Duffy's treatment philosophy is based on the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous and its Twelve Steps, specifically these two principles:
- "They shared their experience, strength, and hope"
- "Dedicated to the problem drinker (or addict) who still suffers"
The key elements of recovery are
- Breaking through denial through education, encouragement, and examples of others in recovery.
- Achieving abstinence in a controlled, scheduled environment.
- Recovering physically through a program of healthy nutrition, reasonable physical exercise and an appropriate amount of rest.
- Developing, through counseling and role modeling, the living skills--such as managing interpersonal relationships, engaging in conflict resolution and exercising personal discipline--all necessary to achieve lasting sobriety.
Questions about Duffy's Approach
At Duffy’s we recognize that your addiction has become a disease in your life and needs to be treated. Therefore, we embrace the medical model that addiction is a disease, and we use the social model—which includes education, counseling, and peer support—to treat it.
Yes. The 12 step program, the Big Book, and the philosophies of Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) as well as Narcotics Anonymous (N.A.) are foundational pieces to our education curriculum and treatment program. If you take the regular program, you will complete the first three steps; if you take the extended care program, you will complete steps four through seven. You will also receive a detailed workbook and handouts for the education sessions.
No. Peer meetings can be an excellent resource and learning opportunity for you, but Duffy’s also has a detailed and structured educational curriculum. This means that while you will have some peer meetings, most of your sessions will be educational classes or workshops taught by credentialed and qualified counselors.
No. We don’t want you to leave treatment so depressed you go into relapse, so we intentionally create balance in our educational program. We want you to be able to explore, discover, or re-discover what some of your good assets, traits, and talents are—and you do have them! Treatment is not about learning what a bad person you are—it’s about recognizing that you have both a problem and wonderful traits—which have been eclipsed by that problem.
Yes. Every guest at Duffy’s will be assigned to and meet with a personal counselor, typically within the first 48 hours of your stay. We find that guests quickly connect with and value their counselor and their weekly private counseling sessions together. In addition to your private counselor, at least one counselor is on call at all times to assist in any crisis situations.
Good question—and getting answers to this question is a key part of your recovery. The problem is not really the alcohol or the drugs. The problem is that the alcohol and drugs have become the solution to other problems—perhaps underlying issues such as depression or insecurity. What we need to do is to help you change your behavior around these issues and learn new life skills. One way we help you discover these underlying issues is through your 1-on-1 counseling sessions. You and your counselor can begin to build a relationship and learn what might be the underlying reason for your drinking or using.
No. We’ve designed our extended care's curriculum to build on our regular curriculum—not just to repeat the same information. Although repetition is always good for learning, we also want to give you new tools for recovery, new workshops and new opportunities for personal growth.
Of course. No one who just completed surgery is left on his or her own, and at Duffy's we don't leave you on your own either. We provide a year of free follow-up meetings to everyone who completes at least a 28-day stay in rehab. You're also encouraged to return for a Sobriety Weekend. Plan to take advantage of these important elements for your recovery. In addition, counselors will also work with you to help you transition back into your life, family, job, and living situation after rehab.
Yes. Gene Duffy, the founder of Duffy’s, used to say that “Duffy’s is a family solution for a family problem.” Your families, if you wish, can be a key part of your education and recovery. Families can enjoy their own group sessions and meetings. And they are encouraged to visit you during rehab if you want them to. Our goal is help you overcome this addiction, so you can enjoy a happy and fulfilled life with your loved ones.
In some ways, that answer is up to you. Every year, we have thousands of people who successfully reach another milestone on their recovery journey. And every year, we have people relapse. What we do know is that you will probably relapse if you choose to float through rehab. The best advice we can give you is come to rehab eager to learn and embrace a new way of life.
