There are many different aspects to treatment programs. West Coast Recovery Centers understands that not everyone is immediately prepared for the post-treatment world. That is why they are believers in a quality life skills program.
What Are Life Skills?
Life skills are those skills that most people may think of as everyday activities. They may include:
- Washing dishes
- Making beds
- Balancing a checkbook
- Preparing a meal
- Preparation for a job interview
These are only a few of the many life skills that people in recovery may be lacking. In some cases, these skills have been lost or may have never been learned in the first place. Without these skills, many people leaving treatment may find it harder to function on a daily basis.
The Purpose of a Treatment Program
In treatment, a person is working with mental health professionals to achieve a level of sustainable sobriety as they continue into the post-treatment world. These programs do everything they can to make sure that clients are prepared for what comes next.
Treatment programs come in a variety of different forms, including:
- Inpatient
- Intensive outpatient
- General outpatient
Each of these can serve a different purpose. Some people may even find that they utilize all three in order to take smaller, manageable steps back into society.
The Benefits of a Life Skills Program In Recovery
A life skills program is often incorporated into one of the three levels of treatment. For most people, it comes during the outpatient stage but can be applied at any point. Many outpatient programs offer options that allow for a monitored yet independent recovery living situation.
These programs assist people in developing life skills at the level they require. Clients are given general tasks to accomplish that benefit themselves and other residents. These are often daily chores. Some clients may be reticent to take part in these tasks, but their benefits are incalculable.
Completing Assigned Tasks
When clients are able to take part in a program that incorporates life skills, they often show a level of confidence, having learned to complete tasks. People get a sense of accomplishment when they know they have completed a task.
This may seem strange when the victories seem as if they are on such a small scale. However, for clients in recovery, the idea of starting and finishing a task of any size can be daunting. That is why these programs exist. They allow a person to start, fail, and begin again in a safe environment where they feel encouraged rather than judged.
Learning Self-Reliance
For those clients who may be used to others completing tasks for them, a life skills program may feel unnecessary and, in some cases, beneath them. They are used to being taken care of and require additional encouragement. However, once they begin to take part, they will begin to learn self-reliance. This self-reliance, coupled with the pride of being able to complete tasks, creates an environment of healing and pride.
Real World Application
Clients who learn life skills in recovery are treated in a program whose purpose is to teach skills that can be applied post-treatment. These skills are often based on the needs of the individual. For example, someone who has trouble with math may find that they cannot balance a checkbook. In this case, they will be given assistance in this area on top of the basic skills. When a person leaves recovery, the life skills should apply to whatever living situation they will be entering.
Who Benefits From a Life Skills Program?
Anyone going through recovery can benefit in different ways from life skills programs. In fact, those who do not necessarily need to learn new skills can benefit simply from the pride of completing tasks. These individuals will find satisfaction in proving, rather than learning, self-reliance.
People who are actively in need of life skills training will be able to learn new skills that gradually increase in complexity. This will leave them in a place where they will not only want to learn but continue to learn skills even post-treatment.
West Coast Recovery Centers’ Life Skills Program
At West Coast Recovery Centers, our staff is not just there to deal with counseling and mediation. A large part of our program involves life skills. For many, simply arriving and taking part in all-day activities can be the first step to engaging in real-world tasks with the benefits of a typical outpatient program.
Staff and clients work together to create an environment of healing. When done properly, such as in the West Coast Recovery Centers program, life skills can be taught in a way that does not feel forced. They are simply required skills for the situation that will continue with the client as they move forward.
People entering recovery often feel defeated and are in need of encouragement. They may have thoughts of personal worthlessness that must be combated with staff assistance. At West Coast Recovery Centers, one of the tools we use is our life skills program. In this program, clients are taught basic skills that will aid them and teach them self-reliance as they proceed into the post-treatment world. For West Coast Recovery Centers, the main goal is to put clients on the right footing to continue a healthy life post-treatment. We believe that with the right tools, including comprehensive life skills, clients will have a higher success rate moving forward. For more information, call us at (760) 492-6509.