We’ve written a number of blogs about ARC Fitness recently, as there has been a lot going on in Derry/Londonderry with this awesome recovery community. There was the ARC Annual Conference, at which Wulf was a speaker, followed by the Recovery Walk and lots of other activities that Gary and his colleagues have organised.
And then there is the ARC Recovery Programme, which I thought I’d remind you about in today’s blog post. Here is Gary talking about the programme in his interview with Wulf earlier this year.
The ARC Recovery Programme [7’41”]
Gary says that some people who have come to ARC have tried alternative recovery groups, but for whatever reason find them not to their liking. ARC has a week-long induction, followed by six weeks of physical activity, psycho-education classes and therapy sessions. Physical activity is not the only key element. It’s the combination of these different elements, and the community and its values and ethos.
ARC offersa structured programme that people come to from Monday to Friday, and optional on a Saturday twice a month. Outside of residential rehabilitation, it is probably the most consistent and in-depth programme available in Northern Ireland. ARC also has a closed peer-maintained group that is available 24 hours a day. Group therapy sessions are run by people who have lived experience. ARC also provides running therapy. It has Northern Ireland’s only dynamic running therapist; he is 14 years sober.
Gary emphasises that education is an important part of their programme. ARC helps people understand addiction, as well as its causes and biology. There is a strong Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) component, to help people understand their thoughts, behaviours, cravings, and the role of environmental cues. They have a good deal of education around mental health, as addiction and mental health go very much hand-in-hand, as well as education about living sober, problem solving, and being resilient. There is continuing measurement of outcomes as people go through the programme.
In addition to running groups, ARC also does one-to-one work. Staff are accredited by the Recovery Coach Academy in the UK. Trauma and CBT therapy are also available. ARC accepts that some people don’t want to get sober or stop using, so harm reduction work is offered. Obviously, there has to be some limits here. For example, the team can’t risk having people coming in and doing exercise after using two bags of cocaine and then having a stroke. Gary emphasises that there is no one-size-fits-all. ARC needs to meet people where they are at and provide various options.
Wulf points out that well-functioning recovery communities make it clear where their sober and abstinent spaces are, whilst also having a door that is open to all people. Community members must not feel vulnerable to drug or alcohol use.
Gary says that their walking group, which gets together twice a week, works well in this regard. There is no requirement for sobriety; just don’t come long out of your mind or drunk. Be respectful and if you’re politely asked to leave and come back another time, don’t get annoyed or upset. The walking group helps create some form of connection for all, and also helps the problem of the ever-increasing waiting list at ARC. Ten to 15 people are coming to the twice-a-week walking group now.
Gary points out that he is not a rules person, but he has had to sort certain rules and create a code of conduct. It’s so important that ARC remains safe. ‘If people don’t feel safe, they can’t be vulnerable, and if you can’t be vulnerable, I don’t think you can open up and grow and change.’