Caitlin Whyte (Host): Welcome to Hope Beyond Addiction, a podcast by Our Hope, a nonprofit that provides hope, healing, growth, and recovery to women located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I'm Caitlin Whyte, and joining us is Kaylyn Hosmer, the Operations Manager at Our Hope.

Kaylyn, it is great to have you on the show today. To start us off, can you tell us what is residential treatment and what role does it play in the recovery journey?

Kaylyn Hosmer: Yeah. So, residential treatment is a structured live-in program where individuals receive around-the-clock support and guidance while focusing just entirely on their recovery. It provides a safe, substance-free environment where the woman can step away from the outside triggers and stressors of everyday life, and begin healing physically, mentally, and emotionally.

And recovery is about more than just stopping the drugs or alcohol. And residential treatment gives the women the time and support they need to understand what the root cause is of their addiction. It lays the foundation for long-term success by helping them build confidence before returning to their communities.

Host: Well, that brings me to my next question. I know part of the mission at Our Hope is residential treatment as part of the continuum of care. So, what does that actually mean, and how is that different from detox, outpatient therapy, or other support groups?

Kaylyn Hosmer: So, the continuum of care means that recovery isn't just one service. It's a series of connected levels of care that meet people where they are throughout their journey. So, detox is typically the first step, if it's needed. It focuses on safely managing withdrawal symptoms under medical supervision and helping the women become physically stable before transferring to residential, again, if that's needed.

Residential treatment is the next step if detox is needed first. And once someone is medically stable, they begin the emotional and behavioral work of recovery. So, this is where they participate in therapy, they learn different life skills, relapse prevention, rebuilding relationships, peer support, and then their aftercare planning.

And then, after residential treatment, many women transition to IOP or recovery housing, peer support groups, local NA, AA meetings. And these services help them continue building on the progress they made during residential treatment while gradually becoming more independent. Each level of care serves a different purpose. But all together, it's a comprehensive path towards lasting recovery.

Host: Well, as part of this larger journey, how does a seamless transition from withdrawal management to that residential treatment improve a woman's chances of long-term recovery?

Kaylyn Hosmer: So, one of Our Hope's greatest strengths, I personally believe, is that our detox program and our residential treatment program are located in the same facility. So, this creates that true continuum of care that we offer. Instead of completing detox somewhere else and then potentially waiting days or weeks for another placement somewhere else, women are able to move directly into residential treatment while they're still motivated and engaged in recovery after detox.

This provides several important benefits, such as significantly reducing the risk of relapse that can occur during those gaps between services. It eliminates the transportation barriers that could take place, preventing people from making it to their next level of care. And then, women are already familiar with the staff, the environment, the expectations, and that also makes the transition feel less stressful and overwhelming.

And then, lastly, the women, when they're in the detox program, are able to immediately begin their therapeutic relationships and work toward that long-term recovery instead of starting detox in one facility and then moving to another facility and having to rebuild those new connections elsewhere. So when we remove those barriers, we maintain the momentum they built during detox and increase their chances of sustained recovery.

Host: Well, Kaylyn, what does a typical day or a weekly schedule look like in residential treatment at Our Hope, and how does that structure support that early recovery?

Kaylyn Hosmer: Structure is one of the most important parts of early recovery. When we come into treatment, 99% of the time, our lives were pure chaos before walking into the doors of Our Hope. So at Our Hope, each day is intentionally scheduled to help the women in our program establish healthy routines and build responsibility.

So, a typical day includes group therapy, individual therapy, psychoeducational programming, life skills classes, wellness activities. At our Lyon Street house specifically, they are creating and cooking their own meals. Household responsibilities and personal reflection time, right?

So throughout the week, the women also attend local AA and NA meetings. They attend the YMCA for the gym or the pool, and engage in therapeutic outings that promote healthy socialization and community involvement. Having that consistent schedule teaches us women specifically valuable life skills like time management, accountability and responsibility.

And like I mentioned before, most of us entering treatment have lived a life in pure chaos for years. So, learning to wake up on time, make your bed, attend scheduled outings, complete responsibilities, and then following through on the commitments that you've made help prepare us for returning to work, parenting, school, or other daily rresponsibilities after treatment. Structure creates that stability, and stability creates an environment where healing can actually happen.

Host: So, Our Hope specifically serves pregnant women and mothers. How does residential treatment address their unique needs while supporting their recovery as well?

Kaylyn Hosmer: So, women often face unique challenges in recovery, especially mothers and those who are pregnant. At Our Hope, we recognize that recovery should never require a woman to choose between getting help and then caring for her child. One of the ways that we support families is by allowing the mothers and babies to remain together during treatment when it's appropriate.

This helps strengthen that mother-child bond while still allowing the woman to focus on their recovery without the added trauma of separation happening. We also support family reunification through child and family visitation, helping rebuild those healthy relationships throughout treatment. For pregnant women, we coordinate prenatal medical appointments and work closely with healthcare providers to ensure that both the mom and the baby receive the appropriate medical care throughout their pregnancy while in our program. Our goal is to help the woman heal as individuals while also strengthening their roles as mothers.

Host: Well, let's talk about also peer support, group therapy, and just living in community with other residents. How does that play into the healing process for women, and how is that different from what people might experience in a standard outpatient setting?

Kaylyn Hosmer: Yeah. So from my own personal experience completing treatment at Our Hope, healing happens in building those relationships and recognizing that you're not alone. Many of us enter into treatment believing we're alone in our experiences, and living alongside those other women who understand addiction, trauma, motherhood, grief, and parts of recovery help break down those feelings of shame and isolation.

So, group therapy allows us to learn from one another and practice vulnerability and receiving feedback from one another, and celebrating success and realizing that recovery is possible, because you literally see it happening every day right in front of you. Peer support creates accountability and hope. The women encourage one another through different moments and celebrate milestones together, and it's one of the most beautiful things to witness, honestly.

Host: Now, wonderful. Well, wrap it up for us today, Kaylyn. Having successfully graduated from Our Hope, what message would you like to leave with women who may be listening and wondering if recovery is possible for them?

Kaylyn Hosmer: If you're listening today and wondering whether recovery is possible for you, it absolutely is. I personally am living, breathing, walking proof of that. Recovery isn't about being perfect. It's about taking one step at a time and being willing to ask for help. We've seen women come through our doors feeling broken, ashamed, and convinced that nothing could change.

And today, many of those same women are reunited with their children, they're employed, they're healthy, and they're living lives that they once believed were impossible. Healing takes courage, but you don't have to do it alone. And Our Hope, we're here as a community ready to walk alongside you every step of the way. We don't just treat addiction here. We treat the whole person, the whole woman to be specific.

Host: Thank you so much for joining us. That was Kaylyn Hosmer, Operations Manager at Our Hope. For more information, please visit ourhopeassociation.org. This has been Hope Beyond Addiction, a podcast by Our Hope. Thank you for listening.

Disclaimer: All of the content in this podcast is intended for general information purposes only, and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of these suggestions discussed on the podcast episode.