MARR understands that addiction is a disease that affects the entire family and provides services to support family members and significant others. Active involvement of family members and loved ones is an important part of the treatment process and can have a positive affect on the addicted individual. All family members are encouraged to fill out a Family Questionnaire to enable our Family Counselor to best assist you.
Family services include an assigned family counselor, weekly family support groups, a three-day Family Workshop and individual, couple and family counseling.
Assigned Family Counselor
In order to have any contact with family members/significant others we must first have a signed release from the patient in treatment. Each patient is assigned a Family Counselor who will be the contact person for the patient’s family. The Family Counselor will meet with the family in person or by phone to assess the family needs for ongoing support. Families will be given a questionnaire to complete to assist the Family Counselor in the admissions process.
Weekly Family Support Groups
MARR offers weekly support groups for spouses/significant others, couples and parents.
Family Workshop
Our three-day intensive workshop is designed to provide education, support and counseling. It is offered approximately every seven weeks and families are strongly encouraged to attend. You will be sent an invitation by the family staff when your loved one has finished Phase I and the time is deemed appropriate. We recommend you attend some type of 12-step program such as Al-Anon, Nar-Anon, CoDa, Celebrate Recovery, etc. as a way to prepare for the workshop. A description of these groups is under Resources.
Individual, couple and family counseling
MARR offers counseling to families while the patient is in treatment with the option of continuing for after-care.
Information for Families
Personal Accounts Families will be provided with information concerning spending money and prescriptions when the patient is admitted. Patients receive a weekly food allowance as part of the program.
Packages MARR has specific guidelines that must be followed with respect to what patients may receive from family and friends during the course of treatment. Please know that it is not our wish to deprive our patients of anything. Part of the therapeutic process is learning to budget and live within the guidelines set and the patient's best interests are always paramount. Please follow the procedures given to families upon admission.
Phone and Mail Privileges Patients have no phone privileges until their contract has been presented and accepted by their counselor and community. Mail privileges vary at the different sites. Please be patient. Your loved one will call and write when they can.
Stopping By If for any reason you have the need to come to the Center, you must call and make an appointment first.
Therapeutic Leave Requests Patients are eligible for a therapeutic leave approximately 30 days after they started treatment. The patient must submit a leave request to their house manager for community approval, as well as staff approval. Family members are also required to prepare for a Therapeutic Leave by attending two al-anon meetings and having a family counseling session (including the patient) with their assigned family therapist. Out of town families can do their session by phone. Family members are advised against making concrete plans (i.e. airline, hotel). until you know the request has been approved. If staff denies a therapeutic leave request, it does not necessarily mean the patient is not making progress. Leave requests can be denied for a variety of reasons (i.e. insufficient plan, family instability). The family counselor is available to you to discuss an upcoming leave and to debrief after the visit.
Information About Patient If you have questions or would like to inquire as to the well-being of a patient, please contact the family counselor for information and support. However, keep in mind that a release of information, signed by the patient, must be on file with your name on it in order for us to even acknowledge that the patient is here. This is done for their protection and is required by law. We try to limit releases to immediate family, so please advise friends and extended family that you will be happy to update them and that there is no need for them to contact the center.
Families and Recovery Workshop
The MARR Family Workshop is an intensive three-day-long process designed to provide education, support and therapy to adults and adolescents age 14 and older. The staff of MARR believes that those who have been in relationships with addicted individuals experience their own struggles and pain. If the family is to survive and grow, it is critical that the individual members begin their own recovery process.
The Goals of Families and Recovery • To support the recovering patients currently in treatment through active participation of family members.
• To assist family members in discovering and working through issues by providing a safe environment for honest exploration of feelings.
• To guide family members in the development of healthy relationships.
• To expose family members to support and therapy groups, spirituality and 12 step based recovery.
When Should We Attend? Experience tells us that no sooner than the fourth week of the patient's stay with MARR is usually best. A family counselor will talk to you on the phone about the timing of your visit. Please don't make time-off or travel plans until you talk with a family counselor.
Workshop Dates See Event Registration for details. [Register Online]
Cost
$100 per person
Family Support Groups
Purpose of the Family Support Groups: The family support groups are ongoing groups for people who have a child, spouse, sibling or significant friend who is: (1) currently in treatment at MARR, (2) has been in treatment at MARR or another facility and is now in recovery, (3) is in active addiction, or (4) is in another substance abuse related situation (i.e.,jail,etc.).
