Drug Rehab Blog

Part of the Cirque Lodge is spiritual recovery.  In our alcohol and drug rehab, spiritual recovery is left up to the individual and many concepts are used in teaching this. Spiritual recovery is not always intended to be a ‘religious’ experience. As said before, we use a number of concepts. Within the Cirque Lodge facility is a Native American teepee and we use concepts of Native American culture in teaching individuals about spirituality. This is coupled with the highly effective elements of 12-step recovery.

One of these unique elements is a drum circle. Cirque Lodge has a number of different Native American style drums they use in this activity. A visiting professional takes residents on a journey through the legends of Native American tribes. Stories are shared and experiences are gained as residents learn things they never knew possible.  These things can help them with healing. They also have a lot of fun banging on drums.

The Native Americans of this region called this land Timpanogos (the same name as the mountain that looms over Cirque Lodges alcohol and drug rehab facilities).  It was considered a holy place of healing. For those who are suffering from alcoholism or drug addiction this can also be a place of healing. Time in the Cirque Lodge can provide a spiritually rejuvenating recovery experience.

Sometimes the medications intended to help us can hurt us. Pain medications can be effective for what they are prescribed for. However, the narcotic effects of these drugs can also be very habit forming. Typically, such medications are only intended to be a short term solution for such a problem. With time and exposure the individual may no longer need the drug to treat the pain. They just use them for the high.

The national trend is ever increasing with cases of prescription drug addiction. Overdose/deaths related to these drugs are reaching numbers that are frightening. In some states they are rising to critical levels. Measures are being implemented to help address this at the medical and pharmaceutical levels. However, people addicted to drugs always seem to find a way to get their drugs.

At Cirque Lodge, we have seen a rise in individuals seeking help for prescription drug addiction. We offer a caring and comprehensive program. This is personalized to address the needs of the individual, with treatments for body, mind and spirit. There is recovery for the problems revolving around this type of addiction.  Cirque Lodge provides this within a world-class facility and with an effective addiction treatment program.

The clients of Cirque Lodge are given different opportunities and experiences to learn the lessons of the 12-step program. We take them out on the mountain and teach them concepts of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, and other similar activities are used in addressing spirituality and making connections to a higher power. Since time in alcohol and drug rehab isn’t nearly long enough to cover all the steps, a solid foundation of the first few steps are established.

Members of staff are available also provide help, support and care when it comes to working the 12-step program. Personal counselors and case workers work with each client in a one-on-one setting in making these steps towards a long lasting recovery. Each step can require different efforts to progress.  Within the safety of an alcohol and drug rehab center, one can come to terms and accept they have a problem with alcoholism or addiction. Caring staff members are available to address these things and to help with the step work needed to move forward.

A unique opportunity is provided residents working on their 3rd step of recovery. This step involves turning over ones life and will to a higher power. Residents of Cirque Lodge are provided a unique venue and experience in working this step. The only way to get to this venue is by private helicopter.  On a mountain peak the individual can take time to meditate and work toward turning over their will. Many leave promises on that mountain top; promises of sobriety and recovery. Recovery is a process. It takes such a personal sacrifice. The relationship and strength of one’s higher power is a needed influence throughout. At the Cirque, we use different outings and workshops to help individuals in finding and keeping such a relationship central to their recovery process.

This week marks another Family Program at Cirque Lodge. Residents in alcohol and drug rehab are encouraged to invite family members and loved ones to participate in this program. A number of lectures and workshops are provided to better instruct loved ones on the nature of addiction and recovery. One thing that is addressed is the problems of codependency within the home. If there is an alcohol or drug addiction within the home, chances are there are codependent relationships.

Codependent behavior can be a fuel for enabling. It creates an unequal atmosphere within the home. It isn’t conducive to recovery. Part of Family Week is to better instruct individuals on the family system and on codependency. It shows family members a way to level out the environment of the home with responsibility and love. With codependency people have to take a side. They are either the controller, or the victim. Elements during Family Week help to educate individuals on these behaviors and find more effective ways for resolving them.

