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The Best Christian Program

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A true Christian program is one that addresses the whole person; body, soul, and spirit.  At New Life Spirit Recovery after completion of detox we focus on emotion healing, spiritual growth and maturity, and relationship with God, self, and others.

Since we are currently facing an opioid/opiate epidemic crisis in the United States, I’ll use heroin and Oxycontin as examples.  Let me start by saying that all detox facilities, and approaches are not created equal.  Any addict will tell you it’s all about the meds in detox.  A typical medical opiate detox will use medications to alleviate the symptoms associated with opiate withdrawal.  The most widely used medication for this type of detox is Suboxone. This medication will prevent the addict from experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms because of the way it works on receptors affected by opiate abuse.  That’s the simple explanation. Here is where we come to a fork in the road.  Some believe maintaining the addict on Suboxone is effective because it prevents cravings.  Others believe it’s best to use Suboxone as a short-term detox medication. The problem with maintaining a patient on Suboxone is that all that’s happened is the patient goes from being addicted to Heroin to having a Suboxone dependence which has similar withdrawal factors.

We believe the best course of action for an opiate detox is to use Suboxone as it was intended, as a short-term titrate protocol to get the patient through the initial detox symptoms.  Once the detox protocol is complete Suboxone is discontinued.  Now we enter the post-acute withdrawal phase. This is time when the addict is both physically and emotionally sensitive. It’s critical the client begin phase two of treatment, which is when counseling, groups and classes begin.

Once the detox phase of treatment is complete, it’s time to go to work in the area of soul.  This can be a dangerous place if additional treatment is not implemented right away.  At this point in the recovery process, the soul is emotionally sensitive and the body is physically sensitive. If the treatment process is discontinued at this stage the client will most likely begin to seek comfort by returning to old habits. If the true comforter, Jesus, is not introduced into the equation, the addict will eventually gravitate back to what they used in the past to help deal with life’s challenges.

The soul is comprised of at least three parts that we are aware of; the mind, emotion, and our God given- free will. The mind is where our thoughts live, our emotions are an expression of our feelings, and our free-will is evidenced in our behaviors by the choices we make. All three parts were designed to function in sync and are driven by our belief systems. Without a doubt, what we choose to believe will eventually affect the way we think, feel, and act.

At New Life Spirit Recovery, we approach addiction and chemical dependency as symptoms, not the problem.  They are manifestations of something much deeper going on than what can be physically seen.  The manifestation is not the problem but becomes part of the problem when the roots are left undealt with.  Our Biblically-based counseling process is designed to deal with the rooted issues underlying substance abuse. Using Biblically-based principles we guide our clients through a process of exploring what they believe to be true about God, themselves, the world they live in, and how to function in relationships in a healthy way.  In treatment, clients also revisit and properly process through the events in their life that were painful, negative, and traumatic. These are the things that were done to them by others, and the things they did to themselves and others.  With the Bible as the authority, we explore, with the client which of their beliefs are rooted in God’s Word, and which are flaming arrows, lies (fiery darts) shot straight from the pits of hell.  With the counselor as the guide and Jesus Christ in the center as the true comforter, the client goes on a journey of self-discovery and soul-searching, dispelling the lies and replacing them with the truth of God’s Word.

The third component of treatment at New Life Spirit Recovery includes not just the counseling process but also intensive Christ-centered curriculum, Bible studies, workshops, and church services. The curriculum is closely linked to the therapeutic process as this is where the clients learn the principles that are applied in the counseling room. Through a variety of classes and workshops the client learns about God’s perspective on subjects like anger, forgiveness, denial, strongholds, and codependency.  Coming into a relationship with Christ in an intimate way where He becomes the True Counselor and Comforter is the goal. Confessing sin to Christ results is instant forgiveness, but the effects of sinful behavior still need to be dealt with, and that requires a healing process. James 5:16 makes it clear that we need each other for prayer and soul “healing”.  Through the process the client begins to experience the true freedom, peace and joy that only comes from Jesus.