The groups discuss and teach members about codependency and enabling, and attempt to help members detach from their addict in healthy, loving ways. We have several long-term members (i.e., 10 years) who have experienced the positive impact of support for their own recovery process.
MARR is pleased to offer three different group options for family members of alcoholics and/or addicts interested in ongoing support. Please contact the corresponding leader for more information on becoming a member of a support group prior to attending. We ask that group members commit to a minimum of 4 sessions. There will be a $15 charge per individual per group.
TUESDAYS, 5:30 – 6:30 pm (General Group-$15 per person)) MARR’S Administration Office-Conference Room
2815 Clearview Place, Suite 100, Doraville, GA 30340 Dr. Tim Melton, LMFT ph.770-621-9161 Patrice Alexander, LPC ph. 678-805-5164
TUESDAYS, 6:45-7:45pm (Spiritual Group- no charge)
MARR’S Administration Office-Conference Room
2815 Clearview Place, Suite 100, Doraville, GA 30340 Jessica Ringsmuth, LAPC ph. 678-805-5147
WEDNESDAYS, 6:30-7:30pm (Al-Anon Group-no charge) Doraville Serenity Seekers
MARR’S Administration Office-Conference Room
2815 Clearview Place, Suite 100, Doraville, GA 30340 Maria M. ph. 678-232-3851
THURSDAYS, 6:00-7:00 pm (Parent’s Group-$15 per person)
MARR’S Administration Office-Conference Room
2815 Clearview Place, Suite 100, Doraville, GA 30340
Beverly Burns, LPC ph.678-805-5178
THURSDAYS, 6:30-7:30 pm (Spousal Group- $15 per person)
Men’s Recovery Center
2801 Clearview Place; Doraville GA 30340 Chris Cobb, LPC ph.770-335-8084
Couples Surviving and Thriving in Early Recovery
This group is specifically for the addict in recovery and their spouse/significant other. It consists of 12 sessions with 4 couples and a volunteer couple. The group is a safe and confidential place for couples recovering from the disease of addiction to process their feelings in regard to the physical, social and financial damage sustained during active addiction. Topics will include those generated by the group, as well as communication and negotiation, co-dependency and enabling, sexuality and intimacy, marital satisfaction and happiness. The cost is $45 per couple per session.
You will be asked to schedule a pre-group interview to assess your needs and readiness prior to beginning the group.
TUESDAYS, 6:45-7:45 pm
Men's Recovery Center
2801 Clearview Place
Doraville, GA 30340
Patrice Alexander, LPC ph.678-805-5164
Resources
12-step Groups:
By attending Al-Anon, Nar-anon, CoDA, Celebrate Recovery and other 12-Step meetings on a regular basis we learn to change our attitudes and old patterns and habits to find serenity even happiness.
We learn that alcoholism/drug addiction is a three-fold disease; mental, physical, and spiritual, and our loved ones were/are victims of this disease, which ends in insanity and/or death. Learning about and understanding the disease is the beginning of the gift of forgiveness.
We learn the three C's: We didn't cause it, we can't control it, and we can't cure it.
We learn to put the focus on ourselves and be good to ourselves.
We learn to detach with love and to give others and ourselves tough love.
We use slogans such as: "Lets Go and Let God," "Easy Does it," "One Day at a Time," "Keep It Simple," "Live and Let Live," "Don't Push the River, Let It Flow by Itself." Using these slogans helps us begin to lead our day-to-day lives in a new way.
We learn to feel our feelings, to accept them and express them, and to build our self-esteem.
Through working the Steps we learn to accept the disease, realize that our lives have become unmanageable and we are powerless over the disease and the alcoholic/addict. As we become willing to admit our defects and our sick thinking, we are able to change our attitudes and to turn our reactions into actions, by working the program daily, admitting that we are powerless we come to believe eventually in the spirituality of the program - that there is a solution other than ourselves - the group, a Higher Power, God, as we understand Her/Him/It. By sharing our experiences, relating to others, welcoming newcomers, serving our group(s), we build self-esteem.
We learn to love ourselves and in this way we are able to love others in a healthy way.
We have telephone therapy with people we relate to - this is helpful at all times, not just when problems arise.
By applying the Serenity Prayer to our daily lives, we begin to change the unhealthy attitudes we have acquired.
(1) currently in treatment at MARR, (2) has been in treatment at MARR or another facility and is now in recovery, (3) is in active addiction, or (4) is in another substance abuse related situation (i.e.,jail,etc.).