Newcomers Program

Cornerstone's Newcomers Program is specifically designed for patients who have little to no experience with treatment and recovery.

Inpatient Drug Rehab & Alcoholism Treatment

Let’s be clear: For those caught in the grips of addiction, drugs and alcohol are part of the problem, but they’re not the only problem.

For those who have struggled with drugs and alcohol, that realization is the first step of a new journey, one that addresses all of the issues, experiences, traumas and tragedies that precipitate addiction and are compounded by ongoing substance abuse. At Cornerstone of Recovery, we’ve had almost 30 years of experience in treating the whole person, not just the drugs upon which you’ve become dependent.

If you’re considering addiction treatment for the first time, know this: We understand, in large part because we’ve been exactly where you are right now. The desperation, the crushing loneliness, the absolutely hopelessness, the utter despair … we’ve felt those things, because many of the staff members at Cornerstone are in recovery themselves. We’ve walked in your shoes, and we know the pain you’re in and the fear you feel at what will happen next. If your addiction has spiraled out of control, then you probably realize that the misery you’re experiencing now will continue to grow; but you’re probably also terrified of an unknown future, one without the drugs you’ve come to rely on for comfort and emotional anesthesia.

Your Recovery Journey Starts With That One Phone Call

At Cornerstone, we can assure you of one thing: That future, while unknown to you and perhaps frightening, is filled with endless possibilities of wonder and beauty. You may not see what life looks like free from the bondage of your addiction, but we do, because we’re living it, every day. Part of the recovery process mandates that those of us in recovery carry the message to those who still suffer, so know this: A new way of life begins with a single step. On the other end of that initial phone call, you’ll find our admissions counselors willing help you assess how serious your problem is and determine the best course of treatment for you.

For some, that might be an intensive outpatient addiction treatment program; for many others, that will be residential inpatient drug and alcohol rehab. However, whatever your preconceptions about treatment may be, we ask that you put them in check, because at Cornerstone of Recovery, you’ll find a therapeutic environment that’s not like any other. After a period of medical observation and/or medically assisted detox from the drugs and alcohol, you’ll be integrated into a community of peers, where you’ll receive around-the-clock care in a supportive environment of individuals all working toward the same goal: long-term recovery and a life you never thought possible.

What Does The Newcomers Recovery Program Entail?

Throughout the course of a typical 28- to 35-day stay, you’ll be assigned an individual treatment plan by a team of counselors and other professionals who assess your needs based on your background, your drug and alcohol use and your living situation. We combine traditional 12 Step models of recovery with clinically proven scientific methods in a number of different settings, from psychological and physical testing/assessments to group therapy with your peers to family therapy to daily 12 Step meetings to education programs and leisure/fitness activities, all designed to address your physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual needs. We’re a program that’s accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, and we also adhere to the principles of 12 Step recovery, meaning that we maintain your integrity and your personal beliefs, whatever those might be, while helping you to discover who you truly are. It’s our experience that addiction stunts emotional growth and mental development, and it often takes time for us, addicts and alcoholics, to figure out who we really are and the type of person we want to become. Through the Newcomer Program, you’ll be given that time and the guidance you’ll need to make those discoveries.

As a patient in the Newcomer Program, you’ll find that you aren’t alone and that your problems aren’t unique, no matter how isolated you might currently feel. You’ll learn that addiction is a disease – that you’re a sick person, not a bad person, and that treatment of the body, mind and spirit are necessary components of the process. You’ll receive therapeutic support from master’s level clinicians and therapists from both the academic field and the East Tennessee recovery community, many of whom were once Cornerstone patients themselves.

Your First Step Towards Recovery Starts At Cornerstone

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Alcohol & Drug Addiction Treatment Services

The Path To Recovery Starts At Cornerstone

Medical Detox

Assessment & Orientation

Pain Management

Experiential Therapy

Family Therapy

Continuous Care

Support Living Facility (SLF)

Medical Detox

Medical Detoxification can be a critical time in a patient’s journey toward recovery because the symptoms of withdrawal can be difficult to manage and potentially life-threatening. A team of certified, competent and caring professionals work together to ensure that we provide the best medical care for our patients. The Medical Director prescribes detox medications to keep the patient safe and reasonably comfortable.

