A reliable support network is a crucial element in beating addiction—especially in early recovery. The value of an active alumni program cannot possibly be overrated. One of the tools Harmony is offering its alumni is an app called The Harmony Hub (available for Android and iOS devices).
“Everything we do for alumni is in the app,” says Michael Arnold, Harmony’s director of alumni and recovery support services. “Event schedules, volunteering opportunities, ways to be of service, peer support meetings—it’s all right there.”
After downloading the app, Harmony alumni are able to:
A powerful sense of ego can be one of the worst obstacles on your recovery journey. It can make you see things differently and damage your sense of reality.
“Recovery isn’t about stopping drinking (or stopping whatever). It’s about investigating the ways of the ego and trying to change on the basis of that knowledge,” wrote Alan Budge in his 2013 book For God’s Sake. “It’s about surrender. For me, the whole spiritual deal is based on the idea that I’m not in charge, there is something bigger: God, the universe, whatever. The important thing is not to think or act as though I’m the final authority, that my best interests are the highest good.” Continue reading “Reducing Ego and Self-Centeredness in Recovery”→
*This presentation is no longer eligible for the 1 CE credit*
Join us to discuss Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Music Therapy, and how the intersection of these treatment methods is effective with dual diagnosis populations. Together, we will explore integrative approaches within multiple different treatment settings and experience effective interventions through real-time experientials. Continue reading “Creative Flexibility: Integrating Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Music Therapy”→
Harmony alumna Shayla E. was discharged after her successful treatment in March. It was a very challenging moment in her life. Recovery from addiction is hard enough in normal times, but Shayla had to stay the course in the middle of an escalating pandemic.
“Getting sober during COVID-19 definitely has its challenges,” she says. During her residential treatment at Harmony, Shayla was sheltered from the constant stream of news about the pandemic but then she found herself in a situation where “everybody was terrified of each other.”
“It was nerve-racking, in-person meetings were not necessarily taking place,” she remembers. “I was nervous about attending my IOP (intensive outpatient program) without actually meeting other people or seeing my therapist in person.”
Intensive outpatient treatment is certainly a different experience on Zoom, but Shayla was able to form great relationships with members of her group and with her therapist.
Following treatment, Shayla chose a sober-living arrangement—the “best decision I could have made, especially during COVID,” she says. Shayla had previously relapsed because she isolated herself too much after treatment but she learned from that experience. This time, she was not going it alone.
“I did not have the opportunity to isolate in that home. I was always around a bunch of girls, and we were all stuck together, always finding creative ways to pass the time.” She had clear goals and requirements—such as how many meetings to attend—and it really helped her to stay sober and accountable.
This time her recovery was all about community and building strong relationships to support her. She looked for AA meetings online and attended daily or weekly. She focused on being open and honest, talking with people—she even got her sponsor via Zoom.
The coronavirus precautions are challenging, she says, especially if you’re introverted, but it’s doable. “Just put yourself out there. Say ‘I’m new, I’m a bit afraid, this is where I’m at, and I need help.’ People will definitely reach out. I was surprised to see how many people wanted to sponsor. The amount of support is really remarkable.”
“Good communication so important,” says Shayla. “I was able to help a lot of people as well.” She came well prepared with recovery tools she acquired at Harmony. “I definitely rely a lot on my grounding tools, my breathing exercises. I make sure I have a solid morning routine—getting up on time, making my bed, meditation, prayer, and yoga, if I have enough time. Getting involved in AA meetings definitely has been important to me, that’s how I keep building my community.”
She stays in touch with the Harmony community and journals a lot. “It’s all about staying open-minded, and not being judgmental—everybody’s different.” At the same time, don’t be too serious, have some fun, and be yourself.
Shayla has a message for addicted people who think they can’t do it, who believe that recovery is too hard for them. “I know it’s a horrible pandemic but it gave me the time, and the opportunity to slow down, to actually focus on myself and work a program. It’s definitely worth considering going into treatment at Harmony Foundation—that place saved me, I don’t think I could have done it without their support.”
Harmony continues to serve people suffering from a substance use disorder during the pandemic and has implemented a number of precautionary measures to ensure staff and client safety. Delaying addiction treatment can be even more dangerous than COVID-19.
Shayla knows recovery is not easy. “Getting sober is hard but if you know in your heart that you want recovery and you feel now is the time, do it! Reach out to anyone you know, strangers, Harmony alumni, we are here for you,” she says.
