1. Our Philosophy

Our philosophy is one of holistic healing.  Our program focuses on strengthening the mind, body, spirit, and emotional well-being. Although the mind, body, and spirit may be damaged by substance abuse, we know it can be healed through one-on-one counseling, therapy, life coaching, group therapy, nutritional therapy, and an individualized exercise program. Meditation and yoga help reconnect the mind and body, as well as increase the feeling of emotional well-being. That is why our success rate is 78%. Becasue we focus on the mind, body and the spirit. We treat the entire person, not just the symptom or the the physical aspect. Working a 12-step program leads to a spiritual awakening and provides fellowship. Through our holistic drug and alcohol dependency program, our clients gain physical, mental, and emotional tools to live a purposeful and fulfilling life in recovery. The River Source provides quality, affordable, naturopathic treatment for alcohol and drug addiction. We believe the disease of chemical dependency centers in the mind and “thinking” must be, and can be, changed for successful recovery to take place. Our mission is to to serve our patients, their family members and loved ones through understanding, dedication, and teamwork in a professional, responsive and consistent manner. We provide a high quality and affordable drug and alcohol program which addresses the whole person. There is hope, and we are here to help each person find lifelong recovery from addiction.

2. Customized Treatment Plan

At The River Source, we know that each person is unique and has different life experiences. We do not believe in “one-size-fits-all” treatment plans. That is why we take pride in getting to know each client and his or her personal life experiences. Our professional team of doctors, nurses, and therapists, along with patient input, develop individualized treatment plans. We, at The River Source, provide our clients with a world-renowned, holistic approach to mind, body, and spirit wellness:

• 1 on 1 and Group Counseling
• Life Coaching
• 12 Step program
• Naturopathic treatments (acupuncture, homeopathy & much more)
• Contitutional Hydrotherapy / Massage Therapy
• Sauna Treatments
• Nutritional Therapy and Fitness Programs In our safe and nurturing environment our clients receive the optimum opportunity to achieve overall health and wellness!

3. 12-Step and Educational Approach

At the River Source we use a combination of evidence based and proven Educational / Spiritual programs such as: Twelve Step and the Change Companies MEE journals.

The 12 Step method is the most effective addiction program in the world. We use the 12-step approach because it is proven and it works. At The River Source we strongly encourage our clients to immerse themselves in actively working the steps in groups, in workshops and individually with sponsors. Clients are required to complete worksheets on the first three steps and present their final product in group. From our experience with long-term recovery we know that it is not sufficient to grasp Step One intellectually. We have to “concede to our innermost selves” on a heart-felt, gut-felt, subconscious level this critical first step. Our staff assists clients in moving from an intellectual understanding to a deep feeling level. Experience shows that many people relapse because they have been “compliant” with Step One rather than “accepting.” The motivation to quickly and thoroughly work through all 12 steps comes from a heartfelt Step One experience, much like AA pioneers did in the 1940’s when long-term sobriety success rates were above 80% (as compared to below 20% nationwide today).

The River Source requires all clients to attend four workshops, with assigned temporary sponsors, in which all 12 steps are clearly and concisely explained. Many clients report that as a result of working the steps through these workshops they gain an understanding of how the 12-Step process works that had eluded them even with years of 12-Step meeting attendance. Most importantly within a 30-day timeframe, clients are able to experience real change in their thinking, feeling and behavior as a result of working the steps and they are able to establish conscious contact with a power greater than themselves of their own understanding. Long-term sobriety requires continued action. It is imperative that once clients leave treatment, they continue to work the program of recovery – which is practicing (or living) the steps with the guidance of a sponsor and sponsoring others- and also being well-connected within the 12-Step fellowship of their choosing. At The River Source we don’t just tell our clients that after treatment they need to, “Get a sponsor, get a Home Group, get a service commitment, and continue working the steps.” We actually provide the means by which they can already experience the benefits of these essential “suggestions” while still in treatment. Clients are provided the opportunity to work with experienced sponsors, obtain a Home Group (either on site or out in the community) obtain a service commitment and work all of the steps, privately and as thoroughly as they can. At The River Source, clients are not told what to do in the future, they do it – NOW.

In addition to offering 12 step optimum structure, The River Source and Change Companies®’ MEE (Motivational, Educational and Experiential) Journal System provides flexibility by allowing our clients to choose from several topics relating to substance dependency and addictive behaviors.

