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Families & Recovery: What to Expect
Welcome to our family support page, where we aim to provide you with insight into what to expect while your loved one is in rehab. We understand that this journey can be challenging, but you are not alone.
Navigating Recovery Together
What to Expect on the Day of Admission
When you arrive at Bridging the Gaps with your loved one, you'll be warmly welcomed by the team you’ve been in touch with over the phone. Sue, Becky, and our friendly Golden Retriever, Rodie, will assist with the initial paperwork and help your loved one get settled. You'll have time to ask any last-minute questions before saying your goodbyes.
Afterward, your loved one will begin a full and engaging day, starting with an assessment and the development of their personalized treatment plan. They’ll also take a tour of our facility and meet their new peers and staff members. By the end of the day, their belongings will be moved to their new room, and they will settle in before heading out for a 12-step meeting and sharing dinner with their new community.
How long will my loved one stay in rehab?
The duration of treatment varies depending on the individual's needs and progress. Your loved one's treatment team will discuss the recommended length of stay and any adjustments that may be necessary. Research shows that clients who stay engaged in treatment for a longer duration have better long-term outcomes.
Do you offer visitation hours?
Yes we do. Visitation hours are 3 pm-5 pm on Saturday. You must attend the family education session on Wednesday night to be eligible for a Saturday visit. In our weekly virtual family education program, our family program coordinator, Gina Helveston, addresses important topics pertaining to the disease of addiction to help family members to better understand what their loved one is going through.
Will my loved one have access to their phone or internet?
There is no cell phone use or computer use in our first phase of treatment. Clients have access to a landline at the house to make a 15-minute call to family daily. In our second phase, clients are allowed to have their cell phones and computers after the clinical day.
Traveling the Recovery Journey Together
How to Support Your Loved One During Rehab?
Offer your unconditional love, encouragement, and support throughout their journey to recovery. Respect their privacy and boundaries, but remain available to listen and provide emotional support when needed. Engage in family therapy sessions if able, and educate yourself about addiction and the recovery process.
What a Typical Day Looks Like for Your Loved One
While staying at Bridging the Gaps, your loved one will engage in a structured schedule designed to support their recovery. They will participate in individual and group therapy sessions, where they will work through personal challenges and develop coping strategies. Additionally, they will attend educational workshops, 12-step meetings, and engage in therapeutic activities such as exercise and mindfulness practices. Each day is carefully planned to provide a balance of treatment, personal reflection, and community support to foster a holistic healing process.
During their stay in our residential program, residents spend their evenings cooking and sharing dinner together, engage in a 10th step process, attend a daily 12-step meeting, and have time for relaxation or completing homework. On weekends, they join additional 12-step meetings and take part in scheduled activities.
6:30 AM - 7:30 AM
Gym/Exercise
Exercise is crucial in rehab as it helps improve physical health, boosts mood, and reduces stress, which supports overall recovery. Additionally, incorporating regular physical activity can enhance mental clarity and build resilience, aiding in the development of healthier coping mechanisms.
8:00 AM
Morning Preparation
Clients begin their day by getting ready and enjoying a healthy hot breakfast, with the option of cold breakfast items to suit their preferences. They are assisted in learning how to prepare a balanced lunch to take to the office every day. Clients are taught the importance of preparing a healthy lunch daily, emphasizing the benefits of not relying on fast food or skipping meals throughout the day.
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Education
Our education program allows clients to learn more about the disease of addiction and develop cognitive and behavioral tools to avoid relapse, mend relationships, establish healthy habits in recovery, and strengthen their support network within the community.
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Therapeutic Process Group
Therapeutic Process Group are structured settings where individuals come together to explore and address their personal challenges and emotional issues with the guidance of trained counselors. These groups provide a supportive environment for members to share experiences, gain insights, and develop coping strategies while benefiting from the collective wisdom and empathy of the group.
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Lunch
1:05 PM - 2:05 PM
Community Group Therapy
Our Community Group Therapy sessions are structured educational meetings where individuals learn about psychological concepts, coping strategies, and therapeutic techniques. These sessions aim to provide participants with valuable information and skills to better understand and manage their mental health, support their recovery, and enhance their overall well-being.
