How to Effectively Use Humor as a Therapeutic Tool

Humor is an excellent way to break the ice and reduce stress during clinical interactions. Clients may feel anxious or afraid if they do not know what to expect from an appointment. Inserting even a small amount of appropriate humor into the initial interaction can put clients at ease and build trust with medical professionals. Clinicians and support staff at Driftwood Recovery use appropriate humor and positivity as a therapeutic tool to develop deeper connections with clients. 

How Is Humor a Therapeutic Tool?

Humor can reduce stress, improve positivity, and help clients create a bond with healthcare professionals. Experiencing the physical effects of humor can relieve tension and put clients at ease. Most people know they feel better when they laugh. Individuals with anxiety or depressive disorders may use funny videos or images to help them cope with their symptoms. 

Research has proven humor improves mental health. In addition, clients often feel more valued if healthcare professionals take the time to engage with them in a personalized, humorous exchange. According to Health Expectations,  in one study, clients felt “humour was important in both establishing their identity and in developing a meaningful therapeutic interaction.” 

What Is Appropriate Humor?

Jokes that one person finds humorous, another may find highly offensive. Being mindful of appropriate humor allows healthcare professionals to avoid offending or emotionally harming clients. Many individuals working in high-stress jobs like healthcare use gallows humor, which may not always be appropriate for clients. 

Recognizing the line between acceptable and unacceptable humor in a professional setting is essential. Individuals who may not know how to strike this balance may benefit from not initializing humor. Every interaction is unique, and as experts in healthcare build relationships with individual clients, they may become more familiar with that person’s boundaries surrounding humor. 

Some examples of generally unacceptable humor in a healthcare setting include: 

• Derogatory “jokes” focused on a person’s disability, gender, race, culture, or sexual orientation 
• Making light of a client’s symptoms or medical history 
• Trauma-related humor about mental health, abuse, or past traumas
• Body shaming “jokes” about a person’s weight, physical appearance, or features 
• Any jokes or humor of a sexual nature 
• Ageism and humor that belittles individuals based on stereotypes related to age 
• Religious or political jokes mocking a person’s beliefs and values 
• Gallows humor is often inappropriate during client interactions 
• Mocking speech patterns, language barriers, or accents
• Minimizing client concerns by joking about them dismissively 

In some cases, healthcare workers benefit from waiting for the client to initiate humor. According to research in the previously mentioned article by Health Expectations, self-deprecating humor is the most commonly recognized and practiced form of humor for clients in healthcare settings. Identifying clients who practice self-deprecating humor and responding appropriately can help clinicians develop meaningful connections. 

How to Use Humor as a Therapeutic Tool

If used appropriately, humor can reduce stress on clients during stressful appointments. Humor also helps alleviate some of the perceived power imbalance between the client and clinician. There is no script for using humor. Every interaction is unique, and healthcare workers must consider a client’s cultural and personal views when attempting to use humor to connect with them. 

Some of the ways medical professionals use humor as a therapeutic tool include: 

• Using lighthearted humor to build rapport with clients
• Easing client stress and anxiety during difficult conversations
• Using humor to lift a client’s mood 
• Distracting clients from pain or discomfort 
• Encouraging relaxation 
• Using lighthearted humor to reframe certain situations and help clients cope more effectively 

Clients who feel uncertain about what to expect from clinical professionals may feel more supported and acknowledged if they engage in humorous interactions with staff. Humor humanizes clinicians and fosters collaboration with clients by creating an emotional bridge. 

When Is Humor Not Appropriate?

Humor is not always appropriate. Context is vital in determining whether humor may improve or worsen a situation. For example, individuals receiving devastating or emotionally upsetting information from a medical professional may find humor offensive, belittling their pain and invalidating their experience. Knowing when to add humor to a conversation relies on a person’s ability to build strong social skills and effective communication. 

How Does Driftwood Recovery Use Humor as a Therapeutic Tool?

Humor gives people a new perspective on their recovery and treatment by highlighting some of the absurdities of life that everyone experiences. Instead of letting it cause anxiety or stress, individuals in recovery can learn to embrace those moments of humor. Driftwood Recovery has created a thriving sober community where individuals in recovery, staff members, and families come together to celebrate successes and support one another. Humor can help people get through setbacks in recovery by allowing them to see things from a more positive perspective. Staff members at Driftwood Recovery use positivity and humor to empower and uplift individuals during treatment and community events. 

Humor is a universal experience that can bring people joy and comfort. Finding appropriate ways to integrate humor into client care through scripted or in-the-moment reactions may improve the treatment experience for clients who feel stressed or anxious. Individuals working in healthcare have the unique opportunity to use humor as a way to break the ice with new clients or comfort clients undergoing stressful procedures. By inserting appropriate and culturally sensitive humor into everyday interactions, healthcare professionals can improve treatment outcomes and build stronger client relationships. Driftwood Recovery offers guidance and training for staff members who want to create more meaningful connections with clients. To learn more, call us today at m (512) 759-8330.

A variety of factors, including the shame of stigma, can convince you that you must recover alone. However, recovery is not a sole endeavor as humans are naturally social creatures that seek connection and belonging to thrive. Without support, you can lose sight of the meaning and purpose behind the work you have been doing to heal. When you exit treatment, it can feel like you have lost your structured support system. Understanding peer support services is important to your recovery process.

At Driftwood Recovery, we know that connection to a community of peers is vital to sustained recovery. Through connection, you can find the support needed to meet and overcome challenges in life and recovery. Peer support services are a source of guidance, compassion, support, and accountability to lead a courageous life in recovery. With a commitment to connection and community, our peer-driven alumni remind you that you are not alone in your recovery.

However, you may question why peer support is so valuable to sustaining recovery. Expanding your understanding of connection can provide insight into the importance of peer support services.

Peer Recovery Support: The Value of Peer Connection

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), peer support includes activities and interactions between those with similar experiences and conditions. Whether you have experienced challenges with substance use disorder (SUD) or other mental health disorders, peer support can help you thrive. Mutually supportive relationships offer the opportunity to build skills and change unhealthy patterns. By sharing experiences, you and your peers can find connection, acceptance, understanding, guidance, and validation. You are empowered to achieve goals for a fulfilling and self-determined life. 

Yet, how does the experiential nature of peer support enable and encourage maintaining recovery? Your relationships inform your sense of self and how you navigate the world. As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states, positive social connectedness encourages you to feel supported, valued, and cared for. Therefore, peer support has a long history as a source of mutual support in treatment and recovery. However, peer support services are not solely built on sharing experiences. 