While receiving detoxification medications, patients also attend Acudetox groups utilizing a specific acupuncture protocol, psychoeducational groups, and experiential activities. However, detox patients are also given sufficient opportunity to relax and allow their bodies to begin the healing process. Patients on a detox protocol are monitored 24 hours a day and the typical length of detoxification is 3 to 5 days and may be longer depending on the severity of the patient’s withdrawal symptoms.

Assessment & Orientation

This unit is designed to support our patients as they enter treatment and begin to invest in their community of peers. An extensive battery of assessments is performed to identify the patient’s bio-psycho-social-spiritual strengths, needs, and barriers to recovery (such as chronic pain, dual diagnosis, trauma, or other co-occurring disorders). This comprehensive assessment process provides our medical and clinical teams with much of the information they need to build a treatment plan that is individualized for each patient.

Pain Management

Our NON-NARCOTIC PAIN MANAGEMENT PROGRAM offers solutions that eliminate and or reduce the dependence on medications to treat pain and improve treatment outcomes. We are able to reduce pain and improve the recovery process. We offer sound information and teach skills that the patient can use to improve coping, relaxation, mindfulness, nutrition, and much more. Some of the modalities we use are Reiki, Rubenfeld Synergy, Acupressure, Mindful Stretching, and Addiction Free Pain Management Education.

Experiential Therapy

We believe healing occurs through direct experience. Experiential activities amplify the traditional therapeutic
modalities that are part of our milieu. Fitness, Meditation, Relaxation Therapy, Yoga, Spirituality Groups, Ropes Course, Mindfulness, Art Therapy, Drumming Circles, and community outings are some components of experiential healing at Cornerstone. Patients who participate in experiential therapies report reductions

Family Therapy

Family Therapy is an integral part of all of the clinical programs at Cornerstone. Early on in the treatment process, we conduct a Family Questionnaire which allows family members and close personal friends to have input that impacts the patients treatment plan. When appropriate, there are Family Therapy sessions throughout the treatment process. These sessions are designed to work through relationship issues, enhance communication, educate the family about the disease of addiction and provide them with emotional support while their loved one is in treatment. Through this support, the family will gain knowledge about the treatment process and how they may be unknowingly supporting the addiction through co-dependent and enabling behaviors.

Family members will learn about how to engage in personal growth and change through various 12 step programs, so that the family can heal together trough the recovery process. Cornerstone requires that each patient complete Family Fundamentals, an intensive three-day family program designed to provide intensive education, group therapy, family therapy, 12 step meeting experience, and an opportunity to repair the damage caused by active addiction. Family members are strongly encouraged to attend the Family Fundamentals program along with the patient. Cornerstone also has a weekly family education group for family members and an ongoing support group for parents of young adults who are struggling with addiction or who have recently entered recovery

Continuous Care

The Continuous Care Program upholds Cornerstone of Recovery’s treatment philosophy that chemical dependency is a chronic incurable disease that requires the consistent and continued attention of each patient for a lifetime. Recent scientific studies of the disease process have determined that full remission from active addiction does not occur until an individual has experienced at least 18 months of continuous sobriety, long after most intensive treatment programs have concluded.

In response to this knowledge, the Continuous Care Program provides services for a period of at least 18 months following treatment, to ensure that each patient has the opportunity for professional support throughout the early stages of their recovery. During this time, patients are encouraged to practice the skills and tools they learned and developed in treatment as they find their way back
into their home, work, and social environments. They are able to talk with Recovery Coaches and therapeutically
process the ups and downs they experience in sobriety. Active participation in the Continuous Care Program is vital in establishing a lifelong, solid recovery plan.

Support Living Facility (SLF)

The Support Living Facility (SLF) provides a safe environment for patients to continue to learn and practice self-management and interpersonal relationship skills while solidifying their recovery program. It can take several months for individuals to become comfortable enough in their recovery to successfully move away from the environment where they got sober. The SLF Program allows men and women to experience some of the freedoms they will experience after treatment while they are supported by thier peers, staff, and a sober environment. Staff monitors the community through regular contact, group therapy, spirituality groups, relapse prevention groups, drug screens, and random checks of the living quarters. Eventually, the patient is allowed to retrieve their cell phone, to leave the premises, operate a vehicle and obtain employment. The minimum length of stay is 2 months (while the individual concurrently is in the IOP Program). Patients often choose to stay in SLF longer while they continue to build their recovery network and become more comfortable with the life changes they’ve made.Typical length of stay varies from 2 to 6 months, depending on the patient’s clinical needs.