Therapy is based on the method of addict helping addict through confrontation of behavior. Addicts in recovery and professionals skilled in behavior modification staff Genesis House. Activities are designed to help residents examine damaging beliefs, self-concepts, and patterns of behavior. They are taught to adopt new, more harmonious and constructive ways to interact with others.

Genesis House supplies a stage for the residents to practice coping with problems. The idea of the therapeutic environment is based on the premise that people change by experiencing behaving in a different manner. The therapeutic environment of the Genesis House is constructed to demand the individual grow into new behavior patterns. The purpose of the environment is teaching the individual to be a responsible human being who has a sense of self worth and is capable of fulfilling his needs. In order to achieve this goal the resident must learn not to rely on family for support and must develop job skills. In addition, they must learn how to deal with their emotions (feelings) constructively, behave responsibly and face uncomfortable emotions. Learning how to relate to other’s enables the individual to feel fulfilled as a person (to care and be cared about.) The resident gains a sense of self worth through being a contributing member of something worthwhile. Thus, they no longer must escape and destroy themselves.

Negative behavior in the environment, which warrants consequences, is dealt with by giving the resident a learning experience. These unpleasant experiences teach the person he is responsible for his actions and must face the consequences of his behavior. For a learning experience to be effective the individual must believe it is a consequence of his own actions. The individual must view it as a way of taking responsibility for his behavior and earning back the respect of the house. The person has to feel he is being given the experience due to responsible caring, not out of malice or spite. It is essential that the individual understand his bad behavior is being rejected to help him be a worthwhile person.

Besides behaving responsibly a human being needs to be able to get good feelings (caring, affection) from other people. The residents of the house live together as members of a family. The members of the family grow up as brothers and sisters under the guidance of older members of the house (and staff) who act as parent figures, role models. Each member of the family holds a specific job function. The residents are not patients who wait to be cured by a staff of professionals. The individual helps build and maintain Genesis House and receives a sense of self worth from being a contributing member of something important. The organization of the house is based on a status structure with various titles and departments that the residents work through. In the environment the primary reward for good behavior is increased responsibility and increased privileges. The individual earns being treated as a more responsible human being and in this way self worth improves. The new resident begins as a worker doing menial jobs. As he proves he can be responsible and carry out directions he is put in the position of giving them. Once becoming a department head he is in charge of the workers below him and seeing that the daily functions of his department are completed. If he fails to meet the expectations of his job position he can be “shot down” which strips the resident of all responsibilities and privileges. Residents are able to earn back their responsibilities and privileges by demonstrating growth and positive behavior amongst the staff and their peers.

In addition to developing daily living skills around the house, the residents are trained in automotive detailing at our work site “Genesis Wash and Detail”. At the detail shop, residents are given the opportunity to earn additional responsibility by demonstrating initiative, enthusiasm, responsibility, tact and courtesy, job knowledge, and the capacity to use good judgement and skill. Resident progress is evaluated monthly by the Carwash Supervisor. The proceeds from the carwash are used to supplement expenses not covered by Federal/State funds and to provide for capital purchases. In addition it enables the residents to develop self worth and obtain valuable job skills, work habits, and job contacts. A large majority of residents completing treatment become employed through contacts made at the Detail Shop or obtain a job in the auto detail industry based on the experience they have gained.

Thirty hours of group therapy is provided per week. Gender specific groups, parenting, life management skills, relapse prevention, anger management, stress reduction, yoga/meditation, NA/CA Panels, and GED preparation are included in the treatment schedule. Residents receive a minimum of one hour of one-on-one counseling per week with their primary counselor. Treatment plans are individualized to each resident based on his drug/social/work history. Length of stay in 1st phase (level 111.5) depends on the residents’ progress in treatment. The average length of stay in 1st phase is 5-7 months.

When residents have demonstrated stability in their emotional/behavioral problems and have applied the skills necessary to meet the objectives on their treatment plans they are ready to be transferred to a less intensive level of care (level 111.1 or 2nd phase). In the second phase of treatment the focus shifts to applying recovery skills, money management, preventing relapse, promoting personal responsibility and development of a social network. The resident is reintegrated into the worlds of work, education, and family life. Residents are still required to pitch in to help run the household in addition to managing the additional responsibilities that come with 2nd phase. Residents receive 4-5 group hours per week and a minimum of one hour of one-on-one counseling. In addition, they are required to attend two self-help meetings in the community per week. The average length of stay in 2nd phase is 2-3 months.

The resident is prepared to live independently in the community or in a less structured environment (level 1 or 3rd phase) when their mental/behavioral status has stabilized and he can apply the skills necessary to meet the objectives of his treatment plan. He must be employed in the community, or enrolled in school or vocational program. The resident’s social and interpersonal environment needs to be supportive of recovery. In addition, he must demonstrate sufficient recovery/coping skills to allow successful participation in a less intensive recovery environment. Most residents choose to enter recovery houses as they provide the structure in which to practice and successfully integrate their recovery skills. Clients in aftercare are required to meet the requirements of 2nd phase along with the added responsibility of supporting themselves in the community. Clients are usually in aftercare for 2-4 months. When clients have applied the skills necessary to maintain recovery and are living in a supportive environment they are successfully graduated from the program.