Professional with a personal touch: Why Ocean Hills is different from other rehabs

Investing energy, time and money into getting help to stop drinking is a big decision and landing in the rehab centre for you is vitally important as to whether you make it into a sustainable life of recovery. When Ocean Hills founder Elaine Atkinson dreamed of opening a private rehab, she knew from her experience of other rehabs there were several factors that were not negotiable, and that Ocean Hills was going to stand out with a professional difference:

Professional with a personal touch. Ocean Hills founder Elaine Atkinson says her entire staff are professional clinicians

We firmly believe the 12 steps are not for sale

Evidence-based therapy - not 12-steps "Although we celebrate all forms of recovery, we don’t focus on just one method. For instance, we don't only focus on 12-step (higher-power) recovery." "We firmly believe the 12 steps are not for sale," Elaine says. "You go to AA for a 12-step programme." Ocean Hills Detox & Rehab uses a clinical model of evidence-based therapies as the mainstay of our recovery programme to help people stop drinking. We are not peer-support or volunteer-led, like some other 12-step alcohol and drug rehabs. Our staff are specialist clinicians who are experienced and formally trained in addiction and mental health issues.

"We have a full-time nurse - Stephanie Van Waas - who is highly experienced in working with addiction detox," Elaine says. "We also have qualified staff on the premises 24-hours a day, so our guests are cared for at all times." Ocean Hills guests also have access to counselling and medical oversight with our vastly experienced consulting clinical director, Andrew McGarrol, as well as a GP who specialises in addiction.

It’s a safe place to be vulnerable

Privacy and caring from the heart At Ocean Hills, we value privacy and space just for you - no shared rooms with strangers as you undergo one of the most challenging times of your life. "I wanted my rehab to be peaceful and calming - a place where people could really relax, feel safe and get on with getting well," Elaine says. That's why she built a boutique rehab where people could get the one-on-one attention they deserved - no large groups of strangers. “It’s a safe place to be vulnerable,” she says. Elaine also wanted a comfortable, home-like environment with delicious, nourishing food prepared for guests and no chores to do. "I didn't want Ocean Hills to feel like an institution," Elaine says. "I love the fact that we can provide a personal touch and make our guests feel like they are safe and cared for, like family, with no extra stress." "We pride ourselves on having big hearts," she says. "Many of our guests tell us that they appreciate the personal touch we offer and the laughs we share. Everyone here really cares about what we do and supporting our guests into a sustainable life of sobriety."

Follow-up support – we take our duty of care seriously Rehab is just the beginning of sobriety. We not only set our guests up with the skills, tools and support they need to stay sober, we follow this up with a significant aftercare programme. We offer clinical phone support for 4-8 weeks and a weekly online gathering, which any Ocean Hills guest can attend for an unlimited time. We also offer a week-long "reset" service for past guests who want to take time out to further solidify and refresh their sober tools and support systems. "We are also available to support the loved ones of the person struggling with addiction because we recognise it is a systemic disease that affects many people - not just the addict," Elaine says. "I also encourage people to ring me for a chat any time they like. I love keeping in touch with our guests and really do care about how things go for them.”

If you're worried about your drinking or that of someone you love, call Elaine on 027 573 7744 for a confidential and compassionate chat. You're never alone.