If you keep doing what you always did you will keep getting what you always got. If you walk the same path every day across a field of grass there will be a path that develops, for the grass to grow again there you will have to stop walking that same path. The same happens in terms of thoughts, behaviours and habits etc. After being in rehab it is important that a document gets drawn up to guide a person’s behaviour, thoughts and way of living, to form new habits. This document is called a relapse prevention plan. Whether you are recovering from a lapse in mental health or drug addiction this document is a vitally important part of the recovery process.
A relapse prevention plan is the principal blueprint for your recovery and serves as your own personal reference guide or life plan for keeping you clean, safe and healthy. It is a personal code of right conduct AS WELL as a manual instruction guide for anyone who agrees to support you.
One of the main benefits of developing your plan from scratch is that it will give you a comprehensive understanding and appreciation for your condition, it will help familiarize yourself with all aspects of your new life and it will improve your sense of identity.
A relapse prevention plan is a WORKING and LIVING document, which means that it changes over time to suit your personal growth and circumstances, but it never changes without the unanimous approval of your Recovery Circle (Support structure) i.e. Your wise counsel and your primary accountability.
Each and every relapse prevention plan will be uniquely tailored and individually personalised to suit your specific circumstance. However, some points should be a feature of every plan regardless of circumstance and should be explicitly detailed such as:
What Recovery Principals you follow. How you will be tested, how your Medication should work including Alcohol. What your spirituality means to you and how do you mean to maintain it. How you will maintain your health and physical well-being. How you will keep yourself accountable on all fronts. How your accountability meetings will work and why.
What your daily routine will look like. Where will you be living and how will that be safe, what your relationships with other people will look like. What attitudes and behaviours you wish to cultivate. What kind of lifestyle you will follow and what your exit strategies will look like. What your triggers, character defects and consequences are together with a detailed account of your warning signs and behaviours.
My practice is officially open again.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with me for an online counselling session. Let’s together create an environment where you can connect with yourself again, an environment that fosters and encourages authenticity. An environment where you can follow your gut and get to know what it looks like.
After doing an intake I might be able to help you with a few sessions using BWRT (Brainworking Recursive Therapy) read more about BWRT on another blog on my website: https://thewellsamaria.co.za/what-is-brainworking-recursive-therapy-or-bwrt/, or we will use another technique depending on your unique needs.
Contact Me & Book your online session!
