Category Archives: Recovery

Holiday Nights at Greenfield Village

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Every year, Doorway to Recovery participants have the option to take part in Life Recovery Outings to Greenfield Village’s Holiday Nights celebration in Dearborn, MI. These nights are filled with chilly air, warm cocoa, and the sounds of carolers in the air.  These nights bring about a sense of holiday wonder, but also a feeling of reunification– between those getting their lives on track in sober living homes and their families.  Nothing beats the sense of watching a recovering father, take his little daughter to watch Santa Claus, with his red-and-white clothing jollily bringing a sense of awe and wonder into peoples’ lives.

If only every night could be like Holiday Nights at the Village.  But alas, they’re not, and that’s like life in recovery.  Some days people have great days, life in pink, living in the clouds, enjoying every minute of it.  Sometimes the days aren’t as fun, and are just plain difficult; where burdens, stresses, and anxieties tear through one’s thoughts.  Sober living helps people learn to adapt to life, without the use of drugs and alcohol, through the ups and the downs.  Structured in sober living homes is the cornerstone to successful addiction recovery, and structure is the key to a full Life Recovery.

“D.T.R. Men Send Joy to Healthcare Workers and First Responders”

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Through the stressful and uncertain times that we are living in, now more than ever we must shine the spotlight on the good that we find around us.  The men at the Doorway to Recovery, Palmer House, took the time to show their support for medical staff and first responders, by beautifully painting the landmark rock in front of the men’s home.

The men, and women, at D.T.R. are living examples that during trying times, recovery works.  While things like AA, NA, Celebrate Recovery; therapy and counseling; church and religious services; and even yoga and guided meditation may have moved to the online realm, the principle of one addict or one alcoholic helping another never changes.  Sober living provides accountability.

To all the healthcare workers and first responders, thank you for your service.  For everyone else, wash your hands and practice social distancing to the best of your ability.  Remember this lesson from recovery, that together we can do anything we set our minds to.  God bless you and stay strong.

Dynamic Quotes From Some Who Have “Been There”

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“When things go wrong, don’t go with them!”  Roger Babson

“Either you run the day, or the day runs you!”  Jim Rohn

“If the addict is pleased with your help, you are probably enabling.”  Sandy Swenson, Author

“Rock bottoms became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.”  J.K. Rawling, author, Harry Potter Books

“There is no person walking the face of the earth who demonstrates more courage, dignity, honesty, and integrity, on a daily basis, than an addict in recovery.”  Anonymous

“Recovery did not open the gates of Heaven and let me in.  Recovery opened the gates of Hell and let me out!”  Anonymous

“Addiction is the only disease that manipulates your mind and assures you that you do not have it” AddictsToday.com

“I am not defined by my relapses, but my decision to stay in recovery despite them.”  RecoveryExperts.com

“Just because your father was an alcoholic, or drug addict, or any other dysfunctional behavior, do not be tempted to use that as your excuse.  If you do, you are looking at the wrong Father!”

“Eventually, every addict WILL have their last high… choose recovery so you can talk about yours!”  (paraphrased author unknown)

 

Boom-Boom cares… really cares from the depths of my heart!  I am crying for those of you who may be lost and are resisting recovery.  Just know that He has cleared your runway and you are ready for takeoff to something much better, if you choose.  Additionally, if you are in recovery, I am filled with deep admiration for your courage and sense of purpose!  I am praying for all of you and your Father is calling you all near to Him.  His grace and mercy, for you, is far greater than your greatest sin!
1 Corinthians 13:1-8

Mark Burchell on sober living homes

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Mark Burchell, Founder and CEO of The Doorway to Recovery and its sober living homes is pleased to announce that our sober living homes currently have openings for men’s sober living in Livonia, Plymouth, and Westland, and for women in our Redford or Livonia homes.

These Sober Living Homes provide a safe place where men and women are able to work a recovery program, where there is peer support, peer pressure, monitoring, drug and alcohol testing, accountability, and most importantly, a place where men or women are able to work a solid recovery program and maintain freedom from drugs and alcohol!  Our program works, for those who work it!

