After Care Family Counseling: Engaging the family on the journey to recovery
For families of Recovering Drug Dependents (RDDs), the key to recovery is conscious awareness and open-minded acceptance that everyone is responsible and involved in the difficult journey to recovery of their family member. That is why home visitation and family counselling are needed.
Aftercare and follow-up are an integral component of the treatment and rehabilitation process. It is a continuation of the rehabilitation process within the community after discharge from a treatment facility. After the After Care Program was launched on July 17, 2020, the counselors and facilitators underwent a series of capacity building and planning workshop to design a structured plan that will warrant an evidence-based and client-centered intervention and one of these in the Home Visitation and Family Counseling.
Bon-Bon, now in his twenties, once grappled with a number of painful and conflicting emotions because of his drug addiction. He was dragged to drug-use due to the bad influence of his friends. As a product of a dysfunctional family, he developed hatred after his father left them at a young age, trying to fill the void of his emptiness through vices.
During his rehabilitation, her mother is struggling financially because she has to visit him in Bukidnon, rent a vehicle and pay for his therapy. Significantly, while he is in rehab, his father was invited in one of the family counseling sessions and they were given a chance to reconcile. Although not all of his questions were answered, Bon-Bon managed to vent his anger and eventually forgave his father. According to his mother, Bon-Bon is a completely changed man after his release from the rehabilitation. There, he met God and began reading the Bible and memorizing verses. According to his mother, Bon-Bon and his RDD comrades often meet at home and reinforce each other. Often, she heard them say to each other, “no to relapse “.
Fortunately, the strong support of Bon-Bon’s family brought him a promising recovery. However, this does not apply to everyone. This is why home visits and family counseling are required.
On August 14th and 19th, the aftercare team was able to visit 16 RDDs in their current homes for family counseling, allotting first 30 minutes for the RDD and the next 30 minutes for the family. Counselors ensure to help families in various ways by offering some psychological and faith-based interventions to help the RDD with the recovery process, social reintegration, and maintenance of abstinence.
Also, part of the home visit is to assess the kind of environment they are currently residing looking into the source of triggers due to a non-conducive environment for recovery. Since the Rehabilitation Center discourages RDDs from returning to their old residences, it is the role of counselors to provide the necessary intervention if their current environment causes them to possible relapse by strengthening the family support.
Mel lives in the squatter area. After his release, he managed to stay sober and eventually quit drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes. Everyday, he comes across with his friends in their neighborhood, which temp him to return to his former vices. Also, one of Mel’s complaints is that his mother got drunk several times, which emotionally hurts him and ultimately embarrasses the family. If Mel’s problem is not resolved, it may be a triggering factor for him to return to his old ways.
The support of friends and family plays an integral role in recovering from addiction. Since recovery is a lifelong journey, having supportive family members who understand the process is of profound importance. Family members who are informed about addiction recovery can greatly increase chances of success throughout the recovery process, and in some cases can help keep RDDs accountable. Further, counselors can help families understand the complex road to recovery, and offer support for the difficult journey ahead.
During the RDDs recovery, it is important that the family be well informed of how to handle their family member’s addiction moving forward. Through home visitation and counseling, counselors can help families become aware of their own needs and aid them in the goal of keeping the RDDs away from drugs.
The After Care team can help the family understand what they can do to take an active and positive role in the recovery of their family member. Family roles in addiction can be one of the strongest supports of recovery, when actions and interactions are healthy and positive.
Since counseling is a challenging job, the After Care Team consists of 7 members, always begin their day with worship and prayer. During their lunch break and at the end of the afternoon session, they meet together to discuss what had transpired in the day. “A Spirit-led counseling is key to effective counseling”, Chaplain Jose Custorio, one of the counselors said.
The conduct of counseling will take place as planned until October 30, 2020. While some RDDs are not currently based in Koronadal, the team will definitely visit them. They all maintain an attendance card for all activities of the program, which will later be reported to the court.