According to the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR), the term “recovery residence” refers to:
A safe, healthy, home-like residential environment where vital skills for sustaining recovery are both learned and practiced.
Recovery residences provide individuals the opportunity to rebuild their lives while recovering from Substance Use Disorder.
These residences can also be known as “sober living”, “step down programs”, or “transitional programs”. Recovery residences are not halfway houses. They are specifically geared to those self-identifying as recovering from Substance Use Disorder (“addiction” or “alcoholism”) to provide tools and structure for recovery.
But what makes Starfish Recovery & Wellness truly different?
The 5-pronged approach, which translates to programming and structure.
Programming is offered at all stages of recovery, five days per week. Our program addresses the emotional, physical, social, mental and educational components of the individual. More information about our 5-pronged approach and its elements can be found here.
Structure is the foundation of changed behavior. A typical day for a person in our intensive program includes a wellness or educational activity in the morning, clinical recovery groups or one-on-one services in the afternoon, and mutual aid recovery groups or wellness groups in the evening.
Our programming and structure are managed via direct oversight of trained staff.
We believe that in many cases, the catalyst for addiction is trauma. As a trauma-informed organization, we believe that only by addressing this root cause will individuals ever be able to truly recover.
The goal of our program is not to simply remove the desire to stop drinking or using. The goal is to create a life that is so great that a person is unwilling to jeopardize it by using or drinking. Apply Today
Starfish Recovery & Wellness operates residences certified as Level II and Level III by the Virginia Association of Recovery Residences (VARR) and is held to specific standards regarding its operation. VARR is granted its authority by the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS).
We go above and beyond by adhering to national standards, established by NARR, for these levels of support.
What does this mean for you or your family member?
Each recovery journey is as unique as the person seeking it. We customize each program based on the specific needs of the individual. All programs are designed to address specific needs while taking into account individual strengths and barriers. Programs utilize one-on-one sessions with our accredited providers, in addition to group wellness, to support outcomes. Programs typically last between 28 days and 6 months.
Once a resident has reached a stage of continuous engagement and abstinence, he or she moves to a Step Down program. During this phase, residents begin working or attending school while remaining in a supportive and structured environment. This program is appropriate for clients who have completed an Intensive Program, clients recently discharged from inpatient treatment, or clients transferring from other recovery organizations who have completed an Intensive Phase.
