recovery unplugged
What Does “420” Mean?
Every April, self-identified “stoners” across the globe and the United States gear up for “420.” The term has infiltrated popular culture for…
Recovery Unplugged Celebrates Social Workers’ Month
Social Workers are the backbone of much of the work we do here at Recovery Unplugged. They are among the front lines…
Women and Addiction and International Women’s Day
For International Women’s Day, Recovery Unplugged wanted to recognize the unique relationship between women and addiction recovery. Vicki Quintero, our Production Coordinator,…
The Benefits of Quitting Alcohol
We all know how dangerous alcohol is. Many of us and the people we care about have been severely impacted and even…
New Year’s Resolutions and Addiction Recovery
The promise of the New Year makes optimists out of most of us. We feel empowered by the symbolic new beginning that…
Setting New Year’s Goals In Drug Treatment
“Progress is the word that charms their ears and stirs their hearts.” – Woodrow Wilson
Why do we make resolutions? It seems like a tall order. However, resolutions always made in good intention because the focus of every resolution is progress. What is progress? People often get into arguments about what constitutes progress. Some say that what others regard as progress is not progress at all. Some people evaluate progress in relation to their notion of an ideal state of the world or themselves. To us progress is making a real effort even if that just means asking for help.
For those suffering from addiction just making a resolution will not due. Resolutions to get clean and sober are made a lot (whether at New Year’s or any other time), the first step is the hardest. We are so proud of anyone who makes the first step of getting help. It is the first step towards a goal or progress towards the goal of being in recovery. Goals play a big part in recovery. Once a person learns their purpose in their quest to defeat drug addiction and/or alcohol abuse. By simply setting goals will not sufficiently motivate a person attempting recovery to give up an addiction. The best way to do this is setting “SMART” goals….
Making It Happen: Recovery Unplugged Gives a Much-Deserved Nod to Our Billing Department
When we talk about the Recovery Unplugged treatment experience, we generally discuss our doctors, therapists and creative professionals; however, there are multiple…
Steven Tyler’s Shout-Out to Richie Supa
Legends never die, and it’s in that spirit that Aerosmith, the legendary all-American band from Boston, has maintained a residency and is…
Recovery Unplugged Celebrates Our Nurses
The Recovery Unplugged treatment approach is driven by a commitment to providing the highest level of acute medical and behavioral care, a…
A Thanksgiving Message from Recovery Unplugged
Recovery Unplugged wants to wish all a safe, happy and sober Thanksgiving, from our family to yours. For those in recovery, Thanksgiving…
Read Our Story: Paul Pellinger Releases New Book on Music-Based Treatment and Recovery Unplugged
Recovery Unplugged Chief Strategy Officer Paul Pellinger has just released an illuminating and engaging book on the power of music-based addiction treatment…
Recovery Unplugged Texas Receives JACHO’s Gold Seal of Approval
In another demonstration of their commitment to the highest quality of care for the patients they serve, Recovery Unplugged is delighted to…
A Chat with Blues Songwriter Marci Chevian-Hooper
If there’s one woman who has earned the title of “Ms.”, it’s Connecticut singer/songwriter Marci Chevian-Hooper, known henceforth as Ms. Marci. If you’re lucky enough to ever engage her in conversation, whether it’s about her life, her music, her recovery, her experiences or anything in between, it’s hard not to feel like you’re talking to the First Lady of Modern Blues. Recovery Unplugged had the recent fortune of speaking to Ms. Marci about her exceptional and somewhat unlikely life in music, as well as how it as sustained her recovery. The pleasure was all on our side of the telephone….
Sing Your Life: The Positive Impact of Singing on the Brain
Ever notice how we often sing when we’re excited, exuberant or motivated? This is not a coincidence. Nor is it a coincidence…
Recovery Unplugged Observes International Overdose Awareness Day
On this day, August 31, 2016, Recovery Unplugged would like to recognize the countless victims of drug overdose as well as their loved ones by observing International Overdose Awareness Day. We invite all to participant in whatever capacity possible in an effort raise awareness regarding this alarming and pervasive public health issue. International Overdose Day was established to raise awareness of overdose and reduce the stigma of a drug-related death. It also acknowledges the grief felt by families and friends remembering those who have met with death or permanent injury as a result of drug overdose. The event is now in its 15th year….
Intriguing Facts about Music Therapy for Addiction
The answer to the question of how to define “music” must be so elemental it almost defies explanation. How can you have…
Recovery Unplugged CEO Dines with the Governor
On April 27, Governor Rick Scott hosted a dinner event entitled Judicial Appointments and the JNC. Among those in attendance was none other than accomplished Fort Lauderdale Attorney and Recovery Unplugged Co-Founder and CEO, Marshall Geisser. The event was an opportunity for members of the Florida legal community to exchange thoughts and sentiments regarding the judicial nomination process on both the state and federal levels, and discuss the long-term impact of judicial appointments. Eligible attendees also had the opportunity to earn continuing legal education (CLE) credits and gain invaluable insight from the Governor and some of the state’s top legal experts….
Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler Visits Recovery Unplugged
We were blessed to have a lifetime friend to Richie, Steven Tyler, who was in Florida to visit the Recovery Unplugged drug rehab center yesterday. Steven and Richie’s history goes all the way back to the 70’s, playing music and causing a raucous in New York. As their fame grew, the availability of drugs grew, and the glamorous rock-and-roll party lifestyle took hold. Both men are known around the world as notorious party animals. Richie and Steven shared stories with the clients about their experiences on the road, dealing with their addictions, and the subsequent bottom their respective consequences brought them. The main focus of the day though: recovery. Both Steven and Richie are two of the most passionate people when it comes to recovery, queue the music and the duo have so much love and compassion to share. They talked about what it was like to have everything and lose it to addiction to drugs and alcohol. Together they sang some of Richie Supa’s recovery songs like “Good Intentions” and “Last House on the Block”, and they also played a few of the hits they wrote together like “Pink” and “Amazing”. They had fun with the clients, letting a vocalist get up and sing while Steven played the bongos. After sharing a beautiful message of hope, Steven greeted clients and took pictures with everyone. Steven was well received by the clients, saying “He was so down to earth,” and, “wow, he really loves spreading the message of recovery”….
Long Term Sobriety
For those who have never struggled with addiction, it may seem like rehabilitation is the final step to lifetime sobriety. Unfortunately, the challenge of long term sobriety is a lifelong task as those who complete addiction rehabilitation must constantly battle with old triggers and temptations. This concept became even more vivid to me with the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman and a Chicago Tribune article, “Actor’s death offers lesson in addiction,” which calls attention to the long-term struggle of addiction even five or 10 years after successful drug treatment and sobriety. I am not sure how much you know about Hoffman’s life and struggle with addiction, but the latest relapse came after 20 years of sobriety, which unfortunately resulted in his sudden passing. With his death, the light has been shined on the issue of addiction and the long-term struggle with sobriety that one faces. According to the article, a study in 2007 “found that 2 of 3 people within their first year of sobriety relapsed. But for those with at least three years of clean time, the relapse rate dropped to 1 in 7. 1” Even though the numbers get better, that still isn’t great when you consider that most people expect those in recovery to be completely healed and living in sobriety for life. The article also says the reasons for relapse shortly after rehabilitation are very similar to that of long-term relapse – “the triggers that can prompt a return to drugs or alcohol — stress, poor coping skills, the belief that substance use can be managed — don’t change over time. ”…