 

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7 Things a Man Needs in Treatment

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7 Things A Man Needs For Successful Treatment

Men are created with unique and specific needs. When searching for a Christian drug and alcohol treatment program, understanding the needs of men specifically is vital to the long-term success of the program. What specifically should you look for when searching for a program?

#1. Understand a man’s greatest need is respect.

Understand a man’s greatest need is respect.

A man has been wired to desire and need respect. In fact, respect is the greatest expression of love a man can receive. By his very nature, a man looks to be respected for his competency in his position as an employee, husband and father. He wants to know that at a core level that he has worth – and that the people around him believes in what he is accomplishing. A man feels disrespected when his authority is negated or defied, his decisions are met with criticism or rejection, or when he feels controlled or “mothered” rather than lovingly submitted to. When a man doesn’t feel respected, he feels unloved…and that hurts. So he turns to something that will take the pain of rejection away such as alcohol or drugs. Even if the man has lost the respect of others, his need for it doesn’t disappear and he needs the opportunity by others around him to regain it. At New Life Spirit Recovery, we help our men clients connect with the love of God so they can regain respect for themselves and rebuild respect with others.

#2. Understand a man’s need to be productive.

Understand a man’s need to be productive.

God has commissioned man to work by the sweat of his brow (Gen. 3:19). So, deep within the soul of man is the need to be productive with his life. When a man isn’t working for a significant amount of time, he will feel unproductive and run the risk of falling into depression and he begins to lose his sense of purpose. The longer a man perceives himself as being “unproductive” or loses his sense of purpose, the deeper depression and hopelessness sets in. This can literally kill a man. When a man retires from the workforce, unless he has a hobby or is involved in meaningful volunteer work, it is not uncommon for the man to become very sick or even die a few years after retirement. This is why one of the reasons for addiction among men is their loss of vocation, identity and purpose. We attempt to help our male clients to discover that God is our identity and purpose giver and that we are not what we do, but rather who we are to God that He loves. Then as God’s identity and value dwells within us, what we produce moving forward in life will have eternal purpose and rewards, not just earthly ones.

#3. Understand a man’s need to feel and communicate.

Understand a man’s need to feel and communicate.

We have been taught from a very young age that, “Big boys don’t cry!”. We grow up learning to bury our feelings. Then we grow up as men suppressing our feelings with the inability to effectively communicate what we feel. The reason we have feelings and emotions is because God has feelings and emotions and we were created in His image. Feelings were never meant to be held in or sedated…they were meant to be expressed. We help our men clients to connect with their feelings and effectively communicate them. If we don’t engage our feelings and learn how to communicate what we feel, those feelings will come out whether we want them to or not…usually in unhealthy and destructive behaviors such as addiction. It isn’t easy for most men to start feeling after years of not feeling and to start effectively communicating these feelings without some assistance…and this is what we help our men clients with at New Life Spirit Recovery. What’s so exciting is that once that treasure chest of emotions is opened, the treasures inside are improved physical, emotional and spiritual healing, less internal stress and thriving relationships.

#4. Understand a man’s need for emotional intimacy

Understand a man’s need for emotional intimacy

From a very young age, men are taught to avoid appearing weak at all costs. Perceived “weakness” includes things like complaining, divulging fears or concerns, and expressing self-doubt or worry. A man’s partner is his safe space to fall. He needs to feel that he can expose the cracks in his armor and know that his partner is there to help him heal. A man needs to make sure that when he first cries in front of his wife or girlfriend, that she won’t be repelled or handle it poorly. If he is pushed away or is unable to be nurtured when he needs it the most, he will no longer trust his loved one with his emotions. He will remove himself somewhat from the relationship, or he will attempt to find another friend who won’t push him away like alcohol or drugs. In this instance, both partners lose…he goes on silently suffering and believing that he is flawed in his imperfection, and she is held at arm’s length emotionally or even physically. Ultimately, it is our intimacy with God that will allow us to stand in our weaknesses, acknowledge and embrace them, and with all humility allow God’s strength and His loving perspective of who we are to Him to get us through all of life’s struggles.

