BLACK BEAR LODGEA NATURAL, SERENE REFUGE FOR TRANSFORMATIVE RECOVERY

BLACKBEARRECOVERY.COM 855-808-6212: TELEPHONE706-348-6876: FAX

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WELCOME FROM BLACK BEAR CEO,JENNIFER ANGIER

Black Bear Lodge is a truly unique healing place. Nestled in the beautiful north Georgia mountains at the base of Yonah Mountain and the Nacoochee Valley, our 40 acre wooded campus provides a serene and nurturing environment. At Black Bear Lodge, we provide an individualized treatment experience that is just the starting point of your recovery journey.

The beauty of Black Bear Lodge is only one of its defining traits. Using a truly integrated team approach, our master’s-level staff and consulting medical team can empower you to reach your treatment goals successfully and achieve the freedom that comes with recovery. The grace and love exhibited by all our staff facilitates transformative change.

We believe we have many avenues by which you can create sustainable healing. There will be

no doubt as you move about this campus that the people and the facility itself are meant to be part of your journey. We celebrate and honor the courage it has taken to get here and all the steps you will take toward achieving a healthy life in recovery.

It is our mission to provide the best clinical practices to serve individuals and their families in the treatment of co-occurring conditions. At Black Bear Lodge, we strive to provide a supportive and challenging environment in which you can learn to identify and develop skills and solutions that can lead to lifelong recovery, restore relationships and rediscover your life again. I am honored that you chose this place to begin your journey.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Angier, MS, NCAC-IIChief Executive Officer

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AREwho we Black Bear Lodge is a place of renewal and transformation. We believe that

every person has the ability to change and heal. Our attitude is one of acceptance

and nonjudgment; we recognize addiction as a disease and know that it takes

important steps to be able to manage a mental health condition well. We are here

to offer you the opportunity and tools you need to rebuild your life and keep your-

self healthy and free. Your life is valuable. Your life is worth living well, and we

want you to discover your identity in a brand new way. We will teach you about

the psychological and physiological aspects of your addiction and mental health

conditions. We will teach you positive coping skills, how to heal your relationships

and make new ones, how to free yourself from negative thinking, how to care for

your mind, body and spirit, and how to find motivation for a better future. At

Black Bear Lodge, we believe in you. We will treat you as an individual and make

sure that you have what you need to achieve and sustain recovery.

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CORE ELEMENTSof our program➢ Physician-directed medication management

➢ Adventure therapy and recreational activities

➢ comprehensive assessments

➢ Acceptance & Commitment therapy

➢ Holistic options, such as equine Therapy, massage, yoga & creative arts

➢ Individual and Group Therapy

➢ Trauma Resolution & Grief/Loss Therapy

➢ Diverse educational Groups, including trauma resolution, healthy boundaries, anger management, spirituality & family systems

➢ Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy & Motivational Interviewing

➢ Family Therapy, including monthly family weekends & educational healing programs ➢ Relapse

prevention education

➢ Cognitive Processing Therapy

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OUR TREATMENT PROGRAMtherapeutic features of

Group and Individual Therapy

Using group as well as individual therapy, we work with you to identify and focus on specific co-occurring disorders and treat them with appropriate, evidence-based treatments. This therapy incorporates cognitive, behavioral and dynamic elements to provide you with new information and perspectives on addiction, new coping strategies for dealing with external and internal triggers, and practice in applying those tools.

Adventure Therapy

While in attendance at Black Bear Lodge, patients can experience the wealth of nature that our surroundings have to offer through walks and hikes. Our area is filled with trails, natural water sources and scenic views. We lead both strenuous and leisurely hikes on the forest trails, and we also take patients to a zipline that provides an extra element of excitement and adventure. Last but not least, our ropes course provides team-building and challenge activities that allow patients to stretch themselves and create trust.

Trauma Recovery

Because statistics tell us that a majority of people affected by addiction and mental health conditions have experienced a trauma-related history, our services

routinely incorporate trauma therapy within your individualized treatment program. Trauma therapy includes comprehensive recovery treatment for survivors of childhood and/or adult trauma of all types, with our approach individually determined to meet each person’s needs.

