After completing a treatment program, you may think that you have reached the finish line of your recovery. After all, there were so many hurdles you overcame to get where you are today. Despite these triumphs, your recovery journey will never be over, but this does not mean that it has to be a daunting process as you move forward.

Aftercare is arguably just as important as a quality treatment program. As you transition into life outside of treatment, you need to ensure that you have a team of people who can support you in such a way that allows you to grow in your recovery. 

Who Is in Your Rowboat?

Consider that you are sitting in a rowboat, trying to row across a lake. Whoever you let into this rowboat are your supporters during aftercare. If you let people in who merely sit in the boat and do not help row, they are not good supporters because they are not actively helping you move forward with your sobriety. You should only let supporters in your rowboat who are helping you row and take on the challenges of recovery after treatment. 

Unfortunately, this means people you used to turn to for support in the past may no longer be fit to do so. These people can include:

• Work colleagues

• Student peers

• Family members

• Friends

• Acquaintances

• Significant others

• Neighbors

Some individuals who can be in your rowboat can include the following:

• Certified recovery coaches

• Individual therapists

• Interventionists

• Certified life coaches

• Family therapists

• Psychiatrists

• Psychologists

This certainly does not mean that you have to cut your loved ones out of your life. You can absolutely spend time with various people, but when it comes to your rowboat during aftercare, only make space for real supporters.

What Can Your Supporters Do for You?

Given the proper aftercare team, your supporters can ensure that your time after treatment caters to your individual needs. As you have discovered during treatment, recovery is not a one-size-fits-all situation. For it to be effective, it needs to be individualized to fit your specific needs. 

At Next Level Care Associates, we have a team of diverse specialists who can provide you with the kind of aftercare plan you need. Whether you need continued one-on-one therapy, family therapy, or life coaching, we have the tools to protect your sobriety and overall well-being.

A lot goes into recovery, and the same can be said for your aftercare. After treatment, you may encounter many obstacles that you had not planned for. Such obstacles can include various triggers, such as:

People

In some cases, you may come to find that the people you used to use with will continue to use or even offer you substances. These situations can be especially troublesome because it can catch you off guard to say no to people you care about. 

Places

Although places cannot physically offer you substances, they can remind you of times in your life when you engaged in substance use. Perhaps these memories make you sad or distressed to look back upon. Maybe they make you feel nostalgic and long for those times in the past. Either way, if left unaddressed, these feelings can be so overwhelming that they may jeopardize your sobriety. 

Situations

There might be random, even casual, occasions where you are offered substances. Unfortunately, this can be very common at parties, after-work gatherings, and even holiday events. In fact, even strangers may offer to share substances with you. Situations where drugs are involved and are present can be extremely triggering and even dangerous.

Conversations

Conversations of many kinds can be triggering after treatment. For example, you may overhear others talking about substance use. Even hearing terms that you used and heard while you were actively using can cause distressing feelings. In other circumstances, people may ask you about your substance use disorder (SUD) and your recovery. Being unprepared for such situations can prove to be very stressful. 

Our specialists at Next Level Recovery Associates can help you navigate all of these triggers in a way that does not put your sobriety at risk. Together, we will carefully craft an aftercare plan that identifies and combats any trigger that may come your way. It is vital to understand you and your personal triggers to provide you with an effective aftercare plan.

We will also provide you with support, genuine care, and a community that you can turn to when you need it. You are not alone during this next phase of your recovery journey. We are here to row with you in your rowboat.

Aftercare is just as important as treatment. When planning for your aftercare, it is important to have a team of people who want to help you succeed. If you are rowing in a rowboat, you do not want someone in your boat who will not row with you, because that only makes the process harder for you. It is important to find people who are actively rowing with you. Those of us here at Next Level Recovery Associates want to help you row in your rowboat. We have trained professionals who can provide life coaching, individual therapy, group therapy, interventions, and more. To provide you with effective care after treatment, we will work with you one-on-one to identify your personal triggers, goals, and anything else you would like to address. We can provide you with the kind of care you need. Reach out to learn more at consult@nextlevelra.com.