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
Activity Group Therapy
Activity Group Therapy provides participants with an opportunity to engage in experiential activities such as art, music, movement, cooking, guided meditation practices and gardening to foster personalized integration of learning. Through the activity-based group process, participants gain greater insight into the nature of their addiction. They learn to recognize their personal strengths and assets that support their healing and realize they can rely on the power of community to aid in their recovery.
3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Accudetox/Meditation
Our Acupuncture Detoxification Specialists use Chinese acupuncture to alleviate withdrawal symptoms and promote relaxation by stimulating the body’s natural detox pathways. Acupuncture helps reduce cravings, ease physical pain, decrease anxiety, regulate emotions, manage stress, and improve sleep. Similarly, meditation is employed to manage stress, promote relaxation, reduce anxiety and depression, improve sleep, and enhance mental focus. BTG has long utilized meditation as a centering practice that fosters calm and well-being, benefiting clients recovering from addiction.
5:00 PM
Building Community and Personal Growth
Residential staff drive the clients to our sober-supported house, where clients work together to prepare a healthy and delicious meal. The community sits down to eat a family-style dinner, replicating a home-life atmosphere. During dinner time the community with do the 10th step together. This gives each client time to take a daily inventory of their behavior, admit any promptly wrongdoing and continue personal and spiritual growth. Clients are able to give feedback to one another, helping to build closer relationships and support each other's progress.
7:00 PM
Support Meetings
Our residential staff escort our clients to local AA or NA meetings in the community. Clients are encouraged to build a network of support and to find a local sponsor to assist them in their early recovery journey.
8:30 PM - 10:00 PM
Evening Routine: Connecting, Relaxing, and Reflecting
As clients wind down for the day, they are given the opportunity to make a 15-minute call to their loved ones. They can also use an additional 15 minutes to call their sponsor once they have obtained one. They also use this time to relax, watch some TV, read a book or work on any therapeutic assignment before going to bed.
Moving Through Recovery Together
Giving Your Loved One Time to Adjust
Giving your loved one time to adjust at rehab is crucial for their successful recovery. The initial days can be overwhelming as they adapt to a new environment, routine, and therapeutic process. Patience and understanding from family members can provide much-needed emotional support. Allow them the space to settle in, build trust with their care team, and start their journey towards healing at their own pace.
About Our Family Addiction Program
The Family Program at BTG
The family program at BTG aims to accomplish three ends: to educate family members on the disease of addiction, support family members as they work to heal relationships with their loved ones, and uplift family members as they continue to navigate their loved one’s new life in recovery. We accomplish these ends through three integrated yet distinct offerings: our family education program, our conjoint sessions, and our family aftercare program.
A common question we receive from family members at BTG is, “why can’t they just stop?” In our weekly virtual family education program, our family program coordinator, Gina Helveston, addresses important topics pertaining to the disease of addiction to help family members to better understand what their loved one is going through. Attendance at these weekly education sessions is required to visit your loved one on the weekend
Our family program provides opportunities for our clients and their loved ones to mend relationships and begin to understand each other better.
Family therapy for addiction aims to improve communication, increase understanding and empathy, and strengthen relationships within the family unit. It also helps family members learn how to support their loved one in recovery and cope with any challenges that may arise.
Conjoint sessions are scheduled when considered therapeutically appropriate. They include our family program coordinator and the client’s counselor in order to facilitate a healthy, productive dialogue where everyone feels heard and respected.
Healing from the Pain of Addiction
What is the Goal of the Family Program at BTG?
Walking the Path of Recovery Together
How to Take Care of Yourself While Supporting Your Loved One in Rehab
Caring for a loved one in rehab can be emotionally taxing, so it's essential to prioritize your own well-being. Seek support from friends, family members, or a therapist, and engage in self-care activities that promote relaxation and stress relief. Remember that you cannot control your loved one's recovery journey, but you can offer love, encouragement, and support along the way. Consider joining a support community such as Al-Anon or Nar-Anon.
Support Organizations
Find information on support organizations specifically for friends and family members of individuals struggling with drug and/or alcohol addiction. These organizations are valuable resources for education, guidance, and emotional support, helping members navigate the complexities of addiction and its effects on relationships and family dynamics.