Family Program

We believe in the healing of the whole family. Through educational & group sharing sessions, loved ones can develop new perspectives that will help them find personal healing and inform their roles in the recovery process. Our goal is to help families cultivate positive coping skills, communication & behaviors that promote renewal and healthy interaction.

Equine Therapy

Equine-assisted therapy combines the use of horses and experiential therapy. Horses, with their intuitive and sensitive nature, mirror what they receive from people, providing powerful insights and learning experiences in a therapeutic setting. Through your relationship with the horse and the use of metaphors, equine therapists will facilitate the

process of awareness and change for each individual.

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At Black Bear Lodge, our restorative forest location lends itself to a number of outdoor

options for adventure therapy and recreational activities. We believe that therapeutic

recreation can offer critical processing time and a much-needed contrast to traditional

talk therapies. We encourage our patients to participate in positive habits that promote

overall recovery, such as regular exercise. Adventure therapy not only supports the goal

of physical rehabilitation and self-care, but it also provides opportunities for team-build-

ing through recreational activities. Patients may also discover new passions and hobbies

through these activities that will help them rebuild their lives in recovery.

ADVENTURE THERAPY & RECREATIONspecial feature

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Our Integrated Treatment ModelWe are known for treating co-occurring disorders, or the presence of both addiction and mental health concerns. Because our services are integrated to treat both conditions, we can give patients the best chance at long-term recovery.

Our Relational PhilosophyWe partner with patients in their own recovery using a process called Motivational Interviewing. Patients are involved in setting their own goals, and our treatment teams work to help them achieve those goals. We believe that lifetime relationships foster long-term recovery, and we meet patients where they are with an attitude of acceptance and nonjudgment. We build the foundation for a patient’s recovery, and that person is equipped with the tools to build his or her new life.

OUR PHILOSOPHY

"Treatment is not merely a sterile interaction to elicit change. It is an emotional and spiritual experience that will empower people to dedicate their efforts to connect with their truth. Treatment is meant to create pathways that lead people from their obstacles and struggles to solutions and a place of hope." - Jennifer Angier, CEO

Our ResearchWe focus on the body of information from the treatment industry as a whole as well as our own research outcomes, and we use both to inform our methods. We are always working to find the most proven treatment methods and the most innovative approaches available in order to provide patients with high quality, effective treatment.

The Recovery ProcessRecovery is a lifelong journey. That means the treatment process is designed to prepare an individual for a life of hope and health. To us, treatment isn’t just about getting clean and sober—it’s about rediscovering life and solidifying one’s identity in recovery. There are innumerable reasons why Black Bear Lodge is different from other treatment centers. Black Bear Lodge is part of the Foundations Recovery Network family of treatment centers, and we practice FRN’s evidence-based, time-tested methods of treatment.

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Trauma can affect anyone. At Black Bear Lodge, we know the importance of resolving the effects of trauma, which often contribute to substance use and mental health issues. We utilize a number of effective modalties to help patients process pain, negative thoughts, depression and anxiety. Healing from trauma paves the path to long-lasting recovery.

The goal of trauma therapy is to disarm past experiences that have set the groundwork for patients’ thinking and feeling patterns. As they work with their treatment teams, patients can reset the path of dysfunctional emotions, beliefs and sensations while instilling a pos-itive experience that is needed to enhance future adaptive behaviors and mental health. Trauma therapy can help patients take control of their lives and determine how much importance negative thought patterns and habits will receive. It may also include written or conversational exercises where the patient learns to take into account the context of the event, why it happened, his or her real role in the event and what is stopping the emotional processing from achieving natural closure.

At Black Bear Lodge, we use these approaches and others to help each patient discover his or her most precious values and act on them. By learning to notice and accept unpleasant thoughts or feelings without giving them the power to control behaviors and attitudes, a person can once again enjoy a meaningful life.

