Austin-Based Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center Expands Spiritual Resources for Clients

Austin Recovery held its first Spirituality and Recovery Fair to educate faith professionals on addiction and recovery, and bring more spiritual services to clients

AUSTIN, Texas, June 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Austin Recovery, the largest and most affordable non-profit drug and alcohol treatment center in Texas, held its first Spirituality and Recovery Fair for faith professionals on June 7, 2012.  The treatment center, which is non-denominational, held the fair in hopes of not only educating professionals in the faith community on addiction and recovery, but also gaining new spiritual resources in a variety of denominations for their clients, which number at least 2,500 annually. 

"Individuals battling addiction and alcoholism are up against a disease that is simultaneously poisoning their bodies, minds, and souls," said Ilana Zivkovich, Austin Recovery's Director of Clinical Development. "At Austin Recovery we recognize that each of our clients are on unique journeys and have diverse spiritual backgrounds and beliefs. With this event, we took an important step in strengthening bonds between the faith/spiritual community and treatment professionals in the hopes that all of our clients may have access to a form of spiritual guidance that fits for them."  She continued "As we help clients through the 12 steps they are encouraged to turn their will and their lives over to the care of a higher power of their understanding – with an extremely diverse clientele our goal is to make this essential spiritual journey attainable for all." 

The event, a luncheon workshop, brought together approximately 45 faith and spirituality professionals from Central Texas.  In addition to networking opportunities and meeting with exhibitors, attendees were educated on addiction, recovery, and spirituality by well-respected drug and alcohol treatment professionals and spiritual leaders from multiple faiths. After the panel presentation, Q&A with treatment professionals, and a keynote speaker, many of the attendees expressed their desire for continued education and networking opportunities in their field around addiction and recovery. 

"For many, addiction ultimately leads to isolation and despair; the spiritual process of recovery is a deeply personal and individualized response to a power outside of ourselves, within ourselves and with others, which leads us to connection and hope," said Drew Brooks, Executive Director of Faith Partners, the event's keynote speaker. "The Spirituality and Recovery Fair event brought together people from many different perspectives to address our common human condition and managed to honor each individual's unique pathway to recovery in the process. Often times, when working with religious institutions, spiritual centers, and faith communities we tend to focus on what separates us; with addiction as the equalizer we are compelled to emphasize the solutions."

As a result of the event, Austin Recovery gained diverse new resources for on- and off-site spiritual services for clients, and served its mission of helping all of those seeking recovery – this time through spreading awareness and education. 

About Austin Recovery

Since 1967, Austin Recovery has provided effective and compassionate chemical dependency treatment at very affordable rates. Non-profit and CARF-accredited, their transformational treatment model brings about in-depth cognitive, behavioral and spiritual changes essential for overcoming addiction through counseling, evidence-based practices, experiential therapies, and 12 step work. Austin Recovery offers a number of programs including medical detox, separate men's and women's 30-day and 90+ day programs, and Family House, which provides a minimum of 90-days of residential drug and alcohol rehab to mothers of young children and women in their third trimester of pregnancy, allowing them to bring up to two children under the age of six with them into treatment.  Austin Recovery also offers outpatient services, alumni support, family programs, aftercare and community education. For more information about Austin Recovery, please visit www.austinrecovery.org.

CONTACT: Ramona Cruz-Peters
Director of Marketing & Communications
Austin Recovery
512-697-8506
[email protected]  

SOURCE Austin Recovery