What Are Peer Support Services?

Peer support services present services designed for and delivered by those in recovery. Many different adaptive-driven peer support services, from support types to services, can support whole-person healing. Listed below are some of the resources you can find in peer support services:

• Support types
  • Emotional
    • Empathy and care are found in individual interactions and support groups
      • Fosters self-esteem and confidence
  • Informational
    • Insight and skills are gained from sharing knowledge or life and work skills
      • Classes, training, seminars
  • Instrumental
    • Access to referrals and services for tangible resources
      • Housing, transportation, employment, food, clothing, healthcare
  • Affiliation/Social
    • Readily accessible spaces, groups, and activities
      • Learning, social and recreational skills, community, and belonging through connection with others
• Peer support services
  • Recovery centers
  • Peer-led support groups
  • Job training
  • Health and social services
  • Parenting classes
  • Child care services
  • Transportation services
  • Sports leagues
  • Volunteering
  • Sober activities and events
  • Peer mentoring

All peer support services can be valuable to healing the mind, body, and spirit. However, services like peer mentoring showcase the power of connection as a vital part of the recovery process.

Peer Support Services: Empowering Others With Peer Mentoring

As noted in Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation, peer mentorship is when individuals in long-term recovery provide support for those in early recovery. You can offer nonprofessional and nonclinical assistance through peer mentorship to help peers achieve sustained recovery. As a peer mentor, you walk alongside those in early recovery to help them develop a customizable plan and pathways to long-term recovery based on individual strengths, needs, and recovery goals. 

At its core, peer mentoring embodies emotional, informational, instrumental, and social support to meet each person where they are on their recovery journey. Therefore, peer mentorship can be a source of reciprocal healing as it empowers you to help yourself and others. Whether mentorship is the right path for you or not, there are numerous ways you can empower yourself and others with peer support services.

Finding Ways to Engage in Peer Support Services

One of the many ways you can contribute to your healing is by paying it forward. Giving back to your community can support sustained recovery as it helps you change the way you see yourself, others, and the world. By giving back to your sober community and the wider community, you can rediscover your sense of self-worth, belonging, and purpose through connection. Listed below are some of the ways you can give back to your community by engaging in an alumni program:

• Donate your time to alumni
  • Help set up for meetings
  • Mentoring
  • Become a sponsor
• Volunteer
  • Homeless shelter
  • Animal shelter
  • Pantry
  • Treatment center
  • Library
  • Museum
  • Hospital 
  • Nursing home
  • Local parks project
  • Community cleanup

Engaging in peer support services speaks to the power of connection as a source for healing and long-term recovery. No one should be left alone to recover or to figure out how to reintegrate into everyday life. With an active alumni program, you can remind yourself and your peers that recovery is a community effort. 

Learning How to Pay it Forward at Driftwood Recovery

At Driftwood Recovery, we believe a strong Alumni Family gives you the safe space and community to break the cycle of suffering. Through the sharing of experiences, compassion, respect, and support, strength and hope can be fostered. Together, in our peer-driven alumni network, you and your peers can find the guidance, encouragement, and accountability needed to pursue your life goals and be a productive member of society. A truly active and vibrant alumni program is about more than abstinence. Our strong alumni program is about building a foundation for connection with the self and others to thrive in recovery. With mutually supportive connections, you are not alone in building the courageous and purposeful life you deserve in long-term recovery.

People often feel like they must recover alone, but recovery is a process that is best supported by a community. Through interpersonal relationships, you can find connection, compassion, support, guidance, and accountability to lead a meaningful life in recovery. With a strong alumni program, you can access peer support services to find and foster connections with yourself and others. Moreover, engaging with alumni can empower you to not only heal yourself but support the healing of your peers. Whether you volunteer or become a mentor for peers in early recovery, giving back reinforces the value of connection for healing the mind, body, spirit, and community. Call Driftwood Recovery at (512) 759-8330 to learn how alumni can support you.

People say a lot about how they feel without speaking a word. Individuals express themselves through body language, including hand gestures, posture, and eye movements. Healthcare professionals must be attuned to these unspoken forms of communication to provide the best care for clients seeking help. Body language allows medical professionals to identify if clients feel anxious, scared, or in pain. Driftwood Recovery ensures staff members know how to respond appropriately to nonverbal cues, allowing them to provide compassionate care and support to clients in recovery.

What Are Nonverbal Cues?

Nonverbal cues are body movements or actions that convey an emotion or communicate an intent. According to Perspectives on Psychological Science, “[O]nce in a particular setting, people’s behavioral options are constrained not only by the physical environment, but also by that setting’s social norms.” Many nonverbal cues are instinctual, and people may be unaware of them. However, they can also be a powerful way to express emotion when people feel uncomfortable voicing their thoughts aloud. For example, someone uncomfortable with how close a doctor is sitting may lean away and cross their legs or arms to create a barrier. Healthcare professionals rely on nonverbal cues to help them navigate complex conversations with individuals and families. 

The meaning of nonverbal cues may change depending on multiple factors, including: 

• Personal habits and individual differences 
• Cultural context
• Relationship dynamics, including familiarity between individuals 
• Situational context 
• Mood or emotional state
• Intentional or unspoken power dynamics
• Topics being discussed

Cultural gender norms and other factors also influence how people translate nonverbal cues. No two people have the same nonverbal “language,” and context is essential in determining what specific actions may mean. Body language and other physical cues can communicate distress, acceptance, fear, joy, and many other emotions. Knowing how to correctly translate these cues helps healthcare professionals create a deeper bond with clients. 

Common Nonverbal Cues

Some examples of common nonverbal cues include: 

• Using open posture, eye contact, and movements of affirmation to show understanding and compassion 
• Maintaining consistent and approachable body language to set clients at ease and create a sense of reliability 
• Using gestures and facial expressions to reinforce verbal messages
• Offering a warm smile and steady presence to comfort anxious clients 
• Leaning forward and mirroring the client to show attentiveness and genuine interest
• Ensuring body signals align with verbal messages to avoid confusion 

Focusing on client feedback and being mindful of responses allows professionals to build the foundation for a collaborative and healthy relationship. Clear and open communication creates a welcoming environment where clients feel comfortable expressing themselves and actively participating in their recovery. Every interaction is unique, and it is important for healthcare professionals to monitor how their nonverbal cues are being received. 