Research experts in behavioral change and Senior Advisors to the Change Companies®, David Mee-Lee, M.D., William R. Miller, Ph.D., and James Prochaska, Ph.D., have contributed to the editing off the MEE Journal System to best assist end users in the process of making life changes. Journal content and questions have been strengthened to ensure adherence with evidence-based change strategies while maintaining the user-friendly approach you have come to expect in providing resources for each person real life situation. Each individual in the River Source Treatment Program will use educational tools such as: “Getting Started Journal”, “Personal Journal”, and “Healthy Family and Other Relationships”

Click on the links below to see samples of the content that will help you or your loved one live a life “Free of Chemical Dependency.”

Free Of Chemical Dependency Getting Started

Free Of Chemical Dependency Journal

Free Of Chemical Dependency Family and Others
Other topics include : Strengthening the Spirit; Women in Recovery; Trauma in Life; Lessons Learned; Life Management, Coping Skills, and Employment Skills.

See website Change Companies website for other resources that we can use at the River Source Treatment Center by clicking on the website link and go to MEE journals.

4. One-on-one and Group Therapy

Our therapists are educated, experienced, and understand addiction. The therapists have not only learned about process of addiction, but some of them have been through the addiction process and have several years in recovery. Our clients appreciate working with therapists who not only have the appropriate education but have gone through the process themselves. This gives our therapists credibility and trust.
Counseling is a helping process that takes place in an atmosphere of acceptance, respect, and trust. Counselors work with patients / clients confidentially to help them understand themselves, their behaviors, feelings, and relationships. The purpose of counseling is to help our clients / patients identify their personal strengths and develop ways to live life more fully. We help our patients/clients with…. • drug/alcohol issues • managing anxiety • coping with and reducing stress • adjusting to loss (death, relationships, job) • increasing self-understanding • making difficult decisions and clarifying choices • assertiveness training • relaxation techniques • resolution of personal issues • eating concerns • self-esteem • Marriage and family therapy • academic concerns • improving communication (with parents, friends, roommates) • gender issues • coping with incidents of sexual assault/or other trauma (see Counseling and Life Coaching page for more info.)
What Is Life Coaching? It is a CBT – a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – talking therapy, aimed at increasing human happiness. Through conversation, clients are helped to understand why they find themselves in their current situation and then to find strategies, motivations, and focus to design and move towards new, better situations. Different life coaches work in different ways, but pure life coaching is not mystical, it’s down-to-earth. It’s primarily cognitive – in that its main tool is the client’s own thinking mind. But it is also informed by the unconscious and emotional components of the human psyche. It is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Life coaching differs from counseling in that it is primarily focused on the present and the future. It may be necessary to look back to find the root causes of some unhelpful thinking patterns, and then untie some knots, but then we come back to the “where are we now?” and the “where do we want to go?”.
Who is Life Coaching for? You! It’s for anyone who wants to improve some aspect of their lives. You might want a new job or career, or a promotion in the one you have. You might want to write your novel, or find your perfect partner, or find new self-confidence, or get rid of a destructive habit. You might want to get more balance between your working or private lives. Maybe you want to start your own business or find the focus necessary for passing important exams. You might just be unhappy without knowing why. Whatever you want to change, coaching can probably help, with just a couple of notable exceptions. If you have a mental illness or a hard drug problem, then coaching is probably not the best option for you – you’re more likely to get the help you need from a therapist specifically qualified in those specialties.
How does Life Coaching Work? We offer 1 on 1 sessions once per week and group sessions once per week. Every case is unique, but as a rule of thumb, major change happens between session 4 and session 8. Sessions are included as part of your fees for treatment. So what happens in the session? Well, again, every case is unique. Exactly what we do depends on the client, the issues being worked on, and where we are in the process, but here are some things which are almost always true: • The sessions are relaxed, friendly, fun and positive experiences • The sessions are completely confidential • Clients remain in charge at all times – you can set any boundaries you need • Life coaches do not tell clients what to do • Professional life coaches have a raft of techniques available to them. Through listening in special ways and by asking careful questions, coaches encourage clients to find understanding in their lives, and the answers they need • Many coaches, including ours, also use a branch of psychology called NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming). This provides a range of tools to help clients change their behaviors and the underlying thinking which drives them. For example, anchoring helps you to call up useful mental states (like confident happiness) easily. Re-framing allows you to take a situation you cannot change and see it in a radically different way. You can see how all our treatment programs may help to improve your mind, body, and spirit and prepare you for real-life experiences with a plan that works! (See Life Coaching page for more info.)

