WHAT THE PATIENT SHOULD BRING WITH THEM:

Upon admission into Choices Counseling Center Extended Care program, the patient will need the following:

• Sufficient clothing to last a minimum of one week period - consisting of jeans, shorts, T-shirts, undergarments, pajamas, robe, socks, sneakers, dress shoes, sandals, a couple of dresses, pant suit or dress slack & blouse for women, and for men - a suit, and/or dress pant & dress shirt. Please send only appropriate fitting clothing items - no tight fitting, short or low fitting tops or shorts/jeans/pants - no drug related items on T-shirts, etc.

• A pillow, 2 sets of sheets for a single bed and three sets of towels. Several sets of Tupperware and a small cooler or lunch box sufficient for packing a lunch. A backpack is also recommended as well as an alarm clock.

• Prescription Medication: send only prescription medication. Do not send any over-the-counter drugs or medication without prior approval. A local pharmacy provides delivery service to our center and accepts most health insurances. For refills of current prescription medication or future prescription needs, please provide them with your credit card and insurance information. (Colonial Pharmacy 407 647-2311. Please ask for Grace, Tamika or Katherine).

• Please do not send cash with the patient. Payment for the first two months therapy and living expenses is required upon admission. Payment is then due by the first of the month(preceding the month it covers). Since expenses on the patients behalf are paid monthly, no refunds will be made should a patient leave the program early (other than the last month of treatment held). Chioces accepts Master Card, Visa, Discover, and American Express. We do not take direct insurance assignments nor do we have any direct contact with your insurance company. Should they require information from us to process a claim you have submitted, we will attempt to accommodate as long as it is a form that Choices provides.

• A phone card is required (turned over to Choices) for a minimum $25 for telephone calls made on the patient’s behalf to be given to the receiving therapist upon admission.

• A health insurance card for other medical needs – prescriptions, doctors appointments, etc. Also a social security card and proper picture identification (driver’s license).

• Cell phones, pagers, cd players, walkman’s, computers should be left at home. Also no rings or piercings (belly, tongue, multiple earrings, etc.) with the exception of one single pair of earrings for woman. Please leave all valuable items (jewelry, watches, etc.) at home.

WHAT A FAMILY MEMBER CAN EXPECT:

The first weeks of a patient's admission is very critical period. Sometimes, the patient is here against their will or by pressure from loved ones. As a family member, you are a critical link in helping us help the patient. By following all treatment recommendations, you will contribute to their long term success.

Phone Calls, Mail, Etc.: During the first weeks, please do not expect phone calls from the patient. If you do receive a call, please make the call as brief as possible and notify our office as any calls made at this point without a therapist are unauthorized and not in the patient's best interest. When the therapist feels the patient is ready, we recommend that phone calls take place during their scheduled individual sessions. If you have concerns or would like to speak with their therapist, you my call at the beginning of the patients session and their therapist will speak to you before the session begins. Each month you will receive a written update on the patient's progress and current status.

Feel free to send mail but again, please give the patient enough time to acclimate to his/her new surroundings. Sometimes family members are not aware of or forget that our therapy deals not only with the current problem, i.e. their drinking or drug use, but also with the underlying issues of their addictions. In dealing with these issues, most often they are not able to handle any additional pressures from home. If you are in doubt about something you want to share with them, please check it out with one of the therapists first.

After the first several months, one of the most frequent problems we run into is that the family members see the patient making progress and think they are well enough to leave therapy or cut down on the amount of therapy they are receiving. This again is a very critical period. Choices' has only had a problem with patients relapsing when the patient left treatment prematurely, did not follow treatment recommendations and/or did not have the continuing support of the family. As you already may know with your own history with the patient, their addiction did not take place overnight and to achieve a successful recovery, it is most often a slow long-term process.

We invite and encourage family members to participate in the patient's therapy after the patient is initially stabilized and their primary therapist feels the patient is ready. You may participate in a Weekend and/or Five-Day Program or participate in individual sessions.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP THE PATIENT & YOURSELF:

Since addictions are a family disease, we understand that the family, as well as the addict, will need additional help. Here are some suggestions you may find beneficial:

• Attend Alanon
• Participate in therapeutic sessions with the patient as requested, either by phone or in person.
• Participate in family weekend programs held periodically during the year(usually February, June, October),
• Suggested Readings:
  • For Alcoholism:
    • The Road Less Traveled by Scott Peck
    • The Spirituality of Imperfection by Ernest Kurtz & Katherine Ketchan
    • Why am I Afraid to Tell you Who I Am by John Powell, S.J.
    • Alcoholics Anonymous(The Big Book)
    • The Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions by Alcoholics Anonymous
  • For Sex Addiction:
    • Sexaholics Anonymous (The White Book), S.A. Literature
    • Out of the Shadows by Patrick Carnes
    • Women, Sex & Addiction by Charlotte Kasi
  • For Eating Disorders:
    • Telling Secrets by Frederick Buechner
    • Overeaters Anonymous by Overeaters Anonymous, Inc.
    • Surviving an Eating Disorder by Siegel, Brisman, Weinshel