How Can One Benefit From the Program?
The alumni program at First Steps Recovery brings together a community of clients who have graduated from their program at the facility. While in treatment, clients often form bonds with others in their program or residence. The alumni program takes these connections a step further.
Alumni come together for meetings, events, and other resources specific to the First Steps community. All members of this program reinforce the importance of sobriety. The alumni program is a good way to form connections with previous residents as well as strengthen bonds with peers one had during treatment. Alumni can take advantage of workshops, group sessions, and graduate treatment. These resources are available to help clients achieve long-lasting sobriety and feel comfortable post-treatment in recovery.
Learning to socialize with others without using drugs is important in recovery. Clients sometimes lose this skill because of their substance use disorder (SUD). Fortunately, the recovery alumni program helps clients relearn these skills and form healthy bonds with others while offering motivation to remain sober post-treatment. People have found this community to be a significant help in maintaining long-term sobriety.
The Importance of a Community in Recovery
Having a community in addiction recovery can provide members with a sense of hope. While recovery is self-directed, the overarching goal of recovery is to construct a healthier quality of life through sobriety. This can be often difficult to achieve by oneself. Therefore, it is important to be surrounded by others who share the same values, goals, and expectations. This lends itself to having a sense of hope.
Likewise, being surrounded by a community that understands on a personal level the struggles of addiction is comforting and supportive. Being surrounded by this community offers hope and motivation that assists with overcoming setbacks. These supportive alumni also encourage other members to practice healthy habits to overcome challenges. This is important because learning from others is an aspect of recovery. Practicing new habits learned from others can help ensure a healthy lifestyle moving forward.
Having a community of people who understand and can provide empathy is also important when a person is struggling. Similar to learning different ways to approach recovery, this community can provide others with an outlet. Being able to talk about one’s feelings and thoughts instead of keeping them locked away is important. People who have a community like this tend to feel less alone, more hopeful, and more supported with empathy and ideas when times get tough.
How Can a Recovery Alumni Program Support One After Recovery?
A recovery support system is important because, after treatment, clients have a high possibility of relapse. Though relapse is not something to be ashamed of, preventing relapse should be of utmost importance in order to continue persevering in recovery.
Recovery facilities such as First Steps Recovery provide clients with a social system directly linked to the recovery process. Engaging with alumni during and after recovery can support an ongoing sober lifestyle. This group shares the same values and goals, encouraging each other to navigate a healthier, sober life. Though one’s personal, external support system is crucial to the recovery journey, a group of alumni can personally relate to the struggles of recovery. This is a different community that is equally as important.
At First Steps Recovery, the team emphasizes the importance of this community. Providing all clients with a safe space to recover and heal even after treatment is over is important to the staff. This is why staff also try to stay in touch with clients through the alumni program. Promoting long-term recovery and sobriety is prioritized by the team at First Steps Recovery. The alumni program continues to offer this safe and secure space for all clients after treatment.
Here at First Steps Recovery, we offer clients to chance to join the alumni program after their treatment ends. The alumni group provides a sense of hope, security, and safety in a healing environment. Having this community is important post-treatment as many clients are at risk of relapse. A sense of hope and being able to talk to others in recovery is equally as significant as having a personal, external support system. Clients post-treatment can take advantage of group sessions, treatments for graduates, and workshops to promote a healthy quality of life. It is also a good way for clients to continue their connections made during treatment. To learn more about the alumni program, please call us at (844) 489-0836.
