For many individuals recovering from addiction, the path of living a balanced life is a process, not an event. Each person seeking to live life free of addictive use of substances must find his or her own way to sobriety with the help of friends, significant others, family, mentors and many times with a treatment community.
Drug addiction is complex. If you are reading this article and have experienced the intense uncontrollable cravings and have sought out addictive substances despite devastating consequences, then you are aware of the changes in your behavior and the compulsivity of the addictive process. Addiction is known as a brain disease that deeply affects the circuitry of the brain. It has many components, and treatment is designed to treat particular aspects of the disease.
So how does treatment begin? The addict many times starts treatment with detox and a medically managed withdrawal. The body clears itself of addictive substances while consulting medical staff supervise the process for safety and comfort. Medications are designed to assist in the withdrawal from opioids, benzodiazepines and alcohol, and they are an important element of treatment for many patients, especially combined with counseling. Medications can help the brain return to normal functioning and prevent relapse and diminish cravings. You may be familiar with medications such as Suboxone, Vivitrol and Naltrexone. They work by blocking the effects of opioids such as heroin and may assist an individual in disengaging from drug seeking behaviors that are disruptive and have severe consequences.
Once you complete detox, you can continue the process of changing your life by participating in a structured therapy program. At Foundations San Diego, we can usher you through this journey with clinical expertise and compassion. Located at 3930 Fourth Ave. in Suite 301, we are a proud member of the Hillcrest community and offer integrated outpatient treatment for addiction to alcohol and other drugs. Foundations specializes in the treatment of addiction and underlying mental health issues that have been disruptive to an individual’s life. The treatment team at Foundations San Diego brings a compassionate and individualized approach to treatment. Our staff includes marriage and family therapists, an addiction psychiatrist, nurses, certified alcohol and drug counselors and a holistic practitioner group of massage therapists, acupuncturists, yoga and Tai Chi instructors. Our program is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a full Partial Hospitalization Program along with intensive outpatient. We accept insurance, and I invite you to call us at 619-485-6010 to schedule a tour and assessment for services if needed.
If you come to us, you will get all the information you need to understand your condition and get appropriate assistance. Our addiction psychiatrist, Michelle Banta, M.D., completes a thorough psychiatric assessment as part of a team approach to best serve you. Dr. Banta’s evaluation is part of a series of assessments, including intake with Rob Brockman, our intake coordinator, a therapeutic assessment with the assigned therapist and a nursing assessment. This information is the treatment guide for our staff to provide the approach that will fit your specific needs.
Foundations San Diego offers a full schedule throughout the week with therapeutic process groups each day, psychoeducational and experiential groups focused on subject matter related to relapse prevention, trauma, life skills, relationships and medical issues. Our program also offers free evening groups to the recovery community. Wednesday evenings at 6 p.m., we host SMART recovery. SMART is an alternative to traditional 12-Step programs. Thursday evenings, we host Yoga in 12-Step Recovery (Y12SR) at 5:30 p.m. and Refuge Recovery meetings at 7 p.m. Y12SR is a 12-Step meeting followed by a yoga session. Refuge Recovery is the Buddhist path to recovery and offers interested individuals another alternative to traditional 12-Step groups. These groups are free and located on-site at 3930 Fourth Ave. Suite 301 in Hillcrest.
We hope you’ll come see us. We’re ready when you are.
Patricia Bathurst, MFT is the director of Foundations San Diego, an outpatient recovery facility located in Hillcrest at 3930 Fourth Ave., Suite 301, San Diego, CA 92103. Ms. Bathurst is a certified advanced addiction counselor, as well as a licensed marriage and family therapist. Questions for Pat? Contact Foundations San Diego at 619-321-1575.
