Aftercare

Aftercare is available to clients who have completed some form of treatment or re-integration and still require a weekly support programme to help them maintain their recovery in these early days. At this time our Aftercare group is held in the conservatory at Bryant House one morning each week and consists of a group therapy session and a workshop. The topics of the workshop are done on a 13 week rotating basis and cover such things as the 12 step programme, recovery maintenance, relationships', assertiveness, seemingly irrelevant decisions and drink and drug refusal skills. If after having completed a 13 week programme a client feels they wish to continue attending, this can be arranged through the staff.

There are various rules about attending Aftercare, these are in place to make it a safe and secure group in which to work. The rules are as follows:

• All members of the group must be here by 9.20am, ready to begin the workshop. No late arrivals will be permitted into the group. If a member of the group is aware that they will need to leave the group before the end, this will need to be agreed by the other members beforehand.
• No smoking, eating or drinking during the workshops & groups. Also please remember to dress appropriately no hats or sunglass.
• All mobile phones must be switched off during group. The door between the kitchen and the conservatory must remain closed, due to smoke & noise pollution.
• Confidentiality is a vital requirement; all members of the group need to agree to respect the confidentiality of the other group members. A breach of this rule will result in the staff team reviewing your aftercare.
• As a sign of respect to the group, would those members unable to attend aftercare, please inform a member of staff at Cornerways (01202 552536).
• In our experience exclusive relationships between group members will damage the group process and can also make it an unsafe environment. In this eventuality one partner in such a relationship will be asked to leave the group.
• Aggressive, threatening or abusive behaviour will not be tolerated in group {We need to maintain a safe environment.
• In the event of relapse, group members will be required to be seven days clean before being reassessed.
• If a group member misses two groups they will need to contact staff at Cornerways before re-attending aftercare.
• It is all the members of the aftercare group's responsibility to make sure that the house is left in a clean & tidy condition before they leave (please wash, dry & put away all cups) In accordance with the house rules the front & interior door needs to be locked by a resident when a group member leaves the premises.

We also recommend that clients in aftercare become involved in the local recovery community, finding themselves a sponsor and getting involved in a home group, this is to ensure that a client has more contact with recovery each week than just the one morning of aftercare.