At Renaissance Ranch, your path to recovery started when you first picked up the phone and spoke to the care team. Now that you have finished your treatment program, you’ve begun the dynamic process of sober living and lifelong recovery.
Along the way, you are going to need pick-me-ups. Here at Renaissance Ranch, the Band of Brothers provides a unique way for alumni to continue the brotherhood they shared while in treatment, long after they leave the facility. Whether you see each other at meetings, participate in activities and outings, or listen to the Band of Brothers podcast, all alumni are a part of this special fraternity that binds you together in recovery.
The Essentiality of Peer Support in Recovery
Recovering from substance use is hard. It is a dynamic, lifelong process that requires a commitment to achieving sobriety. It can feel isolating because you are doing something most people have never done and therefore do not understand.
That is where peer support comes into play. Peer support is support given by nonprofessional people, often those who are also in recovery. This can include things like giving tips on maintaining sobriety, offering a shoulder to cry on, or sitting and listening to each other.
One of the greatest parts of peer support is that you know the person you are talking to knows where you are coming from – because they have also been there. There are few things more encouraging after a bad day than talking to someone who can listen empathetically through understanding.
Studies have shown the positive benefits of peer support in treatment programs. Research shows that in both treatment and community settings, peer support is beneficial for long-term cessation, sobriety, and recovery.
Brotherhood in Treatment, Fraternity in Recovery
You might be wondering what exactly we mean when we say peer support. Peer support is more than just being around other people who share similar backgrounds, interests, hobbies, or work with you.
When we talk about peer support in recovery, we are talking about people who have already been where you are and have stepped into the role of a peer recovery coach. A peer recovery coach knows what you are going through, because they went through it too – and now they can impart the wisdom they learned onto you, to make your recovery better.
A peer recovery coach is different from a counselor, medical professional, or program administrator because those are specialized roles, often requiring specialized education and certifications. Recovery coaches step into their role because they can uniquely understand what a client feels in recovery.
Peer coaches provide support to clients in a variety of ways, including:
- Emotional support, empathetically listening to their fellow man and relating to what you are going through
- Connecting you with events and activities to keep you involved in the community
- Mentoring you as you navigate the complex move into lifelong sobriety and recovery
- Helping you to find stable housing and employment as you move out of the inpatient program
- Helping you get the information you need, like referrals, as well as health and wellness resources in your community and through the alumni program
Peer support programs have been shown to have many positive effects on those who are in recovery, such as:
- Improved sobriety success
- Greater satisfaction with the holistic treatment experience
- Greater access to social support and community resources
- Reduced hospitalization and relapse rates
- Improved stability in housing and life circumstances
The Band of Brothers Program
At Renaissance Ranch, we don’t view your treatment as just the plan to get you to sobriety. Your journey to sobriety and lifelong recovery continues long after you leave the inpatient program. We are here for you. Just like sobriety is a lifelong commitment you make when you trust us to help, we accept your trust and make our own lifelong commitment to your health and continued recovery.
The Band of Brothers alumni program at Renaissance Ranch is a big way that we stay connected to you through peer support services. The Band of Brothers have made it their mission to mentor newer members and reveal the hope of recovery to them.
When you find your support in the Band of Brothers alumni program, you find yourself embraced into a tight-knit group of men supporting other men and helping them succeed. It is that personal connection and support that makes all the difference in recovery success.
Even as you transition out of the inpatient program and into a sober living situation, your brothers are here for you. Whether you are at the group therapy sessions, alumni meetings, an organized hike, monthly barbeques, or even the quarterly golf tournament, you will find the fraternity that binds us all together and the care you need to thrive.
Brotherhood, No Matter Your Journey
Connection is one of the most important factors in successful recovery from substance use disorder. Even when you cannot get to a meeting, know that your brothers are here for you. When you cannot get to us, the brothers can come to you.
This connection is one of the main reasons why the Band of Brothers podcast was created. You can listen to your peers talk about the very real issues you face and learn about how they faced those same issues and overcame them. Sometimes, just hearing someone else’s story can positively shape our own.
At Renaissance Ranch, we are committed to the healing of the holistic man in mind, body, and spirit. We understand that no man can be whole unless every part of himself is made whole again. Together, as brothers, we can heal and find success in recovery.
Transitioning from the strength of brotherhood in an inpatient rehabilitation program into an outpatient sober living house can make you feel lonely. At Renaissance Ranch, the Band of Brothers is our peer support group dedicated to making sure that we lift each other up in recovery. In the Band of Brothers, you can benefit from working with your own personal coaches. These coaches are men who have been through everything you are going through and can hold you accountable moving forward. Together, in the Band of Brothers alumni program, we can help you maintain lifelong sobriety and recovery. Are you looking for a program that offers personalized support with peer coaches who understand you? If so, call Renaissance Ranch today at (801) 308-8898 to learn more about the Band of Brothers and the wide variety of treatment options we offer.