Understanding treatment, and surviving it as a family
Most families arrive at addiction treatment with no map. There are many centres, very different approaches, a great deal of confident marketing, and very little plain guidance about what suits the person you love.
Nikki has spent more than fifteen years in this world, at Houghton House and the CHANGES treatment centres before opening her own practice. She knows what the different models do, which facilities suit which situations, and what happens when somebody comes home.
Matching the person to the right place
The single most useful thing we do at this stage is match somebody to the facility that gives them the best chance.
That means understanding the person first: what they are dealing with, how severe it is, what has already been tried, what their family can support, and acceptance criteria. Only then does the question of where become answerable.
Primary care and secondary care are different things. Some people need medical detox first. Some need a structured therapeutic community. Some need a step-down environment after treatment rather than treatment itself. Some do not need a facility at all.
Being straight with you. Nikki has an interest in a secondary care facility in Cape Town. It is the right fit for some people and genuinely not suitable for many others, and she will tell you which you are.
*”I have relationships with many facilities and I am a good matchmaker. If I am all about the client, which I really am, I am going to match you with the best facility for you and your needs. Sometimes that is mine and sometimes it is not.”*
What families usually ask
How do I know if it is serious enough?
If you are asking the question, it is worth a conversation. Very few families reach out too early. Most reach out later than they should have, often after something has forced the issue.
What if they refuse to go?
This is the most common question we are asked. There is usually more room to work with than families believe, and it generally starts with changing what the family does rather than waiting for the person to agree.
What happens when they come home?
Leaving treatment is one of the most vulnerable periods in the whole journey. Inside there is structure, routine, accountability and support. Outside, the person faces relationships, work, family dynamics, triggers, freedom, responsibility and choice, usually all at once.
That is exactly what Revolution, our early recovery group, was built for. It meets three times a week online.
What if they relapse?
Relapse is common and it is not a moral failure. It is information about what was missing in the plan. The question is not whether somebody has failed, it is what needs to be different this time.
What if we need more than advice?
Where a situation is complex, or several professionals are already involved, Recovery Concierge provides full coordination from assessment through to reintegration.
What we work with, and what we refer on
Where there are concerns requiring specialised psychiatric, psychological, medical, nutritional or other clinical intervention – Nikki would refer you to the appropriately qualified and registered professional. This is only done where required and with the client’s consent. Nikki can remain involved in a supportive or case-management capacity, working collaboratively with the relevant professionals to help ensure continuity of care.
Talk to somebody who has been on both sides of this
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you run a rehabilitation centre?
Nikki has an interest in a secondary care facility in Cape Town. She works with many facilities and will recommend whichever is right for the individual, which is often not her own.
What is the difference between primary and secondary care?
Primary care is a treatment facility somebody enters to stabilise and begin recovery. Secondary care is a step-down environment for people who have completed treatment, or an option for people who do not need full primary care.
Do you work with the family or with the person who is struggling?
Both, and often the family first.
My loved one has been to rehab before and it did not work. Is there any point trying again?
Yes. Many sustained recoveries follow an earlier attempt. What usually needs to change is the plan for afterwards rather than the treatment itself.
Can you help if we are not in Cape Town?
Yes. Family support and consultation work well online, our recovery groups are all online, and we place people at facilities across the country and abroad.