5. Naturopathic / Nutrition Therapy / Sauna Detox

We know that if someone is feeling healthy physically then they are more apt to learn and participate in one-on-one therapy, group counseling, 12-step processes, and fitness programs, etc. No one wants to learn and participate when they are physically sick from chemical dependency. That is why we use naturopathic treatment, sauna detox, complemented with conventional medicine. We use the best of all 3 modalities to complement each other and provide the best care for our patients. Nutritional IV therapy is what we use to minimize the pain of detox/rehab and expedite getting essential nutrients into the body. The nutritional IV therapy process makes our patients feel better much faster, naturally, and return to homeostasis. Human homeostasis refers to the body’s ability to regulate physiologically its inner environment to ensure its stability in response to fluctuations. The liver and kidneys help maintain homeostasis. The liver is responsible for metabolizing toxic substances. The kidneys are responsible for regulating blood water levels and re-absorption of substances into the blood, among other duties. One of our goals is to get our patients back to homeostasis. Our nutritious food is designed to help heal and detoxify the body. We provide healthy and tasty meals along with IV Vitamin Therapy, oral vitamins, and smoothies, etc.
Sauna Detox – helps to get the “bad stuff” out of your body and the Nutritional IV Therapy puts the “good stuff” back into your body. That’s why our combination of Sauna Detox and Nutritional IV Therapy is a winning combination that makes sense and works! The Sauna Detox is safe, effective, and gentle (read more details on the sauna detox scroll down). The Sauna Detox removes toxins and wastes from your body quickly and safely. The result is a gentler detox, minimizing the pain and fear of major detox withdrawal symptoms. The Sauna Detox and Nutritional IV Therapy process help you feel better faster!

6. Fitness Program

Exercise promotes health, self-confidence, and mental well-being. We encourage physical activity through yoga exercise, nature hikes, cardio, and strength training. Our clients have the opportunity to participate in several types of daily fitness activities.

7. Intimate Setting

We have a safe, comfortable, and intimate setting that has a “home” feel. We allow no more than 35 clients at a time. We do not take every client. We want to ensure that The River Source is the right place for you so we conduct a pre-admission assessment. We are also in beautiful, peaceful, sunny, and clean Mesa, Arizona.

8. Family Therapy

We understand that addiction affects the entire family. Therefore, we provide education, therapy, and support for the family. Our therapists are knowledgeable and able to work with families to address and work through many different situations related to chemical dependency. “Family Therapy” (also referred to as Couples and Family Therapy and Family Systems Therapy) is a branch of psychotherapy that works with families and couples in intimate relationships to nurture change and development. It tends to view change in terms of the systems of interaction between family members. It emphasizes family relationships as an important factor in psychological health. What the different schools of family therapy have in common is a belief that, regardless of the origin of the problem, and regardless of whether the clients consider it an “individual” or “family” issue, involving families in solutions is often beneficial. This involvement of families is commonly accomplished by their direct participation in the therapy session. The skills of the family therapist thus include the ability to influence conversations in a way that catalyzes the strengths, wisdom, and support of the wider system. In the field’s early years, many clinicians defined the family in a narrow, traditional manner usually including parents and children. As the field has evolved, the concept of the family is more commonly defined in terms of strongly supportive, long-term roles and relationships between people who may or may not be related by blood. Family Therapy has been used effectively in the full range of human dilemmas; there is no category of relationship or psychological problem that has not been addressed with this approach.” Free Of Chemical Dependency Family and Others

9. Aftercare Plan

Intensive follow-up is an essential part of any successful treatment program. Each client graduates with a detailed aftercare plan developed by the client, therapist, and other healthcare professionals. The client has the responsibility and accountability to follow the aftercare plan. The River Source staff monitors the client and the progress of the aftercare plan. In addition, we offer one year of aftercare, which includes use of the naturopathic clinic as well as sobriety checks and weekly groups at no cost. We also offer to our graduates Online Aftercare and Job Placement Services.

10. Affordable

We do not believe that treatment needs to cost $20,000 – $40,000 per month like many of our competitors. We know that economic times are tough and we believe that people who want treatment should be able to afford it. At $9,500 for the first month and $6,500 for the subsequent months, we are one of the least expensive treatment centers in the country, and yet the best! We offer better and more services than our competitors.

If you or a loved one is looking for treatment for any type of substance abuse, please call NOW: 1-866-294-9331 or 480-827-0322 (your call is confidential)