The Living Room maintains that on-going recovery from addiction is possible if an individual applies a range of tools and maintains appropriate support networks. In order to address the underlying cognitive deficits (and to enable clients to maintain motivation, manage their using triggers and sustain recovery) The Living Room draws on a range of counselling interventions including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Relapse Prevention and Person Centred Counselling.
The Living Room also understands that people experience their world at a holistic and existential level (whereby all people are in a process of creating personal narratives to explain their purpose and place in the world). These narratives can be positive in that they promote wellbeing and recovery, or alternatively negatively self-reinforcing in that they encourage relapse. At The Living Room we provide the conditions for a positive narrative to be created – taking each day at a time, not projecting into the future, recognising success, belonging to a community that is committed to recovery and taking time to reflect on the place of spirituality in their lives (whether this be God, Love, Nature, Human Potential or some other conception of a higher power). We have many times seen the inspiration, joy and comfort that clients have found through exploring the spiritual facet of their lives whether through worship, prayer, poetry, meditation or contemplation.
All those engaged in our treatment groups share a commitment to the goal of abstinence. The powerful motivational effect upon the individual that comes from this shared aspiration cannot be underestimated – as he/she is supported and challenged on a daily basis to grow, develop and overcome their illness.
Those choosing not to commit to our abstinence focused programme are referred, in a supportive and non-judgmental manner, to local harm-reduction/stabilisation services as appropriate. Those who relapse/drop out of our service are welcome back and their relapse is used as a tool for learning. All clients are made aware of other local services available to them.
Our treatment staff are all fully qualified counsellors (diploma level or higher) and have each at least eight years of recovery from addiction through 12 Step fellowships such as Alcoholics Anonymous. This personal experience of recovery from addiction helps reinforces the integrity of the approach in the eyes of the clients, whilst are weekly introduction sessions to the 12-Step approach helps clients explore the spiritual dimensions of their recovery.
Addiction touches not just the individual with the illness, but also can have a profoundly negative impact on the lives of family members and friends. In turn the behaviour of loved ones can act to reinforce addictions through enabling behaviours. These reinforcing negative effects can be addressed and family members can recover from their loved ones behaviour. Our friends and family group allows family and friends to gain mutual support, reduce co-dependent behaviours, stop enabling addictive behaviours, re-establish personal boundaries and identities.
