Privacy and Confidentiality

Your privacy and confidentiality are issues which any program should protect but which none of them do. So lets take a look at the factors that contribute and how we address them.

First there are matters as small as a program’s duration. It’s pretty hard to disappear for 4, 6, or 12 weeks without advertising what you’ve been up to. That’s one reason why we start you off with our intensive individual 5 Day Recovery Retreat model. Anyone can, after all, take a week’s vacation without raising eyebrows.

Next comes the staffing issue – most programs operate on a volume basis and that means a lot of staff, professional and otherwise. It may never be an issue, but the more people you are exposed to, the less your privacy and confidentiality are insured.

Adding to the staffing issue problems are those associated with other clients. Every program we are aware of relies on groups to fill time and at least give the illusion of providing services. Again, you are constantly exposed to other clients who are under no obligation to respect or maintain your privacy.

Between them, the staff and other clients may not pose a risk at the moment, but what about in the years ahead? You don’t know to what prominence you may rise and, in ten or twenty years, you shouldn’t have to worry about whispers of your “alcoholism” and “rehab” surfacing – whispers that usually have no basis in fact but that may be used against you in any case.

Then there is the matter of aftercare. Most programs limit this to the admonitions, “Don’t drink” and “Attend AA.” Not only is this advice the surest road to relapse, but it’s also the surest route to “outing” you at home. Face it, it’s been more than 30 years since there was anything like anonymity at AA.

Finally there is the matter of using insurance. Please, while treatment and medical records are supposedly confidential, insurance records most assuredly are not. So be very careful about using insurance and creating a record that will come back to bite you sometime in the future.

Our solutions? You only need to arrange for a 5 day “vacation”. You will only work with the two of us and our medical consultant, Dr. Norcross. You will never see another client. Our cost is affordable. You will never be farmed out to AA or any other “support group”.

Additionally, you will never be labeled and you will keep most of your own case notes. Your file will be shredded upon request. Charge card entries identify nothing.

Now are you ready to get confidential help that’s also effective, affordable, and very successful? Then it’s time to make that call, isn’t it?

“But I just can’t get away for 5 days!”

We hear a lot of excuses for why people can’t take advantage of the program we offer. “I can’t get away from (work, family, my business, obligations…)” is a common one and simply doesn’t stand up to any scrutiny.

Let’s face it – if you were injured, or your appendix burst, or you even came down with the flu, you would find yourself taking more than 5 days off without a second thought. Yet you can’t afford to invest the same amount of time in solving a problem that is having a major impact on your day-to-day life (and if it wasn’t, you wouldn’t be reading our Newsletters)?

A couple of years ago a client noted that much of what we do involves helping clients, and their spouses, “get a grip and get a life”. We don’t argue with that – and it takes about 5 days to get a grip and create the foundation for getting a life – a life free from alcohol abuse.

Yes. It takes about 5 days, at 3 – 5 hours a day, to create the foundation and the working relationships necessary to continue the process of “getting a life” through the 12 or more weeks of follow-up.

No. We can’t do it by phone and/or e-mail, nor can anyone else.

No. It doesn’t happen in groups, unless you consider you, possibly your spouse, and the two of us to be a group.

Yes, you can manage 5 days away from whatever circumstances you are currently conning yourself into believing you can’t escape.

Really, please, you’re simply doing what we all do when it comes to making a major change in our lives. You’re delaying in hopes that someday you will wake up and the problems will have been magically cured.

They won’t – and delaying will only make things worse, so why not grit you teeth and make that call?

And we promise it won’t be as bad as you fear – in fact, it’ll probably turn out a lot better than you ever imagined.

Links:

“Ten Things I Wish I’d Known Before I Sent My Brother Off To Rehab”;

Our Comparison Shopping issue is available here;

An expanded description of our Five Day Full Recovery Program;

“Bucket of Crabs ” or why AA and Alanon are bad for your health;

“How Can You Cure My Years of Alcohol Abuse In Just 5 Days!”

“Smart Women and Alcohol Abuse”;

“Men’s Issues“;