The success rate is very high for men and women who are committed to a year or more in sober living.  Check out this video, Dr. Michael Fox, on sober living homes and their importance (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq5cNemstPY).  In addition to running two private addiction medicine practices, Dr. Michael Fox is the attending physician at St Mary Mercy Hospital’s Chemical Dependency Unit in Livonia, MI.

The Doorway to Recovery has been in operation since 2002, and has been providing superior sober living, a structured recovery program, and an opportunity for continued growth in recovery since it’s conception and first Sober Living Home, the Cooley House (http://thedoorwaytorecovery.org/cooley-home/). 

The New Programs offered at The Doorway to Recovery are able to address issues other than drugs or alcohol.  Sometimes it’s a codependency issue; sometimes it is another form of an addiction (gambling, food, etc).  Whatever the case, under our Life Recovery Program, our programs allow for healing from many issues.  Check out our Life Recovery page: (http://thedoorwaytorecovery.org/life-recovery/)

In the case that an individual is suffering from mental health issues, our staff is able to provide recommendations to local facilities that treat mental health, IF we are unable to address the issue with someone on our staff.  Through our network of referrals, Doorway to Recovery is able to work with dually diagnosed substance abuse patients.

If you have questions about The Doorway to Recovery, its programs, or it’s sober living homes, please do not hesitate to contact our Main Office at any time – 248-987-2696.  Remember, The Doorway to Recovery is always open to you!

For Loved Ones…

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Navigating the ways of the recovery community can be….. let’s just say, difficult.  There are so many wonderful people who work at great organizations designed to help any individual through the addiction recovery process, but lets face it, sometimes they can be a challenge to find.  If a loved one of yours is facing an addiction issue, here are some good steps that you can look into….  Please keep in mind that I am not a doctor, nor a medical professional, and these are opinions based off experience that I’ve had working with individuals in the recovery field.  Take no action off these opinions, but only off sound decisions that you research for yourself.  Of course, I need not say, The Doorway to Recovery, or the author of this blog assumes no liability for actions taken based off these opinions…

If you have a loved one who is dependent on a substance, whether it be a legal substance (alcohol), a prescribed controlled substance (xanax, suboxone, pain killers, stimulants, …etc…), or an illegal substance (marijuana, cocaine, heroin, …etc…) chances are you may not know where to turn.  First and foremost, remember that The Doorway to Recovery is always open to you and you loved ones, and we are just a phone call away (248-987-2696)…  We offer sober living homes for men and women in addiction recovery where our participants are able to live a life in recovery, stay clean/sober, maintain employment, and slowly transition from living a life in addiction to living a life in recovery…

This article is going to depict a typical path of recovery that you can suggest for a loved one… Of course if they don’t make the decision to get clean/sober on their own, any piece of the chain may not work….  An intervention can help with that.  The following steps are designed as a guide to someone who wants to get clean and sober…  Take a look…

1.) Detox – Many times an individual who is chemically dependent needs to be detoxed from the substance that they are using…   The detox process can often be painful, and will often require medical attention to make sure that the withdraw symptoms are handled properly and do not pose danger for the individual going through the detox…   It’s always best to have a doctor around for this. Many local institutions from hospitals to rehabilitation centers offer detoxification services.   Remember  – the detox process should be monitored in many cases to ensure the safety….  Detoxing from many substances, including alcohol, can cause serious repercussions that can be a danger to their well-being or even life; for this reason it is almost vital that an evaluation of the individual is done, to make sure they enter into the correct level of care.  For this, you may speak with any doctor, or for a stronger opinion – talk to somebody in the recovery field… An interventionist, a staff member at a recovery center, or a loved one who has successfully worked a recovery program from a similar substance.

2.) Impatient rehab – Quite often after one has detoxed from a substance, there is nothing to stop them from going back to using, other than a true and genuine desire to stop.  Many times, a residential inpatient program can help with that… sometimes known as “rehab”, it is a place where men and women are still near the medical staff, but they are also introduced to the recovery community.  This is done through education, therapy, group therapy, and other programs designed to break the cycle of addiction.  These programs can last as little as 2-3 days, but can go as long as a year…    These days, I’d say that the typical inpatient residential stay is 1-4 weeks.