The Studio location of Cirque Lodge is very unique for those seeking alcohol or drug rehab. It provides a number of accommodations for both men and women residents, and it is usually the facility for those in need of an extended treatment stay. The Studio is unique for the many different venues and experiential therapies that are offered. This massive building used to be a TV and movie studio. Renovations to the facility made it ideal as a treatment center for alcoholism or drug addiction.

In the middle of the Studio is a 17,000 sq foot soundstage.  To the residents this is commonly called the “ropes course.” The reason behind this moniker is the large ropes and challenge course that resides in the soundstage. There are a number of different activities and challenges presented to residents through the ropes course. All of these elements are also equipped with lessons of recovery and strategies for long term sobriety. In the south part of the building residents can work with horses through Cirque’s equine program. Indoor and outdoor venues are provided for working with horses. This time of year it usually is an indoor activity. Within the equine program are also profound lessons of recovery.

The third floor of the Studio houses the dining area; equipped with floor to ceiling windows, that provide breathtaking views of the mountains. The first floor has a gym where residents can exercise, a game room where they can relax, and even a private salon. The studio is also situated on 12 private acres, and resident privacy is of the utmost importance. It is a unique experience and facility at the Studio, but at the heart of it all is a highly effective alcohol and drug rehab program. It is a treatment that arrests the disease of addiction and provides the coping skills needed for a long term sobriety.

Recovery is a process, not an event. Even with the help and support of an alcohol or drug rehab program, the impulses to use or to drink must continually be managed throughout life. Cirque Lodge helps residents as they embark on recovery outside of the safety of the addiction treatment center. We work with residents in creating plan for aftercare. The Continuing Care Plan consists of additional outpatient programs and therapy to assist in the recovery process.

There are many forms of outpatient care that are available for individuals leaving alcohol or drug rehab. These elements can help with additional treatment and also help with reintegrating into society as a sober person. Residents work with our aftercare staff and their primary counselor in researching and developing a plan for continuing care. For some this is in the form of intensive outpatient care. Others may enroll in a sober living environment for the months following rehab. Therapy programs and support groups are also provided with aftercare and the Continuing Care Plan.

Central to the plan is continued involvement in 12-step meetings and working with a fellowship and a sponsor. There are many different types of 12-step groups out there, and part of aftercare is to research the best recovery groups for residents.  There are even specific 12-step groups based on lifestyle, religion, and specific drug types. This all goes into preparing the plan for recovery for residents. Recovery is a process it takes a lot of personal effort and changes. The Continuing Care Plan provides helps through this process after rehab is completed.

Cirque Lodge uses a ropes course in teaching recovery strategies. But not all of these activities require the ropes challenge course itself. A number of challenges and exercises take place right on the ground of the soundstage. Residents in alcohol and drug rehab are presented with a challenge or problem. The exercise requires them to work as a group or an individual and accomplish the feat. These exercises can help them in using cognitions that the addicted mindset is not used to. The result can be developed into a skill needed for the recovery process.

Members of the experiential staff work with residents in these ropes course activities. They provide help and support, and also instruction on the challenge at hand. Something as simple ropes, blindfolds, 2×4′s, logs and mats can teach many different lessons on recovery and building support. At the end of these exercises, the residents sit down with members of staff and discuss what was learned from the exercise. Individuals need every skill they can get in working a recovery process. Experiential activities like these provide a bevy of tools that can be utilized in developing long term sobriety.

There are many types of mood disorders. These psychiatric maladies can be a heavy influence in substance abuse and developing an addiction. To better address this in a drug treatment setting, facilities will provide a dual diagnosis treatment to individuals. Cirque Lodge functions as a dual diagnosis alcohol and drug rehab facility. A multidisciplinary team of professionals provide individuals with treatment that arrest the disease and provide therapy and support for the mood disorder.

Individuals can find the highs from addictive substances as a release from the problems of mood disorders. This can lead to self medication. The central nervous system that is affected by a mood disorder is more likely to develop an addiction. Now on top of the strugglers of a psychiatric condition, you are dealing with chemical dependency.

Some individuals are even unaware they have such a condition. The years of abusing alcohol or drugs has suppressed these feelings. Once in rehab, they can experience things like depression and anxiety. This can be due to withdrawal or could actually be a psychiatric condition. Proper and professional diagnosis can provide a recovery program that addresses both the issues at hand.