“It’s possible, it’s doable, and it’s a lot better on the other side.”
*This presentation is no longer eligible for the 1 CE credit*
Returning to college after residential treatment is tough enough as it is. Factor in a global pandemic and the hourly development of changes in higher education and you have yourself the perfect storm for a chaotic re-entry into collegiate life. Unfortunately, the landscape of higher education is going to become more complex and virtual, rather than as-expected and in-person. In this webinar we will highlight the “normal” challenges to enrolling in college post-treatment, discuss the most recent national trends in Admissions and Enrollment, and talk about some out-of-the-box resources those who are in treatment may need to start exploring. This presentation will validate and support attendees’ concerns about re-entry onto the college campus, and reinforce the importance of ensuring each young adult has the support they need before going back to school. Continue reading “College Re-entry During COVID-19: Enrollment, Deferment, and More!”→
*This presentation is no longer eligible for the 1 CE credit*
We’ve all heard it, you’ve probably said it: You can’t pour from an empty cup, right? Is your cup empty? Is your cup full? Is your cup broken? As a professional, I know you are passionate about giving to others but there is only so much to give before burnout is a reality. In this training, you will be reminded how critical your self care is and most importantly how you can implement self care on a consistent basis in order to prevent burnout. Through quality and consistent self care, we can prevent things like stress and burnout and create more work/life balance which is essential for your overall wellness and the wellness of others. Becky Lauridsen, LPC and founder of IOME will give a presentation and hands on training for you to achieve Guilt Free Self Care. “You deserve the best because your loved ones deserve the best of you, not what’s left of you.” – Becky Lauridsen Continue reading “Self Care is Preventative Care – Burnout Prevention Program”→
For more than 50 years, Harmony has been the foundation for sustained recovery from addiction for thousands of people. Treatment methods have evolved quite substantially during those decades and Harmony continues to embrace innovation and new strategies to treat addiction and co-occurring mental health conditions.
Harmony’s chief clinical officer Dr. Annie Peters has built a mental health team that works with clients to address trauma, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues that frequently drive SUD. Her team has recently started to use virtual reality technology to help patients in the detox phase of treatment. The VR technology enables patients to use mindfulness exercises in a calming, virtual environment while undergoing the fairly stressful detoxification process. “It’s helping clients calm down and feel more comfortable and that’s exactly what we want them to do in detox,” explains Peters.
“Emotional regulation and psychological grounding are crucial in early recovery,” says detox counselor Carla Felts, “especially when clients are going through withdrawal.” The VR allows them to experience a relaxing environment like a beach or a forest in which they do meditation exercises that can counter any anxiety they may experience.
“Learning mindfulness in a group setting can be intimidating for some clients at first,” says Felts. “In the VR, they can try it out by themselves. If it works for them, it can definitely become a springboard for patients to engage in more mindfulness meditation throughout their recovery process.”
The novel approach to treating mental health issues was developed by the National Mental Health Innovation Center (NMHIC) at the University of Colorado and is now being used at Harmony. So far, the feedback from clients has been overwhelmingly positive, says Felts. “In detox, clients are not necessarily able to go to a therapy room to practice meditation. At the same time, the environment in the detox room can be loud and activating. The VR gives them an opportunity to create a space for themselves even in this busy place.” Most clients like it so much, they come back and ask whether they can use it again after they transitioned from detox to residential treatment.
Matt Vogl co-founded the Innovation Center to “test new ways to make mental health services of all kinds more accessible to everyone,” as he explains in the Ted Talk above. “Technology has long been viewed as the enemy of mental health, but what if that is wrong? What if it can be part of the solution?”
“The brain processes a virtual image much like a real image, the resulting sense of presence essentially tricks your brain into thinking you’re actually there. In VR, you can meditate anywhere you want to,” says Vogl who has bipolar disorder.
Dr. Peters shares Vogl’s assessment. “It’s much easier to visualize a calming scene when it’s right in front of your eyes. Major stress-reducing skills are about engaging your senses. The more you engage your senses and body functions like breathing, the more helpful it is for the client. When someone is distressed, we want them to be able to soothe themselves and we want them to distract from emotional pain.”
The VR can do just that for most people, but it’s obviously important to get feedback from clients to find out how it worked for them. Not all modalities are appropriate for all clients. The more the treatment approach hones in on individual needs, the more effective it becomes.