3.a) Sober Living – When leaving an inpatient program, men and women are frequently tempted to use their substance of choice if they return to where they were living before, as a return to their old environment where using was a typical part of life is a very difficult challenge to face clean and sober.  They are in need of a structured program that will allow for them to grow in their recovery journey, and still seek help to address the issues that come up that threaten their recovery journey.  Many individuals will find a change of space into a sober living home, transitional housing, or halfway house to be beneficial.  Also, some individuals who do not go to an inpatient rehabilitation program find sober living beneficial when faced with struggles of staying clean and sober.   The Doorway to Recovery offers sober living homes for men and women throughout the Detroit Area.  The key to success for someone who stays at a sober living home is that they do not return to the familiar faces, places, and situations that had initially caused them to use drugs and/or drink alcohol in the first place….  Being around people who are sharing in similar struggles, and overcoming them is the key to the high success rate of a sober living program.  With that being added, the structure of housing and program rules can only add benefit to the stay.  Sober living homes often require that participants attend AA, NA, or Celebrate Recovery Meetings.  Drug and alcohol testing is important in this process to prevent relapse.  The Doorway to Recovery offers this – safe, structured, recovery based housing where men and women can live together, pulling each other along the journey of recovery.  Men and women are encouraged to stay at Doorway to Recovery for at least a year, so that they are able to see the changes that come throughout the seasons, that were normally blocked from the use of drugs and alcohol.  Sober living is almost a necessity for men and women who are truly committed to living a full recovery.

3.b) I.O.P./Therapy/Counseling – Drug and alcohol addiction runs hand and hand with mental illness.  Therapy and counseling are almost always vital to help in the continued process of recovery.  I.O.P. is a continued program for men and women who are going through a recovery program but either aren’t accepted into an inpatient residential program (sometimes due to insurance or other factors), or have completed an inpatient stay and would like to continue on a substance abuse focused recovery program.  There are I.O.P. Programs located throughout the area with many different methods of payment including insurance, financing, and payment plans.

3.c) Support Groups – Support groups are vital through the recovery process, and in the experience of the staff at The Doorway to Recovery, faith based support is the best way to go about the recovery journey.  Faith based recovery programs such as Celebrate Recovery, AA, or NA, use the twelve-steps as a pathway to finding peace with God, the one who brings about a full recovery from anything that anyone could be struggling with.  The twelve-steps are founded on the basic principle of getting support that is needed, growing spiritually, and in turn, helping others.  Doorway to Recovery feels so strongly about twelve-step recovery programs, that it is requirement for all participants to attend twelve-step recovery meetings on a regular basis, at least six per week in fact.  For a complete listing of Celebrate Recovery meetings in the area, visit www.celebraterecoverymichigan.org, for AA Meetings visit www.aa-semi.org, or for NA Meetings, visit www.michigan-na.org.

I hope that this blog has been able to help some of you who are looking help, either for yourself or for a loved one.  If you would like to know more about services that The Doorway to Recovery offers, or you have questions about how and where to begin the recovery journey, please do not hesitate to contact our office at any time.  Our staff would gladly point you in the right direction.  Remember, The Doorway to Recovery is always open to you!

Sincerely,

 

Ruben M. Carreri
Administrative Director and Intake Coordinator
The Doorway to Recovery Program and Services Inc.
33634 W Eight Mile Road
Farmington Hills, MI 48335
248-987-2696 – Office
877-751-7925 – 24 Hours
Ruben.Carreri@thedoorwaytorecovery.org

Family Awareness Month

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Greetings Recovery Community,

This month is a month that I will be lecturing on “Family Enabling” and “Family Codependency”, and overall reaction to addicts and alcoholics behaviors.  I’d like to share with you first, a letter that a mom has sent to me from Boca Raton, Florida about her son Billy, that stayed with Doorway to Recovery for a short time…  Here is that letter:

“I am very sad of the news of my son. I was hopeful this would be a good start for his wellness program and new life. But as we know it’s completely up to the person. When he’s ready it will happen. Unfortunately the next few years of his life will be spent in solitude but at least he will be forced to be sober. I do not believe that jail is the answer for those who suffer so deeply from addiction but when you commit a crime there is a price to pay. I am hopeful Billy will learn his lesson and one day be an example to others. He has a good heart just a polluted mind.

Thank you to you and your staff for your support and the time that you spent with me and my son. I do appreciate what you do. Billy also said that he was so thankful as well. Unfortunately his actions showed differently.