Al-Anon
Al-Anon is a support organization for people who have been affected by someone else's drinking. It is designed for friends and family members of alcoholics and provides a fellowship of individuals who share their experiences, strengths, and hopes in order to solve their common problems. Al-Anon aims to help members understand the effects of alcoholism on their lives and offers strategies for coping with these challenges. Meetings are confidential and provide a non-judgmental environment for sharing and support. Al-Anon also emphasizes the importance of self-care and personal growth, encouraging members to focus on their own well-being while navigating the complexities of relationships affected by alcoholism.
Alateen
Alateen meetings are support gatherings specifically designed for young people, typically aged 13 to 18, who are affected by someone else's drinking. These meetings are a part of Al-Anon Family Groups and provide a safe, confidential space where teenagers can share their experiences, feelings, and challenges related to having an alcoholic family member or friend. Alateen meetings aim to help young people understand the effects of alcoholism on their lives and develop healthy coping strategies. In addition to emotional support and guidance, Alateen meetings also offer educational resources and activities that help teenagers learn about addiction, boundaries, and self-care.
Nar-Anon
Nar-Anon is a support organization for friends and family members of individuals who are struggling with drug addiction. Similar to Al-Anon, Nar-Anon provides a fellowship where members can share their experiences, strengths, and hopes in dealing with the effects of addiction on their lives. Nar-Anon meetings offer a supportive environment where participants can find understanding, guidance, and coping strategies while maintaining confidentiality. The organization follows a Twelve Step program adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) to help members recover from the impact of a loved one's drug addiction.
ACOA
ACOA (Adult Children of Alcoholics) is a support organization and twelve-step program designed for adults who grew up in families affected by alcoholism. ACOA provides a supportive environment where individuals can explore how their childhood experiences with alcoholic or dysfunctional family dynamics have affected their adult lives.
ACOA meetings are confidential and offer a non-judgmental environment where members can find support, guidance, and encouragement as they navigate their journey of recovery and personal growth.
CoDA
CoDA stands for Co-Dependents Anonymous. It is a twelve-step fellowship organization that provides support and resources for individuals who are working to overcome patterns of codependency in their relationships. Codependency is often characterized by excessive reliance on others for approval and a sense of identity, leading to dysfunctional behaviors and difficulties in setting boundaries.
CoDA meetings offer a safe and confidential space where members can share their experiences, challenges, and successes related to codependency.
Families Anonymous
Families Anonymous (FA) is a twelve-step fellowship designed to support family members and friends who are dealing with the impact of someone else's addiction, whether it be to alcohol, drugs, or other behavioral problems. The organization provides a space for individuals to share their experiences and receive support from others who are facing similar challenges.
Families Anonymous offers a supportive community for those seeking to improve their own lives while managing the complexities of addiction in their family or social circle.
Traveling the Recovery Journey Together
What happens after rehab?
Transitioning back to everyday life after rehab can be challenging. We support a gradual step-down approach through different levels of care. After residential treatment, clients can move to day treatment (Partial Hospitalization) and live in our supported sober living house, which offers additional freedoms and autonomy while maintaining necessary support. As clients progress, they can transition to Intensive Outpatient (IOP) or half-day treatment, staying involved with peers and starting part-time work, school, or volunteer opportunities. Our Continuing Care program, the final step, provides ongoing support, therapy, and community to help clients build a productive, sober life. We also recommend engaging in the 12-step community and working with a sponsor.
Supporting Each Other in Recovery
What If My Loved One Relapses?
Addiction is a chronic, progressive disease that involves compulsive use of substances or engagement in behaviors despite harmful consequences. Relapse can be part of the process of recovery. If a client relapses while engaged in services, our clinical team immediately steps in to support the client without judgment. We will work with a client to increase their level of care so that we can support them in re-establishing their sobriety and learning from the triggers that resulted in relapse. We do not automatically discharge clients upon use. Our passion is helping people build meaningful lives in recovery, and we will fight for our clients to keep working toward that goal.
Recommended Books
Recovery is Possible for Your Loved One
Our Holistic Treatment Methods for Addiction
Explore our comprehensive suite of holistic treatment methods designed to support a healthy recovery from addiction.