Body Language and Compassionate Client Care

How staff members stand and sit during client interactions will be interpreted as part of the overall experience. If a client feels a doctor, nurse, or front desk staff member does not value their time or concerns, it can undermine the entire appointment. Workers in healthcare should remain mindful of how their body language may be interpreted by onlookers and adjust their posture and gestures to fit the message they want to convey. Compassion, empathy, and openness can be communicated through posture, hand gestures, facial expressions, and paralinguistic vocalizations. 

Using Nonverbal Cues to Make Clients Feel Comfortable

Standing with arms down and palms open is much different from standing with arms crossed and hands balled into fists. No matter what words people use, their body language and other nonverbal cues are essential in communicating intent. Positive nonverbal cues can make clients feel welcomed, heard, and valued. Healthcare professionals should understand basic nonverbal communication and what postures or facial expressions to avoid. For example, a medical professional should not roll their eyes if a client expresses concern about a process or procedure. 

Healthcare professionals who use unspoken forms of communication to improve the client experience do the following: 

• Convey empathy 
• Build trust 
• Enhance clarity and context
• Encourage openness
• Provide reassurance 
• Foster a more meaningful connection 
• Acknowledge client feelings 
• Reduce miscommunication 
• Adapt more effectively to client needs 

Staff members at Driftwood Recovery use compassionate care and transparent communication to create a welcoming and safe environment for clients in recovery. 

Building a Toolbox of Positive Cues to Support and Empower Clients

Driftwood Recovery provides staff members with the training, support, and guidance they need to develop a toolbox of positive, unspoken cues to support and empower clients. Clinicians and support staff learn to express themselves mindfully to individuals and families. 

Healthcare professionals must consider medical, cultural, and personal factors that affect how clients and their loved ones interpret nonverbal communication. Familiarizing themselves with client charts and conducting thorough intake assessments can reduce confusion and improve the effectiveness of nonverbal communication. 

Miscommunication is a common cause of conflict, confusion, and frustration between clients and clinicians. Clear communication involves aligning nonverbal and verbal cues to send a specific message. Many moments of miscommunication could be avoided through a conscious effort to convey specific information. Healthcare professionals benefit from learning how to translate common unspoken social cues, including body language and facial expressions. Clients rely on healthcare professionals to give them spoken and unspoken cues to guide them through making critical medical decisions and positive lifestyle changes. Driftwood Recovery encourages staff members to remain mindful of how unspoken actions and responses may affect their relationships with clients. To learn more about our programs and professionals, call our office today at (512) 759-8330.

Substance use disorder (SUD) is often thought of as a chronic relapsing disorder. As stated in Addiction Relapse Prevention, approximately 50% of people relapse within the first 12 weeks. Despite the prevalence of SUD relapse, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) notes that 50.2 million U.S. adults consider themselves to be in recovery from SUD and/or mental health challenges. The prevalence of recovery from SUD can be tied to the guiding principles of holistic recovery found in active recovery. Thus, understanding active recovery can be invaluable to supporting healing and sustained recovery.

At Driftwood Recovery, we know recovery is a journey that continues long after you complete treatment. Your challenges with addiction are deeply interconnected to your life experiences and environment. Therefore, sustained recovery cannot happen without consideration for the whole person. Through active recovery, you can build the skills needed to address challenges in your daily life.

Yet, you may question what is active recovery. Expanding your understanding of recovery can provide insight into how connection with alumni can support maintaining recovery.

What Is Recovery?

Many traditional ideals of recovery are tied to complete abstinence with a focus on the elimination of all substances. Although abstinence is an important part of recovery, a holistic approach focuses on taking active steps toward healing the whole person. According to Alcohol Research: Current Reviews, before the abstinence focus of the Temperance Movement, there was an early harm reduction perspective that considered the body and mind. As SAMHSA notes, modern holistic models of care define recovery as a process of change. Holistic recovery is a process of change where you work to improve your health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach your full potential. 

Further, four dimensions support sustained recovery:

• Health
  • Overcoming or managing symptoms and or conditions
  • Abstaining from using substances
  • Making informed, healthy choices for physical and emotional well-being
• Home
  • Having a stable and safe place to live
• Purpose
  • Engaging in meaningful daily activities
    • Work, school, family, creative hobbies, and volunteering
  • Gaining the independence, income, and resources to participate in society
• Community
  • Finding support, hope, friendship, and love in your relationships and social network

The four dimensions of recovery highlight the holistic continuum of care as active recovery. Understanding the difference between passive and active recovery is an important step toward fostering active recovery.

Passive Recovery vs. Active Recovery

On the surface, the difference between passive and active recovery may feel obvious. However, in the day-to-day work of recovery, complacency can happen. You may not recognize that you are engaging in passive rather than active recovery. Passive recovery focuses more on waiting for things to happen to you. Listed below are some elements of passive recovery:

• Relying on external factors for change
• You do not reflect on your thoughts and feelings
• Doing rather than embodying the steps of recovery
• Believing you can recover on your own

Active recovery focuses on seeking out and engaging in support services with and without direct guidance. Some of the other elements that make up active recovery include:

• You accept that you need support and reach out for it
• Actively participating in meetings, therapy, and other recovery programming
  • Engaging in discussions and sharing experiences in meetings
  • Reaching out to your sponsor
• You commit to processing difficult thoughts and feelings

With awareness of active recovery, you can understand the principles of being an active participant in your recovery.

Understanding the Principles of Active Recovery

A holistic and active recovery is built on ten guiding principles that build skills that support every stage of recovery. Listed below are the ten guiding principles of active recovery:

• Hope: The belief that recovery is real and possible
  • You can and have overcome challenges and barriers
• Person-driven: The act of self-determination and self-direction
  • You define and help design the path(s) toward your life goals
• Multiple pathways: Acknowledges that each individual has unique and distinct needs, strengths, goals, culture, trauma, and experiences that impact pathways to recovery
• Holistic: Understands that recovery encompasses your whole life in mind, body, spirit, and community
• Peer support: Recognizes the value of sharing experiences, knowledge, and skills
• Social networks: Offers support, hope, belonging, and encouragement
• Culture-informed: Services are sensitive and personalized to your needs and experiences
• Trauma-informed: Informed and responsive services support and promote safety, trust, choice, empowerment, and collaboration
• Strengths and responsibility: Recognizes individuals, families, and communities have strengths and resources to support recovery
• Respect: Encourages community, systems, and societal acceptance and appreciation for people impacted by SUD and or mental health disorders

The ten guiding principles highlight the power of active recovery. Yet, how do you engage in active recovery in your daily life?

