After completing residential treatment at either DARA Koh Chang, it is essential for each client to continue their treatment by taking part in an addiction aftercare program. While many skills are developed, and an extensive amount of progress is made during residential treatment at DARA, it is only one part of a continuum of care that provides the support and continued guidance needed to maintain recovery long-term. Aftercare programs are designed to help during the critical early days of recovery when clients first return home.
Addiction aftercare programs focus on maintaining sobriety. Skills continue to be developed and strengthened, and clients increase their confidence in the ability to sustain recovery. Aftercare also provides support when challenges or difficulties occur in the immediate transition period after residential treatment at DARA.
Highly Individualized Addiction Aftercare
Addiction aftercare planning is included in the residential rehab program at DARA. Addiction aftercare therapy is fully individualized for the client’s needs and support situation post-treatment. Aftercare therapy programs generally last around three months, with the client meeting with a therapist once each week.
Three options are available for DARA clients. Each client works closely with our professional counselors to design the best and most personalized addiction aftercare program. DARA’s aftercare services include:
- Identification and interfacing with a certified therapist near a client’s home or work
- For those who live in remote areas, DARA partners with Lion Rock Rehab, to provide excellent aftercare via phone and internet
- Some clients prefer to continue working with their DARA counselor via Skype
Our professional aftercare team works with the client to arrange aftercare therapy with a therapist near the client’s home, or the location they will return to after treatment at DARA. DARA has developed a large network of aftercare specialists worldwide that have met our stringent standards of care.
For clients in more remote areas, and where an appropriate local therapist isn’t available, clients may opt to work with Lion Rock Rehab, an affordable online alternative to an intensive outpatient and aftercare program.
As an additional option, some clients prefer to maintain the therapeutic relationship developed with their primary counselor during drug and alcohol residential treatment at DARA. For an additional fee, arrangements may be made to continue this relationship during the addiction aftercare period.
Fees for each options will vary, and depend on the addiction aftercare selected, and the location of the services being provided.
We also work with Nudge outpatient services in Australia.
What Makes DARA’s Addiction Aftercare Program Standout?
As an essential part of the residential treatment program, each client works closely with their therapist to plan the aftercare process. DARA’s will:
- Design a fully individualized aftercare program with the client
- Contact an appropriate addiction aftercare therapist prior to the client’s discharge from DARA
- Ensure that the selected aftercare therapist understands the clients history, goals, and progress
- Book the first appointment on behalf of the client with the aftercare therapist
The after care plan that is developed as part of the complete addiction aftercare services at DARA includes creating a specific, personalized plan of what the post-discharge period will look like. This plan is extremely detailed, and may include things such as attending the gym four times a week, eating healthy meals, attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings five times a week, getting an AA sponsor, planning sober fun outings weekly—the after care plan is based on personal commitments to support the recovery journey, and no two will look alike.
In addition, for clients who successfully complete DARA’s residential care program, free lifetime aftercare services include:
- Periodic check-ins and follow ups to see how each client is doing
- Based on the check-in, clients may be offered the opportunity to return to DARA for a revisit.
- Clients may return to DARA for a “tune-up” 5 days each year, at no charge, as long as they have remained clean and sober for a specified period of time. This complimentary annual “tune up” visit must be scheduled in advance.
The complimentary tune-up visit is an effective way for clients who have successful completed treatment to:
- Review their residential care discharge plan to discuss if the they have been sticking with the goals they had determined for themselves
- Receive counseling sessions with their primary therapist
- Opt to meet with the current community of clients in active treatment in order to share their recovery journey