TRAUMA RESOLUTION

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FAMILY PROGRAMweekendsBlack Bear Lodge believes in the healing of family relationships.

Families are our most immediate support systems, and integrating family into the treatment and rehabilitation process is an important part of our philosophy at Black Bear Lodge. Loved ones are often just as much in need of the compassion, attention and encouragement as the addicted individual. The corporate recovery of the family can promote life and wellness in a way that few other things can.

Addiction and untreated mental health issues throw life out of balance for every person in the family system. Each person takes on a different role in order to compensate for the unhealthy condition of the addicted individual. Some get angry and try to control the situation; some enable the addict to protect him or her from devastating consequences; some withdraw or turn away to avoid getting drawn into the conflict. With the family system out of balance, everyone learns dysfunctional patterns of behavior in order to save themselves from the pain that the disease of addiction is causing. There are a number of things that families can learn which will help them heal. Our goal is to teach families healthy ways to communicate, how to identify healthy and unhealthy behaviors, the dangers of codependency, the development of new coping skills, and the incorporation of positive beliefs and patterns.

An integral part of our approach is a belief in acceptance without judgment. Family members may have knowingly or unknowingly contributed to the behavioral health issues of the addicted individual, and deep wounds can complicate the recovery process for everyone. Our desire is to open the door for each person to take responsibility for his or her actions without shame, guilt or resentment—and to find healing in forgiveness and the commitment to a new life. When each person feels equipped with the tools to create a better quality of life for him or herself, the family can create healthy boundaries and encourage one another in the healing process.

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Saturday9:00 AM - Breakfast/Welcome; Introductions9:30 AM - Co-occurring Disorders and Treatment10:30 AM - Break10:40 AM - Video: Pleasure Unwoven (Biological/Disease Model of Addiction)12:00 PM - Lunch/Welcome Patients1:00 PM - What Is Aftercare for the Patient and Family?1:50 PM - Break2:00 PM - Effective Communication3:00 PM - Adjourn; Visiting Until 5 pm

Sunday9:00 AM - Breakfast/Welcome9:15 AM - Introduction to Family Systems and Family Roles10:15 AM - Break/Welcome Patients10:30 AM - Boundaries and Family Agreements12:00 PM - Lunch1:00 PM - "Truth and the Alcoholic Mind"2:30 PM - Wrap-Up/Evaluation3:00 PM - Adjourn; Visiting Until 5 pm

The above agenda is meant to be a general guideline. Keep in mind that times may varydepending on factors such as the needs of the group, level of participation, group discussion and other variables. Also, please dress in layers to accommodate variations in temperature.Family weekend provides an opportunity for personal growth as well as the opportunity to gain insight and knowledge into family systems and the impact each individual has on that system. We encourage all who plan on attending family weekend to attend in full so that the maximum benefit will be achieved. In addition, we encourage all who come to our family weekend to come with an open mind and an open heart in an effort to create the best learning environment possible. All of us at Black Bear Lodge look forward to a wonderful weekend with you and your family!

FAMILY PROGRAMweekend schedule

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Financial/Medical• Picture identification card

• Insurance card (if applicable),and information for the insurance subscriber (name, contact information, SSN#, date of birth)

• Pharmacy benefit card/Rxcard (if applicable)

• All medications must beapproved by a consulting physician at Black Bear Lodge and are maintained by the staff. Approved medications must be in appropriately labeled bottles (your name, medication name, dosage, frequency). Please fill prescriptions for non-addictive medications prior to admission.

• Please bring any vitaminsthat you are taking in a brand new, unopened container

• Spending money cannot beused during treatment and is locked in the Black Bear safe until discharge

What NOT To Bring• No iPods, MP3 players,

laptops, pagers, computers, DVDs, PDAs, Walkmans, video games, cameras, TVs

• No weapons or pocket knives

• No narcotics, sedatives,muscle relaxants, etc.

• No aerosol cans. No perfumesor toiletries containing alcohol (i.e., nail polish remover, mouthwash, hand sanitizers, etc.)