Ways to Engage in Active Recovery

There are numerous ways that an alumni program can support you in building sustained recovery:

• Volunteering in alumni programs and/or the wider community
• Exploring hobbies and activities you enjoy
  • Art, music, writing, reading, gardening, and cooking
  • Spending time with loved ones
  • Sports, hiking, and yoga
• Practicing gratitude and mindfulness
• Educating yourself about your SUD and/or mental health disorder
• Connecting with peers

Engaging in active recovery through your alumni program can support whole-person healing. You can deepen self-reflection and self-understanding through active recovery, set realistic goals, and build a support network. 

Supporting Sustained Recovery With Alumni at Driftwood Recovery

At Driftwood Recovery, we understand that true whole-person healing is rooted in connection to self and others. Without connection, you cannot fully address challenges with addiction, pain, and mental health disorders. An attachment model of care allows you to form healthy attachments in yourself and with others to turn clinical insight into action. You give yourself more space for learning, understanding, and growth through experiential sharing. Thus, access to services and resources that encourage connection to the self and others fosters engagement, support, compassion, and accountability for sustained recovery.

Engagement in recovery is an important part of the healing process. Without engagement, you can find yourself stuck in passive recovery, expecting change to happen to you. However, whole-person recovery requires active participation in the healing process. Engaging in a vibrant alumni program is invaluable to fostering active recovery for sustained recovery. Through a strong peer-driven network, alumni can offer the services and resources needed for connection with the self and others. Recovery is not done alone, and a strong alumni family gives you the foundation for support, compassion, engagement, and accountability to lead a courageous life in long-term recovery. Call Driftwood Recovery at (512) 759-8330 to learn how a dedicated alumni community can support you in your recovery.

Individuals in rehabilitation for substance use disorder (SUD) or dual diagnosis have a greater likelihood of experiencing trauma triggers, including triggers specific to clinical settings. Many clients participate in multiple programs, and some may have previously had negative interactions with medical professionals. A history of trauma can cause some clients to feel uncomfortable trusting their care team. Healthcare workers build trust by creating a welcoming environment that keeps clients focused on the present. Grounding techniques are an excellent tool for helping clients manage trigger responses during clinical interactions. 

What Are Grounding Techniques?

People use grounding techniques and exercises to strengthen the mind-body connection and increase self-awareness. Studies have shown that “[g]rounding techniques are important skills for assessors and all other behavioral health service providers who interact with traumatized clients (e.g., nurses, security, administrators, clinicians).” Grounding techniques can be used during everyday interactions to reduce stress, improve communication, and keep clients engaged in their treatment. 

Simple Grounding Techniques Healthcare Professionals Use During Everyday Interactions

Everyone has different methods for communicating with coworkers and clients. Healthcare professionals can improve their communication skills, allowing them to build more effective relationships. Using grounding techniques during treatment sessions can also help clients experience better outcomes. Therapists and other healthcare professionals model healthy coping skills and guide clients through learning to use those skills to manage triggers.

Some examples of simple grounding techniques healthcare professionals use in everyday interactions include: 

• Encouraging clients to take slow, deep breaths if they appear nervous or anxious
• Physically grounding clients by encouraging them to touch surfaces or objects (e.g., offering an anxious client a stress ball)
• Increasing body awareness by asking clients to focus on sensations in their body (e.g., asking clients to connect physical sensations such as tension with emotions like anxiety)
• Mindful movement by guiding clients through simple movements (e.g., brief stretching exercises) 
• Asking clients to engage in simple tasks to improve focus and engagement 

Grounding techniques can facilitate more effective client communication by helping clients stay in the moment. The type of client-clinician interaction will determine which grounding exercises may provide the best results. For example, if a client begins to panic, a physical therapist may encourage stretching, while a psychotherapist may suggest slow, deep breaths. 

How Do Grounding Techniques Decrease the Impact of Triggers?

Grounding techniques are often used to help clients successfully manage triggers and mental health symptoms related to trauma or stress. Focusing on actions, sensations, or objects in the present allows clients to remain in control of their emotional and physiological reactions to trauma triggers. 

Every person is unique, and not all coping techniques will work for everyone. Healthcare professionals should practice mindfulness in how they approach grounding techniques. For example, touching a client’s shoulder to ground them may backfire if the client is averse to touch due to severe trauma. Familiarity with client preferences and their medical history ensures that healthcare workers introduce effective and appropriate coping skills in treatment sessions. 

Benefits of Using Grounding Techniques in Treatment

Some of the primary benefits of using grounding exercises in treatment include: 

• Familiarizing clients with helpful coping techniques 
• Reducing overall anxiety and stress 
• Improving emotion and mood regulation
• Interrupting cycles within a trauma response by preventing escalation 
• Building trust with clients by helping them overcome trauma triggers
• Supporting trauma recovery through practical coping skills

Clients may feel more confident in themselves and their ability to manage triggers if they learn effective coping methods. Driftwood Recovery ensures staff have the necessary training and skills to help clients manage trauma triggers and other challenges during treatment. 

The Importance of Providing Comfort and De-Escalating Tension During Appointments

Some clients feel overwhelmed or tense during clinical appointments. Staff members may use grounding techniques, such as distracting clients or offering new coping tools, to help them manage their emotional or physical reactions to triggers. If the situation causes a trauma response, the client may find it challenging to move forward with the appointments. Identifying and addressing the cause of the trigger can de-escalate the situation and refocus the client. De-escalation skills and clear communication reduce anxiety and stress. 

Driftwood Recovery Teaches Clients Effective Coping Skills

Clients benefit from learning practical grounding exercises and other skills that reduce the side effects of trauma triggers. Healthcare professionals play an essential role in teaching and reinforcing positive coping skills. 

Clinicians teach clients to successfully manage their reactions to triggers using various treatment services, including: 

• Individual and group therapy
• Mindfulness-based therapies 
• Holistic therapies, including guided meditation 

Driftwood Recovery offers tailored treatment plans to clients struggling with SUD or dual diagnosis. Healthcare professionals collaborate closely with clients and their families to reduce the negative impact of trauma triggers during rehabilitation. The goal of treatment is to prepare clients to reintegrate back into the community. Healthcare professionals do this by ensuring clients have the necessary coping skills to manage their condition after transitioning out of treatment. Grounding techniques give clients greater confidence in their ability to maintain sobriety and overcome trauma triggers.