#5. Understand a man’s need for praise and approval.

Understand a man’s need for praise and approval

Men have very tender egos. We need frequent reassurance about ourselves, our career paths, our importance as partners and our attractiveness. A man loves to hear what exactly his partner finds attractive about him just as much as a woman does. A man periodically needs to be told by his partner what she loves so much about him. He likes to hear when he is told how attractive he is when he says something a certain way, when he accomplishes something, or when he does something unexpected or out of his comfort zone. If the client is not married or the client’s spouse in unable or unwilling to give the praise and approval that man desires, we attempt to help them connect with God at such an intimate level that they find contentment in the love, praise and approval of their Heavenly Father.

#6. Understand a man’s need for physical touch.

Understand a man’s need for physical touch.

Men do desire and need frequent non-sexual touch. If a man’s partner comes up behind him and touches his neck and hair in a loving way while he sits absorbed in a task, he experiences a sense of closeness, acceptance and approval. This touch is interpreted as physical love. The message he feels is…“I love you, and I want you to feel happy all the time. Know that I’m always here for you and I care for you deeply.” Gary Smalley a Christian Marriage and Family Counselor says that the average person needs eight significant touches a day in order to feel loved and accepted.

#7. Understand a man’s need for space.

Understand a man’s need for space.

Suffocating a man (either by failing to allow him free time, or with overly jealous behavior, or trying to work his program for him when he comes home from rehab) is the fastest way to stress out or even destroy a relationship. Men need breathing room. We need time for our hobbies, time with our healthy friends, and time to plunk away on our projects to feel fulfilled. God is a God of freedom…not of control. God is freedom because freedom lives in love and God is love. God gives us the freedom to love or to hate, to obey or disobey, to accept or reject…and He gives us this freedom because He loves us. But He does not give anyone (including Himself) the freedom to control anyone. To do so would violate the first gift He gives us…free will. In our Family Program, we meet with the family members of our clients to help them through their hurts and offenses as the result of living with addiction in the home. We also prepare the family members how to receive and relate with the client when he comes back home so that there can be a level of accountability without slipping into a “control” mode.

 

At New Life Spirit Recovery, we believe a man’s true identity is found in Jesus Christ. Learning to embrace the design of a man is a deeply rich and purposeful journey. If you know someone who needs help, please don’t hesitate to get help today! Learn more about the clinical activities we use to take a man out of bondage and into freedom in Christ. Call us at 866.543.3361 or learn more about our treatment program by clicking here.

 

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7 Things a Woman Needs in a Treatment Program

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Women are created with unique and specific needs. When searching for a Christian drug and alcohol treatment program, understanding the needs of women specifically is vital to the long-term success of the program. What specifically should you look for her when searching for a program?

#1. Understand a woman’s greatest need is love.

There is no greater need than for a woman to feel loved. With it, she will flourish and thrive; but without love, she will struggle with gut-level fear, insecurity and emptiness. Drugs or alcohol have become counterfeit methods of filling that need for love.

Most woman have struggled with love in human relationships, and don’t know how to receive love from God. They may harbor hurts from the past that continue to affect their understanding of love here and now.

Woman’s Greatest

Through treatment, a woman’s capacity to give and receive love is explored. By offering her a stable and loving environment, she begins to hear about God’s love through testimonies, and sees it modeled by those around her.

Despite what any modern medication or modalities may tell you, receiving God’s love and learning to love others is the beginning of all forms of redemption. It lies at the heart of all healing.

 

#2. Understand the power of honor and forgiveness.

Statistics prove that women are the ones most negatively stigmatized by addiction. Addiction can lead to many other unhealthy behaviors involving sexuality, negative parenting, failed relationships and career loss. This induces a profound level of shame. Once shame is rooted in a woman’s heart, she will operate through performance, or use addiction to check out altogether.

Women that live by shame either succumb to failure, or overly compensate through perfectionism. In either case, this shame will plummet her to the depths of despair, only provoking her to use drugs or alcohol even more.