Please extend my apologizes to you and your staff on behalf of my family.”

 

Having worked with this young man, Billy, for a short time, I found this man to be troubled and in need of guidance and counseling in several areas.  Having talked with his mother after Billy’s incident, and reading her email; gave me insight to this mom’s love and nurturing of her son.  Being far away, in another state, and trying to be in her son’s life is a difficult thing.  Thankfully, she is supported by her husband and other community members that she has no control over Billy.  Only through prayer and self surrendering can she make it through another day.  I talked with her that the things that Billy will need is  a relationship with god, with therapy, and with a sober community.  Here at The Doorway to Recovery, myself and staff will continue to pray for Billy and his family, in their ongoing search for peace and happiness.

 

God be with you as always.
In His Service,
Mark Burchell

 

General Information About Sober Living

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Hello World,

Many times while screening calls and answering questions, people will ask what is the purpose of a sober living home?  I can only tell you that sober living is the best decision you can ever make if you are coming out of a rehab, treatment center, or if you have been able to get some clean time together and are still looking for additional support through the process.  But first, by answering what a sober living home is not and what it is, you would be able to better understand what a sober living home is!

What It’s Not / What It Is:

A sober living home is not a place where men and women who are drug addicts or alcoholics go to live…. In order to get in, one must be in recovery, or trying their hardest to live a recovery lifestyle.  Sober living is for those who are looking for change in their lives.  In our sober living homes, anyone who uses drugs or alcohol while enrolled is discharged from the program.

A sober living home is not a detox facility or treatment center.  Many times people will be looking for help while they are still in the process of detoxing from drugs/alcohol.  Part of the intake process includes evaluating a potential client and seeing how they are physically.  If they still have drugs or alcohol in their system and are trying to get clean, a medical facility should be the first step… somewhere where there is medical professionals on staff who can supervise the detox process.  There are detox centers available to anybody, with or without insurance.  A sober living home like ours would be for someone who is already clean/sober, and looking to stay that way.

A sober living home is not where somebody goes to relax and lounge around.  The effective structures of a sober living home keeps an individual engaged in working a strong recovery program, and continuing to take the next right step towards a life free of drugs and alcohol.  Our program requires that men and women find and maintain employment, attend twelve-step meetings of their choice, adhere to curfews and wake-up times, and work with a sponsor.

In Summary:

When you are choosing a sober living home for yourself or a loved one, make sure you evaluate the program’s structure.   Here at The Doorway to Recovery, we have a solid, trusted sober living structure that encompasses all areas of recovery.  Our structure has helped many people over the years, and can help you or your loved one too!  Call our office at any time to do a phone interview or schedule an intake.  I’d love to speak with you!

 

Ruben Carreri
Intake Coordinator / Administrative Director

248-987-2696 – Main Office
877-751-7925 – 24 Hour Help Line
33634 West Eight Mile Road
Farmington Hills, MI 48335
www.thedoorwaytorecovery.org

“The Doorway to Recovery is always open to you!”

Spring is in the air

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And so is Recovery.  As the doors open and people are able to get out and about, change is happening.  That’s with weather, attitudes, family issues, personal issues; spring is a time for a restart, it’s a time for change.  During the months of May and June, we want to concentrate on our new changes; new smells, new relationships, new beginnings.  Spring is a very important time to start recovery fresh.  For some us, that means, if some of us have been in recovery, a fresh start.  For those who are new in recovery, a fresh start.  As we all know Recovery is a daily thing, not to be taken for granted.  God says to us, Rely on ME and I will show you the way.  Jesus says “Only through Me can you get the healing that you need.”  John 3:30.  He is above, I am below.

We are happy to announce the New Women’s Program at Doorway to Recovery.  As we move forward at Doorway to Recovery, we are happy for our new staff members, Angela Spino, Diana D., Grateful Gail… strong women in recovery heading this much needed Women’s Recovery Program.  Women in Recovery ran by women, and organized by women.

As the next 30 days move on, we will have a Licensed Medical Social Worker (female) at the Helm to guide women and men in their walk in recovery.  Many blessings, love, and thanks to all of you out there that have stuck with us through our hard times and through our growing times.  God’s blessings to all of you,
Mark Burchell