Newsletter – September 2014

Behind the scenes at Odyssey House Aftercare…

The Odyssey House After Care Program provides non-residential support to people who have undertaken rehabilitation through Odyssey House programs or elsewhere. While clients may refer themselves, other referral avenues include health and medical professionals, alcohol and other drug agencies, police and the judiciary, and families and friends of those in recovery.

The program centres on weekly support group meetings that have an educational
focus and deal with issues of relapse prevention. Using a holistic approach, the program
assists clients to build recovery-based lifestyles.

Organised activities include a weekly arts and crafts group, cooking classes, library visits (the program also has its own modest library) and monthly recreational outings. Clients also attend a weekly individual counselling session to discuss their own personal relapse issues in more detail. The program recognises that slips and relapses can be a part of the recovery experience and aims to assist clients to manage these occurrences and to prevent a return to sustained misuse of alcohol or other drugs.

Later in 2014 the Odyssey House Aftercare program will launch the STARTup course. This will cater to people with little to no previous treatment experience and is designed to give these clients the knowledge and support to engage in safer practices and not put themselves in danger.

The Odyssey House After Care Program is important for the ongoing wellness, education and support of those undertaking rehabilitation. For further information please call 02 4628 8806.