Why Recovery Retreats Work

Recovery Retreats vs. MAT: Why Recovery Retreats Work

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is all the hype right now, due to insurance companies pushing the use of medications like Suboxone and Vivitrol in the treatment for opioid use disorders. However, treating only the physical symptoms of addiction is often not enough to maintain long-term sobriety. Instead, sobriety consists of changing one’s behaviors and thought processes to better support and sustain a healthy, sober life. At Through the Archway, our recovery retreat program does just that – we promote holistic and spiritual approaches to arm individuals with the skills and tools they will need to remain sober.

Risks of Medication-assisted Treatment (MAT)

Although many medications used in MAT can be useful during detox to help individuals stay safe and comfortable while experiencing withdrawals, these drugs have a potential for abuse when used long-term. Individuals participating in MAT may fall through the cracks and begin to take their medications illegally, mix them with other drugs, or even sell their prescriptions to buy street drugs. Another huge problem with medication-assisted treatment is that the underlying causes of addiction can go untreated, making medication the sole treatment for individuals who are suffering from a spiritual malady. When the spiritual aspect of recovery is overlooked, misery and relapse can ensue.

MAT is often seen as an easier, softer way of abstaining from drugs. When taking this route, individuals may get thrown into a cycle of trying to maintain their addiction rather than truly recovering from it. Failing to engage in emotional and spiritual growth is a recipe for disaster for those suffering from addiction, as the root of the problem lies in behaviors and a spiritual malady that must be overcome in order to attain true happiness and freedom from bondage in sobriety.

Recovery Retreats

Since MAT isn’t a cure for addiction, recovery retreats focus on taking a holistic approach, allowing individuals to dive into spirituality, change their behaviors, and build a support group – all of which are essential tools needed in recovery. Through spiritual immersion at Through the Archway, guests can join a welcoming, supportive community and further explore their spirituality.

Recovery retreats are meant for those whom traditional treatment methods failed. Without the use of medication-assisted treatment, recovery retreats heavily rely on faith, wellness, and willingness from each individual to begin a rigorous course of action that will make for a sober life. Using a holistic approach, individuals can learn to treat their disease as a whole, treating the mind, body, and spirit as one unit. Holistic treatments found in recovery retreats range from music and art therapy, nutrition therapy, meditation, yoga, spiritual counseling, acupuncture, and more. These alternative forms of treatment work to treat the three-fold disease of addiction by:

• Healing the mind, body, and spirit
• Providing a supportive, compassionate, and expressive environment
• Promoting healthy habits and lifestyle changes needed to sustain sobriety
• Offering diverse, individualized treatment methods to best meet each person’s specific needs
• Introducing individuals to the 12 step fellowship that fits them best
• Immersing each guest in the teaching and practicing of spiritual principles

Recovery retreats in South Florida are meant for those who are looking to make recovery a lasting part of their lives. It is not for those who are looking for a magic pill to cure them, but rather those who are ready to reclaim their lives. A healing community that is based around spiritual principles is the foundation for the twelve steps which becomes a way of living for people seeking sobriety.

Our Mission

At Through the Archway, our mission is to teach our guests key principles that will help them live like sober men and women, promoting consistency, accountability, and responsibility. We understand that there is not a one-size-fits-all treatment for addiction, so we pride ourselves for treating each individual based on their specific needs. We focus on spiritual principles and community because our experience has shown that this is the method that works.

“Discouraged by watching those who suffer from alcohol or drug addiction, relapse after treatment, and the skyrocketing costs, we came to the realization that a new approach was needed. After several years of planning and achieving proper funding, Peter and his current staff opened the doors, and the results are overwhelmingly successful. With faith and the willingness to serve at the forefront of this movement, the result was an innovative, cost-effective, and successful residential model with a non -clinical approach.”

Although Through the Archway is not a substitute for clinical treatment methods, it is a place for clients to reclaim their lives that have been devastated by drug and alcohol addiction. The program accepts individuals from all walks of life, and a lack of health insurance won’t stop our clients from getting the highest standard of care possible. Through an integrated holistic and spiritual approach, 12 step fellowship and meetings, and the teaching of spiritual principles, Through the Archway aims to guide each and every individual on a path to lasting recovery.

Blessings,
Chop wood, carry water