Trauma responses can happen at any time. Individuals feeling anxious or stressed often have more profound reactions to triggers. Therapy sessions and other treatment services may cause some clients with a history of trauma to feel on edge. Triggers can significantly interfere with treatment by affecting client focus. Healthcare professionals offer clients emotional and practical support. Grounding techniques are an excellent tool for helping clients cope with the effects of trauma triggers during clinical interactions. Driftwood Recovery encourages staff members to use grounding techniques and other therapeutic tools to create a more comfortable and safe space for clients. To learn more about our trauma therapy services, call our office today at (512) 759-8330.

Healthcare professionals build trust with clients to create a positive treatment experience. An open line of communication ensures clients receive appropriate care and access the best treatments to meet their needs. Active listening and other communication skills allow healthcare professionals to develop healthier relationships with clients and coworkers, facilitating better treatment outcomes. The experts at Driftwood Recovery use effective communication to guide clients through the recovery process. 

What Is Active Listening?

Active listening is an essential part of interpersonal communication. According to Social Neuroscience, “[A]ctive listening is an influential behavior, which can affect the social responses of others.” In addition, “Perceiving active listening behavior in a partner can facilitate a positive interaction.” Active listening requires empathy and a lack of judgment. People often mirror the other person through behavior or verbal patterns to show they have heard what has been said. 

A few ways professionals practice active listening during everyday client interactions include: 

• Mirroring nonverbal cues
• Maintaining eye contact
• Paraphrasing and summarizing 
• Asking open-ended questions 
• Offering verbal acknowledgement
• Not interrupting the other speaker
• Asking for clarification 

Healthcare professionals collaborate with clients to create care plans and implement treatments. Empathetic and active listening is essential to keep clients at ease. Active listening involves showing the other person they have been heard through various methods, including body language, summarizing key points of the conversation, and mirroring phrases or words used by the other person. 

Creating an Honest and Clear Line of Communication

Honest communication fosters trust and helps clients feel more comfortable discussing concerns or asking questions. Transparency creates a healthy foundation for honest communication. Some clients may have a history of negative experiences with healthcare professionals, making them hesitant to speak up. Maybe their concerns were ignored, or they were made to feel like less than the other person. Driftwood Recovery aims to help these individuals build healthier relationships with medical professionals by providing clients with a welcoming environment and compassionate professionals. 

Some of the ways healthcare professionals develop empathetic and honest communication with clients include: 

• Using simple language instead of medical jargon 
• Sharing information openly 
• Being culturally sensitive and respectful 
• Keeping clients informed with consistent updates 
• Setting clear and realistic expectations 
• Using visual or written aids to help clients better understand complex medical topics
• Respecting client confidentiality and privacy 

Clients rely on healthcare professionals to lead by example. Healthcare professionals have an obligation to model healthy patterns of communication with clients. Driftwood Recovery encourages staff members to build client relationships through active listening and a compassionate approach to care. 

Clients may have never been able to develop healthy communication skills. Often, part of treatment for substance abuse or mental health disorders involves building up these skills. Clinicians and support staff play an essential role in helping clients learn to communicate more effectively. 

Building Relationships With Active Listening

Developing trusting relationships with clients requires active listening. Healthcare professionals at Driftwood Recovery are trained to resolve conflicts, de-escalate situations, and ease client concerns by educating clients and providing them with healthier ways to express their needs. By practicing honest and transparent communication, healthcare workers create an environment that fosters trust and respect. 

Client trust is essential because it does the following: 

• Facilitates more productive interactions 
• Promotes honesty and openness 
• Enhances treatment outcomes 
• Reduces anxiety 
• Builds long-term relationships 
• Encourages healthy vulnerability 
• Strengthens rapport between staff and clients
• Empowers clients to make healthier choices
• Reduces miscommunication 

Building relationships with clients involves recognizing their needs and finding ways to meet them where they are today. Active listening allows professionals to better understand their clients and provide more effective care. 

How Driftwood Recovery Encourages Active Listening

Driftwood Recovery encourages staff members to create healthy relationships with clients and coworkers through active listening. Active listening involves showing the other person that their time and opinions matter. Many clients feel safer and more comfortable under the care of professionals who listen to and act on their feedback. Healthcare professionals can take constructive feedback and adjust client treatment plans to accommodate the new information.

Individuals in treatment for substance abuse or mental health disorders may have a history of negative interactions with authority figures. Building trust can take time. Consistently showing interest in their thoughts and feelings while actively listening can show clients that their voice matters. Effective listening leads to action. Being attentive during a conversation is meaningless unless real action is taken to implement feedback and provide solutions to problems. Clients feel heard and valued when their care team actively listens and uses the information they provide to address issues or acknowledge their opinions. 

Regular Daily Check-Ins With Staff

Communicating effectively with coworkers reduces miscommunication and decreases unnecessary stress in the workplace. Professionals should be able to rely on one another to listen attentively and provide appropriate support throughout the workday. According to Frontiers in Psychology, “Listening has been identified as a key workplace skill, important for ensuring high-quality communication, building relationships, and motivating employees.” Healthcare professionals provide better client care when they can rely on their coworkers for support.

Communication is key to developing a deep and honest connection with clients. Healthcare professionals create a welcoming and comfortable environment where clients feel safe and heard. Active listening is one of the most critical tools for healthy communication. Showing a genuine interest in what clients have to say and expressing a desire to further understand can set clients at ease and create a more positive dynamic between clients and clinicians. Driftwood Recovery encourages staff members to use active listening and other communication skills to develop better client relationships, facilitating a more positive treatment experience. To learn more about our programs and how we provide client support, call us today at (512) 759-8330.

According to Frontiers in Psychology, between 30–75% of the world’s population are introverts. Yet, pop culture presents stereotypes about introverts and extroverts that influence how you see yourself and others. Often, extroverts are glorified as the ideal personality type, while introverts are shown as awkward loners. Thus, perceptions of introverts and your preference for low-stimulation environments can lead you to question how alumni could benefit you. Being an introvert does not mean you dislike social engagement because the value of connection is innately human. 

At Driftwood Recovery, we know fostering connections with a community of peers is an invaluable cornerstone for sustained recovery. The value of connection in alumni gives you a community of peers who can provide compassion, understanding, accountability, and guidance. Through our commitment to connection, you are given the tools and resources needed to thrive in recovery. The value of connection in our sober community can be a source of support for introverts and extroverts alike. 

However, you may question how alumni can provide the value of connection for you. Dismantling misconceptions about introverts can provide insight into the value of connection and be a valuable first step toward building community among alumni. 