• No health food supplementsor body building/dietary supplements (i.e., creatine, protein powders, etc.)

• No "short" shorts or skirts,tops that expose the midriff in any way, tops with straps, revealing clothing

• No clothing with alcohol,sexual, derogatory or drug messages/logos

• No vapor pipes or oils

Clothing/Personal Items• Comfortable, non-revealing

clothing

• Appropriate swimwear; women:one-piece swimsuit (must cover mid-section), men: no Speedos

• Sunglasses, sunscreen and/orsunhats

• If you smoke, please bringenough cigarettes with you. We do not provide cigarettes nor do we purchase them for patients.

• Cigarettes, e-cigarettes andsmokeless tobacco are all acceptable. Smokeless tobacco will be used in the same manner as regular cigarettes. You may have cigarettes mailed to you. Vapor pipes and oils are prohibited.

• Patients are provided accessto facility phones during designated times. Cell phones are maintained with locked patient valuables and available for accessing phone numbers only upon admission.

Here are some guidelines to follow when

packing for your stay at Black Bear Lodgewhat toBRING

The treatment team reserves the right to prohibit, on an individual basis, items that have a strong potential of interfering with recovery. All personal items will be subject to search by agency staff at admission, randomly and following passes from therapeutic off-campus outings.

• Anna Ruby Falls• Cool River Tubing• Raven Cliffs• Dukes Creek Falls Trail• Unicoi State Park• Alpine Mini Golf• Helen Tubing & Water Park

LOCAL ATTRACTIONS

lodging for families

• Nora Mill Granary (Grist Mill &Country Store)

• The Old Sautee Store• Mount Yonah Trails• Jumping Goat Coffee Roasters• Baby Land General Hospital• Ziplining

Hampton Inn147 Unicoi St.Helen, GA 30545706-878-3310Country Inn & Suites877 Edelweiss StrasseHelen, GA 30545706-878-9000Best Western8220 S. Main StHelen, GA 30545706-878-2111

Cabin Rentals of Helen706-878-4634RentHelen.comPinnacle Cabin Rentals678-343-1852PinnacleCabinRental.com(We recommend the Chattahoochee Trail!)Lucille's Mountain Top Inn & Spa706-878-5055LucillesMountainTopInn.com

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When families visit us over family weekend, they may want to enjoy some of the local attractions that our area has to offer:

Directions to Black Bear Lodge from Helen, GA:Continue approx-imately 3.5 miles from Helen on S. Main Street/GA-17/GA-75 to Carolina Springs Road on the left. Continue 0.1 miles to Black Bear Lodge.

IMPORTANT: When using a GPS to drive

to Black Bear Lodge, please use this address:

32 Dawn Way Sautee Nacoochee, GA

30571

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STAYING CONNECTED

Outpatient & AftercareOur outpatient programs are designed for a balance of structure and convenience. For us, providing quality outpatient treatment means offering support and expert guidance through each step of recovery. A discharge planner will begin to work with you at the beginning of your stay and throughout the treatment process to determine the best post-treatment options for you.

Heroes in RecoveryHeroes in Recovery celebrates the heroic effort it takes to stay clean and sober each day. This grassroots movement is dedicated to creating supportive sober communities & eliminating the social stigma associated with treatment and recovery. We partner with Heroes to engage our alumni and their loved ones through 6K races and events that bring people together. At HeroesinRecovery.com, people can share their stories of healing and encourage others to find treatment or stay on the recovery journey.

Social MediaWe want to stay in touch with you. Whenever you need support, encouragement or a sense of connection, you can find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Let us know how you're doing. Find out about new events. Inspire others to seek recovery. Find us at Facebook.com/BlackBearRecovery, on Twitter @BlackBearRehab and on Instagram @FRNetwork. We want to hear from you!