Honor is the method God uses to usurp the power of shame. It ascribes value to her, and removes the toxicity of her self loathing. This honor comes with the power of the cross – it is not something that can be merited, but something that is received by grace. Grace is the most important ingredient needed to promote her into her true destiny. Thus, it is the central ingredient necessary for a woman to prosper in a drug and alcohol program. While sin needs to be addressed, grace is where the remedy is applied.

Seek a program where true honor can be found – it will be her lifeline.

 

#3. Understand her need to be validated.

Women are created for intimacy and connection. They need the connection of other females who empathize and understand what they are going through. A woman being heard and understood has incredible therapeutic benefit. It will ignite comfort and confidence in her capacity to share and to find the safety to heal.

At New Life, women are immersed in conversation that reveal the heart. They are seen, known, and validated. And they are taught that in God’s eyes, they are given that same compassion and attention. It is amazing how many women believe their needs don’t matter. For her to comprehend she is worthy of being heard will lead to unthinkable benefits.

 

#4. Understand her need for self-care.

Women have pressure for beauty and youthfulness. In fact, many women enter programs with disordered eating and unhealthy dietary practices simply because they feel bound by the pressure of society. On the other hand, women can give up self care in the busyness and pressures of life, leaving her vulnerable to many other health conditions.

Need for Self Care

Self care isn’t just about eating – it’s about a mindset of self love. She must understand that her body is precious and deserves adequate care and rest. At New Life, we instruct healthy principles for eating and diet to allow a practical application of this principle.

 

#5. Understand her need to feel.

Women are created with a deep capacity to feel. In the healing process, emotions need to be tapped into and drawn out. A woman’s ability to feel and to grieve pain and loss will get her in touch with her true self.

Addiction clogs the heart and places false coverings over those places of hurt and injury. Through the sacred healing process, these walls are broken down and her vulnerability to feel begins to tenderize and prepare her to walk into her true identity.

We say in program you “feel to heal.” A woman is uniquely designed for emotions and thus her emotional connection is vital to her long-term well being.

That’s why our counseling process seeks to tap into the emotional side of her life and give her the safety to feel what has been trapped inside. It is our purpose at New Life to allow pain to be felt and to navigate a woman out of false comfort and into God’s hands.

 

#6.  Understand her need for relationship skills.

A woman needs to learn how manage relationships and to deal with imbalanced relationships, abuse and other serious conditions through education and understanding. Through boundaries she gains practical knowledge how to say “yes” and “no” in relationships. By learning God’s love, she gains access to her created design for intimacy.

At New Life, relationships skills are taught to empower a woman to love others through healthy communication, boundaries, and connection. We use an intensive approach including codependence materials that drive deeply to the heart and soul of a woman’s relationship issues. This is where deep and lasting transformation takes place.

 

#7. Understand she is created to be empowered.

A woman needs to be empowered to make wise choices, to find her life calling and to be everything God created her to be. A woman was not designed for weakness, but for strength. When God walks a woman through the recovery process, He teaches her how to trust in His love. If she is fiercely independent, she will be challenged to walk in obedience. If she is dependent, she will be prone to want others to make choices for her.

Created to be Empowered

God wants to promote a woman into a position of wisdom where she makes choices that honor God, without feeling obligated to simply comply to expectations.  God knows that women are competent, loyal and filled with incredible gifts that are unique to His Kingdom. He wants to unlock the mystery and majesty of this unique design by first loving her, and then teaching her how to walk in the Holy Spirit and tap into the gifts He has given her.

It is our prayer that discharge planning will involve a plan for a woman to move forward into God’s purpose and design for her future.

 

At New Life Spirit Recovery, we believe a woman’s true identity is found in Jesus Christ. Learning to embrace the design of a woman is a deeply rich and purposeful journey. If you know someone who needs help, please don’t hesitate to get help today! Learn more about the clinical activities we use to take a woman out of bondage and into freedom in Christ. Call us at 866.543.3361 or learn more about our treatment program by clicking here.