Difference Between Introverts and Social Anxiety

As noted in the Journal of Personality, introversion-extraversion has traditionally been presented as personality traits in opposition to each other. Further, introversion is often reduced to what is perceived as lacking assertiveness, impulsivity, sociability, and social warmth. Yet, in reality, introverts are not adverse to social connection. Rather, introverts tend to prefer stimulation through social engagement in small doses and often need time to process and recharge. The tendency to withdraw and preference for alone time contribute to misconceptions that introversion and social anxiety are the same. 

Listed below are some of the ways to tell the difference between being an introvert and having social anxiety:

• Introversion
  • A personality trait
  • Gets energy from within
  • Needs time to recharge
  • Prefer solo activities, familiar places, or spending time with people they know well
• Social anxiety
  • A mental health disorder
  • Feels significant nervousness, worry, and fear in social situations or thinking about social situations
  • Experiences a deep fear of rejection and or judgment 
  • Engage in avoidance of social interaction and situations out of fear

Although an introverted person can have social anxiety, they are not synonymous with each other. Being an introvert is less about social anxiety and more about the amount of social energy you have. Yet, how can you find value in connection when social environments deplete you? 

The Value of Connection for Introverts in Recovery

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), social connection can have a significant impact on psychological and physical well-being. Moreover, through social connection, you find a sense of belonging, and you feel loved, cared for, and valued. Yet, many are under the impression that social connectedness is not important to introverts. However, as Health Psychology Open notes, the need for social support, social inclusion, and a sense of belonging is a universal human need. Even introverts can benefit from social engagement and support:

• Adaptive coping
• Increased self-esteem
• Greater happiness from deep conversations
• More satisfaction after spending more time with others

Despite knowing the value of connection and enjoying connection, being overstimulated by social environments can present barriers to recovery.

Introverts in Recovery: Addressing Barriers to Healing

The value of connection is deeply integrated into addiction treatment and recovery. Whether it is group therapy, 12-Step programs, or an alumni program, connection is an important component of healing. Yet, if you do not derive your energy from socialization, the social aspect of recovery can make participating in alumni feel impossible. Some of the barriers introverts experience in recovery include:

• The need to be active in meetings
• Sharing your thoughts and feelings
• Spending time getting to know other people in the community

Social barriers in recovery can make it difficult to fully engage in recovery, make sober friends, and build a support network. However, being an introvert does not mean you cannot build a strong network to support you in your recovery journey. Recovery is not a one-size-fits-all process, and thus, it must be molded to match your specific needs. 

Ways to Find the Value of Connection for Introverts

With a strong and vibrant alumni program, you can find the value of connection that best fits you and your needs. Listed below are some of the ways you can tailor the social aspect of recovery to your life in an alumni program:

• Lean into building close relationships with a small number of people
  • Connect with your sponsor or a peer mentor 
• Engage in more one-on-one conversations
• Sit with someone you trust during meetings
• Connect with other introverts in your sober community
• Utilize digital recovery resources
  • Online meetings
  • Recovery apps for support and connection through sharing milestones and encouragement
• Know your limits by setting aside time to recover from social interaction

Furthermore, with support, you can find connections and build the recovery life that best suits you.

Fostering the Value of Connection in Alumni at Driftwood Recovery

At Driftwood Recovery, we recognize that treatment and recovery must come from a full continuum of care. Through a full continuum of care, you can customize your recovery to meet your specific needs. In our alumni program, we provide access to a variety of support services and resources to help you build a meaningful sober network whether you are an introvert or not. 

You can participate in events and activities that are enjoyable for you, such as milestone dinners and renewal retreats. Moreover, our recovery app also gives you the space to connect with and share with others at a pace that is comfortable for you. Whether you are an introvert or not, we can provide an active and flexible alumni program where every alum can thrive.

Pop culture representations of introverts have contributed to misconceptions about introversion as a negative trait and synonymous with social anxiety. Thus, there is an assumption that the social aspect of recovery creates barriers to sustained recovery for introverts. However, introverts can still engage in the value of connection with alumni with tailored support. Recovery is not a one-size-fits-all process; thus, with an individualized approach, you can be an active participant in alumni for yourself and sober peers. At Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing a wide variety of optional events and activities you can engage in and a recovery app that gives you the space to build connections at your own pace. Call us at (512) 759-8330 today.

Work and home responsibilities often feel more overwhelming during the holidays, when many people feel constantly on the go. Healthcare workers are at a higher risk of experiencing physical and emotional exhaustion and burnout during the holidays unless they prioritize self-care. Driftwood Recovery encourages staff members to create a healthy balance between personal and professional responsibilities during busy times of the year, including the holidays. 

The Need for a Balance Between Work and Home Responsibilities

Healthcare professionals must find a healthy balance between work and home responsibilities to reduce their risk of burnout or mental health issues. According to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), “The primary concern for burnout is not being able to emotionally take care of each patient individually or uniquely.” During the holidays, when staff often feel the most emotionally drained, clients frequently experience more challenges. Addressing the risk of healthcare worker burnout ensures clients receive appropriate care. 

Creating a work-life balance involves doing the following: 

• Setting specific times for work hours and personal time 
• Focusing on time-intensive and high-priority tasks first 
• Openly communicating needs and concerns with supervisors and family members 
• Using time management tools, including apps and calendars, to track responsibilities 
• Taking regular breaks 
• Setting realistic personal and professional goals

The more steps a person takes to separate work from their home life, the easier it is to create a sense of balance. Healthcare workers frequently face workplace stress, and the holidays cause additional stress in their home lives. If left unaddressed, the combination of pressures may interfere with a person’s ability to function. 

Maintaining Healthy Boundaries With Supervisors and Coworkers

Boundaries at work allow people to say “no” if they are asked to work additional hours or perform tasks that might negatively impact their mental and physical health. The holidays involve shopping for gifts, preparing meals, connecting with distant relatives, and other time-intensive activities. Healthcare workers must allow themselves to take the time they need to do these tasks without feeling rushed or overwhelmed. Setting clear boundaries reduces stress and will enable professionals to enjoy their holiday plans while remaining productive at work. 

How Work and Home Responsibilities Can Affect Mental Health

Some of the ways work and home responsibilities impact mental health during the holidays include: 

• Higher caseloads, holiday staff shortages, and increased hours increase workplace demands
• Long and irregular hours reduce time spent with family 
• Holidays often intensify emotional reactions to client discomfort and pain
• Missing family traditions or events may lead to guilt, stress, and resentment 
• Reduced access to support networks due to traveling or other holiday plans

Healthcare workers can take steps to protect their emotional wellness by preparing for these potential challenges before the holidays arrive. Informing loved ones of possible shifts in work hours, completing holiday shopping in advance, and doing other things to lower stress around the holidays can help healthcare workers maintain emotional stability. 

