Why is Centered Recovery a non-12 step drug rehab?

There are many different types of treatment for alcohol and substance abuse, and many programs can be beneficial for those who are struggling. However, there are few programs in the country which are truly not 12 step based.

Rehab centers based on the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA/NA) are the dominant variety and most people who have recovered through treatment incorporated some or all of the 12 steps into their process. Centered Recovery feels that people in Atlanta and surrounding suburbs ought to have more options than facilities based on the 12 steps, religious programs or medical models. Evidence shows that our Mindfulness-based program is a successful alternative to Alcoholics Anonymous based programs, either as a standalone program or used in conjunction with meetings if desired.

One of our core philosophies is that we don’t focus on the concept of addiction is an incurable disease. What truly matters is that people can and do have the ability to fully recover – and that should be the focus. We have found that people can still recover whether they believe in the disease model or not.

We help our clients understand their own psychological and mental health and how those systems work so that they can move forward from addiction issues without continuing to work against their own internal systems. Many programs focus on what is wrong in an effort to fix what is considered “broken.” Centered Recovery encourages our clients to acknowledge the wholeness within them. Obviously, some attention must be given to the habits and behaviors that have formed over time which are not healthy, and this is done through exploring the neuropsychology of addiction and behavior in our Skills Building Groups.

Mindfulness is all about being fully present and being non-judgmental, and when those are occurring more often than not, people cease to live reactionary, thought-driven lives that create trouble and instead move toward a much happier future overall that is derived from inner stability.