Over the last decade, there has been a welcome expansion in options for addiction and trauma recovery beyond the traditional 12-step model. With just a little research, it is possible to identify numerous alternatives in treatment programs offering “Non-12 Step” and “Holistic” approaches to addiction recovery. The nature and scope of these programs, however, vary widely and each offers a different interpretation of what these terms mean and how they are applied in a 30-day, residential addiction treatment program setting. The Sanctuary has been the pioneer in both Non-12 step and in alternative/holistic addiction treatment for the past decade.
The mind, the emotional/physical/energy body, soul, and spirit must all be addressed and healed for recovery to be lasting. Addiction is a symptom of the entire human system, not just a disease of the brain or a character defect of some kind. That being said, holistic/integrative treatment is not as simple as adding yoga, meditation, reiki, bodywork, or other alternative healing modalities to an established 12-Step program. Nor is it merely refocusing the treatment to identifying the root cause of the addiction and then offering a limited scope of therapeutic modalities, primarily focused on cognitive-behavioral and talk therapy. Holistic, integrative addiction treatment is science-based and requires that equal attention be given to each aspect of the whole person – mind, body, soul, and spirit.