Avoiding Unnecessary Tasks

The holiday season is full of personal and professional tasks people must complete to meet their goals. Avoiding unnecessary tasks can give people additional time to complete other things they must do at home or work. 

Some examples of unnecessary tasks people can delegate to others or avoid entirely include: 

• Household deep cleaning to impress family or neighbors
• Last-minute shopping trips 
• Overly complex or extensive holiday decorations 
• Personally preparing every dish for a holiday meal
• Sending personalized holiday cards to friends and family 
• Attending all social events 
• Responding to nonemergency work calls during time off.

Professionals significantly minimize holiday stress and anxiety by reducing home and work responsibilities. 

Spending Time With Loved Ones During the Holidays

Social engagement is essential to positive mental health. Professionals are less likely to feel burnt out if they spend time with loved ones during the holidays, making new memories and enjoying the company of the people they care about most. According to Plos One, “[S]ocial connectedness protects and promotes mental and physical health.” Driftwood Recovery ensures staff members have the time to disconnect from work and spend time with their loved ones. 

Practical Ways to Avoid Burnout From Work and Home Stress

Staff with mental health disorders have an increased risk of developing more severe symptoms during periods of heightened stress. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “64 percent of individuals living with a mental illness reported that their conditions worsened around the holidays.” Prioritizing self-care and taking the time to reenergize each week helps healthcare professionals avoid burnout from the combination of work and home stressors. Using self-care to address symptoms and lower stress levels can help healthcare workers with mental health disorders experience fewer side effects during the holidays. Driftwood Recovery supports staff experiencing additional stress during the holidays, ensuring they have the resources to create effective work-life boundaries. 

Balancing work and home responsibilities is difficult for healthcare workers during the holiday season. Some individuals may have large family get-togethers or mandatory work events interfering with their ability to remain productive while connecting with loved ones over the holidays. Workplace stress may also interfere with personal relationships unless people establish firm boundaries between their work and home life. Driftwood Recovery supports employees’ mental health by encouraging staff members to create strict limits that set apart their personal and professional responsibilities during the holidays. Management has an open-door policy and is always available to help staff cope with stressors. To learn more about our workplace culture or treatment programs, call us today at (512) 759-8330.

Many healthcare facilities treating substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health issues see a spike in clients during the holidays. The increased caseload has the potential to cause burnout and additional stress for healthcare workers unless they take steps to prioritize their mental and physical health. Driftwood Recovery encourages staff members to create a healthy work-life balance and work as a team to address any increased client load during the holidays. 

What Causes an Increased Client Load During the Holidays?

Holiday social gatherings may lead some people to realize their need for help. In addition, families that may not connect throughout the year often meet for holidays. Sometimes, families take the opportunity to prompt loved ones to get help. The holidays also create a sense of fellowship in many communities, causing people to reach out to individuals struggling with substance abuse or mental health issues. 

Holiday plans may significantly reduce the number of healthcare workers available to take new cases. Time off for family vacations and traveling causes some departments to have fewer people available to keep up with increased client loads. Flexible scheduling and other solutions support staff without sacrificing the quality of client care. 

Interventions Are More Popular During the Holidays

Many people seek treatment during the holidays. Families often use the holidays as an opportunity to host interventions or urge loved ones to get the help they need to manage substance abuse and mental health disorders. Frequently, people go directly from the intervention location to a treatment center, causing a spike in potential clients for some healthcare facilities during the holidays. Intervention specialists may contact rehabilitation programs and facilitate the transfer of intervention clients on behalf of families. 

How Can Healthcare Workers Manage an Increased Client Load During the Holidays?

Clients may come all at once or as a steady stream of intakes. Healthcare professionals must find ways to manage the increased client load. Additional personal responsibilities during the holidays may make it more difficult for some professionals to focus at work. Combining additional responsibilities and more clients can stretch some people’s skills to breaking. Healthcare professionals need to plan for these moments and develop strategies to avoid emotional burnout during busy seasons. 

Some of the ways staff at rehabilitation programs manage a large influx of clients during the holidays include:

• Temporarily increasing staff or cross-training to fill empty spaces in schedules
• Implementing a more streamlined intake process to more quickly assess and treat new clients 
• Offering additional group therapy options to accommodate more individuals in treatment programs 
• Providing flexible scheduling 
• Offering telehealth services for individuals who do not require in-person care
• Partnering with private and community-based services 
• Consistently communicating with families to facilitate family engagement during the holidays 

Healthcare workers and supervisors can take many steps to improve the experience for clinicians and clients, reducing stress and increasing the effectiveness of treatment. 

Setting Realistic Expectations and Strict Work-Life Boundaries

Professionals must set realistic expectations with clients, coworkers, family members, and friends to avoid feeling pulled in multiple directions. The best way to do this is by being specific and considering all factors affecting their ability to achieve the goal. 

Clinicians treating SUD and mental health disorders often talk to clients about creating S.M.A.R.T. goals. Professionals can use the same principles to develop realistic expectations for work and home. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “Setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objectives is a good way to plan the steps to meet” short and long-term goals.

Making S.M.A.R.T. goals involves doing the following: 

• Clearly defining what you want to achieve by setting specific goals
• Identifying criteria for tracking progress 
• Setting attainable goals 
• Ensuring smaller goals align with larger objectives 

Structured and realistic goals set healthy expectations and increase the likelihood of success. 

Effectively Navigating an Increased Client Load Without Compromising Treatment Quality

Driftwood Recovery is a leading rehabilitation center with luxury accommodations and high-quality services. The clinical team maintains high standards and provides world-class treatment programs. Staff members learn to effectively navigate increases in client loads without compromising treatment quality or client engagement. Professionals use their support network to develop healthy strategies for remaining productive with a large workload. 

Practicing Self-Compassion and Self-Care

Healthcare professionals must treat themselves with grace and compassion to avoid feeling overworked and underappreciated. The holiday season is a difficult time for many people. Some professionals feel guilty for working longer hours and spending less time with family during the holiday rush. Practicing self-care and self-compassion can help healthcare professionals develop a more positive mindset. 

Clients and coworkers benefit when clinicians give themselves the time and space to reenergize each week. A few examples of self-care people use to manage higher stress levels at work include: 

• Spending time alone meditating or practicing mindfulness 
• Participating in hobbies or other enjoyable activities 
• Spending time with pets, loved ones, or social circles
• Setting clear boundaries 
• Getting quality sleep each night 
• Eating balanced, nutritious meals

Healthcare workers can provide exceptional care while maintaining positive mental health during the holidays. 