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What Does Research Say About Staying in Treatment Longer?Research from a variety of sources confirms that length of stay in substance abuse treatment is a strong predictor of treatment outcomes, with longer lengths of stay in treatment associated with lower post-treatment substance use rates (1). In addition, longer periods of treatment engagement are associated with lower readmission rates (2).In the 90s, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) initiated a series of Drug Abuse Treatment Outcomes Studies (DATOS) to track treatment outcomes in the US. In 1997, one DATOS evaluation, “Treatment Retention and Follow-Up Outcomes,” (3) revealed the following:

• “The length of time clients stayed in treatment was directly related to improvements infollow-up outcomes, replicating findings from previous national treatment evaluations (DARP and TOPS)” (4).

• In long-term residential treatment, patients who stayed in treatment for 90 days orlonger had “significantly better follow-up outcomes on a variety of criteria” than those who stayed for less than 90 days.

• In long-term residential treatment, those who had stayed in treatment for 90 days ormore had “statistically significant” differences in outcomes than those who stayed for shorter periods of time. In the study, these differences were seen in “weekly cocaine use (36% vs 14%), heavy alcohol use (31% vs 11%), predatory illegal acts (23% vs 12%), sex-related HIV/AIDS risks (33% vs 26%), and unemployment on a full-time job (86% vs 71%).”

Black Bear Lodge provides an evidence-based rehabilitation program that is focused on motivation, engagement and effective therapies for sustainable recovery.(1) (DeLeon & Schwartz, 1984; Greenfield, Burgdorf, Chen, Porowski, Roberts, & Herrell, 2003; Simpson, Joe & Rowan-Szal, 1997). DeLeon, G. & Schwartz, S. (1984). Therapeutic communities: What are the retention rates? American Journal of Drug and alcohol Abuse, 10, 267-284. Greenfield. L., Burgdorf, K., Chen, X., Porowski, A., Roberts, T., & Herrell, J. (2003). Effectiveness of long-term residential substance abuse treatment for women: Findings from three national studies. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 30, 537-550. Simpson, D. D., Joe, G. W., & Rowan-Szal, R. G. (1997). Drug abuse treatment retention and process effects on follow-up outcomes. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 47(3), 227-235. doi: 10.1016/S0376-8716(97)00099-9

(2) Moos R.H. and Moos B.S. (1995). Stay in residential facilities and mental health care as predictors of readmission for patients with substance use disorders. Psychiatric Services 46(1):66-72.

(3) www.datos.org/adults/adults-retention.html. Last Revised: 14 December 2001.

(4) Hubbard, R. L., Craddock, S. G., Flynn, P. M., Anderson, J., & Etheridge, R. M. (1997). Overview of 1-year follow-up outcomes in the Drug Abuse Treatment Outcome Study (DATOS). Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 11(4), 261-278.

Black Bear Lodge has a commitment to long-term recovery, which is why we encourage patients to stay with us for 90 days or more. Research has shown that programs with longer lengths of stay produce better treatment outcomes than those with shorter lengths of stay. Your first 30 days of treatment are about healing; the next 60 days are about transitioning back to your everyday life. Training and preparation can make an important difference in helping you stabilize your life outside of treatment.

EVIDENCE-BASED90 DAY TREATMENT

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Discharge PlannerIn preparation for your discharge you will meet privately with your primary therapist and care coordinator to prepare your individualized continuing care plan. This will include goals for living in transition, travel plans, sources of support and living plans. This be-comes part of your discharge summary report that may be shared in the future with other professionals of your choosing.

Transformations Parting CeremonyAs you transition from Black Bear Lodge, we will celebrate your journey with a cere-mony that provides the opportunity to embrace the courageous work that you and your treatment team have done. Your therapist and community will reflect together on your experiences, and you will receive a truth bracelet as a unique reminder of where you’ve been and where you’re going.

Additional InformationYou will be asked to complete an exit interview form. Honest feedback on how we can improve our program, as well as any positive comments, help us to change, grow and get better all the time—just like the recovery process for an individual. A discharge summary and the return of all personal items and medications will complete your departure.

SUCCESSFUL DISCHARGEplanning for your