AA Meetings
Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) meetings follow a 12-step program that helps individuals develop coping mechanisms and strategies for managing their addiction in a healthy way.
AcuDetox
Acudetox (auricular detoxification) is a therapeutic technique that involves the application of acupuncture or acupressure to specific points on the ear to help detoxify the body and calm the nervous system.
Amino Acid Therapy
Amino Acid Therapy uses specific amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins, to help regulate brain chemistry and alleviate cravings and other discomfort associated with addiction and early recovery.
Group Education
Group education allows clients to learn more about the disease of addiction and develop cognitive and behavioral tools to avoid relapse, mend relationships, and establish healthy habits in recovery.
Group Psychotherapy & Individual Sessions
Group psychotherapy is a small group of clients, led by a trained clinician, who come together to share their struggles, emotions, and experiences. Individual sessions allow clients to work with their assigned counselor to explore these themes further. Together, these approaches foster connection, mutual support, and deeper self-awareness while providing tailored strategies for personal growth and healing.
Polyvagal Theory
Polyvagal Theory explores how the autonomic nervous system influences emotional regulation, social connection, and stress responses. The theory identifies everyone has three primary states: the safe and connected "ventral vagal" state, the mobilized, fight-or-flight "sympathetic" state, and the immobilized, shutdown "dorsal vagal" state. Trauma can wire our brain for survival versus connection. Understanding these states can help individuals and clinicians address trauma, improve self-regulation and connection, and foster resilience in therapeutic settings.
Nutrition Education
Nutrition education teaches our clients the importance of a healthy and balanced diet, as well as how certain foods can impact their physical and mental health. It also addresses the specific dietary needs of those struggling with addiction, such as vitamin deficiencies or food sensitivities that may contribute to cravings and relapse. By learning to make mindful food choices, clients can support their recovery, improve energy levels, and foster overall well-being as part of a holistic approach to healing.
Brainspotting
Brainspotting is a therapeutic approach that identifies, processes, and releases emotional pain and trauma stored in the body and brain. Developed by Dr. David Grand, it uses a client’s eye position to locate "brainspots," which are linked to unresolved trauma or distress. By focusing on these spots in a safe, supportive setting, clients can access deeper emotional processing, facilitating healing and greater self-awareness. Brainspotting is particularly effective for individuals struggling with trauma, anxiety, addiction, and other emotional challenges.
Learn What Sets Us Apart
The BTG Difference
Treatment Outcomes
We are devoted to helping our clients get better. Our program is built on the premise of continuing improvement to maximize efficacy, and we consistently evaluate and adapt our methods to ensure the highest standards of care and success.
Roots of Addiction
In order to create a healthy, sustainable recovery from drugs and alcohol, it is important to address the root cause by rebalancing brain chemistry, utilizing comprehensive psychotherapy, implementing proper nutrition, and nourishing one’s spirituality.
Long-Term Care
Our long-term continuum of care allows our clients to progress through our program at a pace that fits the severity of their disease, allowing them adequate time to heal that is unique to their individual situation.
Sober Living
Our supportive sober living allows clients to reintegrate into society safely, allowing them to utilize their newly-acquired life skills and coping mechanisms in everyday situations as they continue to benefit from a sober community.
Individualized Care
The manifestation of the disease of addiction is unique to each individual, so their treatment experience should be, too. Our program is highly personalized to address the therapeutic needs of each client, allowing them to be seen, heard, and understood as a unique individual, not a number.
Client Testimonials
Read what our clients have to say about us
Helping Families NavigateAddiction Together
At BTG we form a family. You are never alone; we will always support you and your loved one. We are always just a call away.
Addictions We Treat
From Residential Treatment to Partial Hospitalization, We Have You Covered
Insights for Your Recovery Journey
Explore our latest blog articles on addiction treatment, mental health, and holistic recovery strategies.
Insurance
Your Addiction Treatment Could Be Covered
If you do not see your provider listed, please contact us to learn more about obtaining coverage. We do not accept Medicaid at this time.
Contact Us
Reach Out to Us
We welcome you to call our Admissions Director, Sue Dennis, at (540) 535-1111 to discuss admitting yourself or a loved one fortreatment. However, if you would first like us to verify your insurance, use this form or get in touch via phone or email.