During the winter months, many treatment facilities get inundated with new clients, contact from potential clients and their families, and alumni needing additional support navigating their first holiday sober. The increase in workload significantly impacts the emotional and physical health of clinicians and support staff. Management at Driftwood Recovery encourages employees to develop a work-life balance and set boundaries to support their mental health during the holidays. Staff need to prioritize their own well-being to provide high-quality care to clients recovering from addiction or mental health disorders. To learn more about our facility and how we support staff members during the holidays, contact our office today by calling (512) 759-8330.

Shame and guilt are common self-conscious emotions that most people will experience throughout their lives. Both emotions are deeply intertwined, and when left unchecked, one often leads to the other. Together, guilt and shame can be detrimental to your well-being. Understanding their entangled relationship is important for overcoming shame and guilt in addiction recovery.

At Driftwood Recovery, we know true healing starts with fostering a healthy connection to self and others. Through connection, you can find healthy attachments to alleviate the distressing emotions that can accompany recovery. We are dedicated to taking an attachment approach to recovery because connection is the foundation for understanding yourself and others. 

In recovery, feelings of guilt and shame can bubble up and manifest as social withdrawal. Yet, at Driftwood Recovery, we know recovery cannot be done in isolation but within the embrace of a strong support network. A network of peers and loved ones can offer mutual support and community to help people overcome shame and guilt and thrive. However, you may question how finding connections in alumni can help you in overcoming shame and guilt. Dismantling the harm of addiction in your life starts with understanding the roots of your distress. 

What Is Shame and Guilt?

In general, shame is an intense feeling of embarrassment or humiliation that arises from the perception that you have done something wrong. Further, shame leaves you feeling like you are a bad, unworthy, or inadequate person. Some additional symptoms of shame include:

• Worrying what others think of you
• Desire to withdraw from others 
• You always feel like an outsider

On the other hand, guilt leaves you feeling remorse or a sense of responsibility for doing something wrong or the perception that you have done something wrong. Guilt is unlike shame, which does not have to stem from a specific situation or behavior. Rather, guilt often stems from a specific intentional or unintentional action. Overcoming shame and guilt means understanding their similarities and differences. 

Understanding Differences Between Shame and Guilt

According to Europe’s Journal of Psychology, shame and guilt are self-critical emotions associated with self-reflection and self-evaluation. At the core of shame and guilt are negative self-evaluations and distress born from your perceived failures or transgressions. Listed below are some of the major differences between guilt and shame:

• Guilt focuses on negative moral self-evaluation
  • Considers your behavior, goals, beliefs, or traits
  • You evaluate yourself positively or negatively based on whether the behavior, goal, belief, or trait is seen as beneficial or harmful
  • Can drive you to amend your mistakes
• Shame focuses on nonmoral, negative self-evaluation
  • Is concerned with a perceived discrepancy between your actual and ideal self
  • You evaluate your self-worth based on your place in society
  • Can drive you to hide from others

Guilt and shame can have adaptive properties that contribute to differentiation in emotional responses to different forms of self-criticism. Yet, it is often the maladaptive aspects that make overcoming shame and guilt difficult.

Impact of Shame and Guilt on Addiction and Recovery

Shame and guilt can play overlapping roles in addiction and recovery. In addiction, shame and guilt made it difficult for you to believe you were worthy of healing and powerless to change. You overcame countless barriers to seek treatment, and now, in recovery, overcoming the shame and guilt that remain is vital to sustained recovery. When left to fester unaddressed, shame and trauma can impair your well-being. Listed below are some of the ways shame and guilt impede recovery:

• Risk for relapse
• Depression
• Low self-esteem
• Perfectionism
• Low self-worth
• Social withdrawal
• Impede healthy relationships

Further, shame and guilt can be detrimental to the connections you share with loved ones and recovery. As noted by BMC Psychiatry, most families are not equipped with the knowledge to adapt and appropriately respond to addiction, which disrupts the family’s normal system and functioning. Addiction exposes the family to a range of challenges, including socioeconomic, mental illness, abuse, conflicts, and dysfunction, among other issues. The family challenges born out of addiction can persist in recovery as shame and guilt. Some of the ways shame and guilt hinder healthy families and recovery include:

• Poor communication
• Low help-seeking behavior
• Dysfunctional family dynamics

Overcoming shame and guilt is not only valuable to you but for healing the whole family.

Overcoming Shame and Guilt in Recovery

Your ability to heal by overcoming shame and guilt is rooted in the power of connection, self-awareness, and self-understanding. Listed below are some of the ways you can work on overcoming shame and guilt to thrive:

• Practice mindfulness
  • Deepness awareness of the self and emotions
  • Understand the source of your guilt and shame
• Journal about the specific things you feel guilty or ashamed about
  • Helps acknowledge your guilt and shame rather than avoid it
  • Cultivates self-compassion, self-forgiveness, and acceptance to support moving forward
• Foster positive relationships by surrounding yourself with mutually supportive people
  • Talk to trusted loved ones about how you have been feeling
  • Surround yourself with people who value you
• Reach out for support
  • Attend self-help groups
  • Engage in therapy

Engaging in practices that promote dignity, respect, empathy, and trust in yourself and others is an important step toward overcoming shame and guilt. With positive connections in an alumni program, you are reminded that you are not alone in recovery.

Family Cohesion: Overcoming Shame Together to Heal at Driftwood Recovery

Overcoming shame and guilt in recovery supports family cohesion for sustained recovery. Positive family cohesion and connection with peers can support leading a courageous life in recovery for the whole family. At Driftwood Recovery, we believe in breaking the cycle of suffering through a peer-driven alumni program. Through alumni, you can find the encouragement, accountability, and service needed to overcome shame and guilt. With a commitment to connection, you and your loved ones can use long-term resources and services like weekly meetings, family dinners, and our family support group for sustained recovery.

Shame and or guilt are common emotions. Guilt can encourage you to make positive changes and amend mistakes. However, in recovery, shame and guilt can create a cycle of harm to your well-being. Feeling ashamed and guilty about your addiction or the choices you made before treatment can convince you that you are not worthy of healing or connection with others. A poor sense of self can contribute to relapse and greater family dysfunction. Overcoming shame and guilt through connection with others is invaluable to sustained recovery. At Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing resources that support connection with loved ones and peers in alumni to cultivate self-compassion and forgiveness to heal. Call us at (512) 759-8330 today.