The primary goal of pre-treatment is to prepare you to enter the treatment program at the Diane Harwood Centre for Women. You may need to take care of some outside business, and we would like to assist you with that before you start with a primary counsellor. During this part of the program, you may work on securing funding; connecting with a doctor; stabilizing on medications; beginning a mental health referral, etc. Pre-treatment may last one to four weeks, depending on your individual needs and readiness.
What to expect:
We offer a limited number of stabilization beds for women waiting for acceptance into another treatment facility or recovery house, or waiting to move into housing. Stabilization shares the same schedule and small group as Pre-treatment.
The first phase of our treatment program lays a strong foundation for your life in recovery. These 90 days are intensive, focusing on daily group counselling, individual counselling, and community support. You will participate in community service, explore spirituality in recovery, and participate in electives to gain new tools to manage grief and loss, anger, stress, and build healthy relationships.
Weekdays include morning Reflections, Small Group, one-on-one counselling, electives, individual program work, house chores, Spirituality, Gratitude Circle, e, and 12-step meetings. Optional bible study is also available.
Phase 2 of our program is focused on building your recovery living skills. You’ll maintain a similar schedule to Phase 1, but attend a Living Skills group on Wednesdays. The goal of the Recovery Living Skills program is to create awareness and mindfulness of your habits, perspectives, and choices within a recovery context.
This Phase of the program is built around eight core modules: Financial Management, Career Exploration; Personality; Step Work; Nutrition; Relapse Prevention; Giving Back; Sponsorship
In Phase 3, you’ll gain further confidence in your recovery and work on increasing your independence from the program. You’ll maintain the support of your group and your counsellor, but generally spend less time in counselling sessions. This phase of the program focuses on relapse prevention, goal setting, and preparing for daily life in recovery.
In this Phase, you choose to start going to school or work part-time.
Your program schedule is lighter, with reduced group and one-on-one counselling requirements. Weekly After Care group sets the foundation for life after treatment by exploring relapse prevention planning, housing, education, and employment opportunities that support your specific goals.
In addition to attending all program activities, clients in all phases must attend a minimum of four (4) community support meetings (AA/NA, Wellbriety, SMART, All Pathways, etc.) per week, in-house or in the community.
We believe there should be fun in recovery! In all phases of our program, you’ll have opportunities to play and be creative. Through the spring and summer, we play baseball on Fridays, and participate in a summer recovery tournament. You may join our Joyful Noise choir, or share your musical talents through the backup band. You’ll have opportunities for a different outing each month – a hike, movie, activity, or other adventure.
Recovery is a life-long journey and we’re with you for the journey! Harbour Light’s support system remains available for alumni. Individual counsellors provide ongoing, occasional supportive care for their former clients. Some offer opportunities for alumni to visit their groups to share the message of recovery.
As a newly-opened site, alumni resources will grow as the program grows!
