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The Pretzel Effect and Recovery Support

“It was not what the professionals did for the people that counts in what was achieved; it was what they led the people to do for themselves that was really important” (Lyda Hanifan, 1916)
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High Desert Counseling office

What is the Pretzel Effect

At High Desert Counseling (HDC), we see recovery, not so much as a short, limited time intervention, such as outpatient treatment, but as being more reliant on what happens after treatment. Continued care with your personal therapist, for example, and access to primary medical care, employment with opportunities to grow, a stable housing environment, and generally being surrounded by those who support you in your efforts.

The goal of HDC’s Outpatient Treatment intervention is to focus on overcoming the consumption of substances to deliver a sustainable level of stability. But following treatment interventions, most individuals are not prepared or equipped without the ongoing changes to their environment and self-esteem provided by a community that cares.

Michael Keenan - Executive Director

Long-Trail Recovery

In part, our interest in building a community of recovery is driven by an overall dissatisfaction with treatment-only outcomes over the past decade. We see continued, long-term recovery in terms of a fluid interaction between the environmental setting and the self-esteem and self-belief of the individual.
The High Desert Counseling recovery community at its core, believes that self-help and peer support builds “recovery capital” that is never depleted with use but instead increases with use. It represents all that is good about community spirit in recovery – “use it or lose it.” It also represents the personal benefit that those in recovery receive by helping others with their own recovery.
Recent studies, such as those by White and Cloud (2008) and Best and Laudet (2010), use “recovery capital” to describe changes they have observed in the resilience and robustness of people’s social and emotional circumstances in long-term abstinent recovery. They argue dramatic improvements in self-esteem, civic and social engagement, physical and psychological health, and overall well-being are fundamental to the successful outcome of any abstinence-based recovery journey (Best et al., 2010).
Continued Support of a Personal Therapist
Continuing recovery support
HDC encourages clients to continue to see their therapist throughout their treatment. We’ll even find a good fit for you if you don’t have one already.
Recovery community
We’ll immediately refer you to a Primary Care physician that will continue to handle your med management after treatment and we’ll connect you to a wide range of support you’ll rely on and engage with.
Recovery community support
If you don’t have a safe environment at home, HDC will refer you to a state-licensed premier provider of affordable housing for sober living. You’ll network with others there to find work to pay the bills and start getting ahead.
Recovery support illustration
Its about giving back. It represents all that is good about community spirit in recovery – “use it or lose it.” There is a great personal benefit that those in recovery receive by helping others with their own recovery.

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