Wider Approach to Use Technological Innovation for Mental Health
In order to explore new ways to make mental health services of all kinds more accessible, the National Mental Health Innovation Center has built what they call the Tech Innovation Network (TIN). It is a partnership between the NMHIC and various community, clinical, and technology partners. Deputy director Mimi McFaul, senior project manager Sarah Beary, and program manager Gwen Gaumond coordinate the partnership with Harmony.
“Harmony Foundation has shown an unusual interest in new technology and is open to exploring new research, says McFaul. “Harmony is our superstar site in the addiction treatment sector.”
The NMHIC basically functions as a broker between two sectors: trusted tech partners developing software and treatment modalities on one side and clinical and community sites like Harmony at the other end. “There are now over 100 TIN sites and 5–7 trusted tech partners who produce excellent content, sometimes under our advisement,” explains Gwen Gaumond. “We pass that on to the community sites to explore cutting-edge treatment during pilot or research projects.”
Harmony is an excellent partner because they have a lot of experience with mindfulness in addiction treatment and the capacity to use technological innovation effectively. This makes Harmony a valuable TIN site because “other addiction treatment partners don’t have the same level of expertise,” says Gaumond.
The NMHIC is very interested in any feedback Harmony can provide so the technology can be steadily improved and adjusted. “With VR, in particular, it’s difficult to gauge how immersive it really is for particular individuals,” says Sarah Beary. “Even with something as uncomplicated as mindfulness, many TIN sites come back with different ideas on how to use it. Then we can adjust it for that particular program.”
Research shows that lack of access is one of the root causes of the mental health crisis in America—a crisis directly linked to the addiction crisis because substance misuse is strongly correlated to mental health problems. More access to a variety of treatment modalities is urgently required.
For Harmony, the VR project has been very positive and Dr. Peters is already thinking about expanding the use of VR at Harmony. Program leadership is discussing how this technology may be integrated throughout the treatment experience at the Estes Park campus as well as how it could contribute to recovery support at the new Fort Collins Recovery Center. “Harmony’s latest partnerships with the medical community and technology innovators continue to expand our ability to successfully bring people into recovery,” adds CEO James Geckler. “With every year, we work towards new ways to address issues to individualize care and are encouraged by the strong outcomes we’re seeing as a result.”
Welcome to the Harmony Foundation podcast series. I’m Gina Thorne and I’m pleased today to be joined with Kim Sharpe, director of provider outreach and community relations for Heart-Centered Counseling. You’re based out of Fort Collins, but you actually have sites in Denver.
We have offices in Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, South Denver, Inglewood, Littleton, Aurora, Castle Rock and Colorado Springs.And we also reach out into the mountain communities and rural communities through Telehealth. So we are really statewide. Continue reading “Heart Centered Counseling”→
*This presentation is no longer eligible for the 1 CE credit*
Cognitive skills such as Short Term and Long Term Memory, Visual and Auditory Processing, Attention, Processing Speed, and Logic and Reasoning are the foundation for learning. These skills which work much like your computer’s processor are vital and necessary for clarity of thought, the ability to connect consequences with behavior, problem solving, and the ability to remember and apply coping and self-management skills when under stress. Substance abuse negatively affects the function of these important skills making recovery and performance in work and day-to-day life more difficult than necessary. In this webinar, we’ll learn about the impact these skills have on recovery and most importantly, how these skills can be made better! There are options to improve cognitive function and restore much of what has been lost or damaged, giving those in recovery a new mind with which to tackle their new life. Continue reading “The Role of Cognitive Skills and Brain Function in Recovery Building a Strong Foundation for Success”→
Welcome to the Harmony Foundation podcast series. I’m very pleased today to be joined with Steven Buchan who was working with Summit Malibu out of Malibu, California.
Thank you for having me. It’s a pleasure to be here. It’s beautiful here.
It’s no Malibu, but it’s definitely beautiful.
It’s different, but it’s… I mean, so I was talking to Marlyce about this. We have the ocean. You guys have the mountains.
And we are very grateful for that because we believe that it makes all the difference in recovery, especially with the people that we have that come up here. I know that Malibu has some beautiful places, the beaches are amazing there. We’re really excited to talk with you a little bit about Summit Malibu, but before we do that, let’s talk a little bit about what got you into the field of addiction treatment. Continue reading “Summit Malibu”→
