Marlborough agency offers support to those affected by addiction

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By Lori Berkey, Contributing Writer

Kelly McCausland, executive director Prana Recovery Centers Photo/submitted
Kelly McCausland, executive director Prana Recovery Centers
Photo/submitted

Marlborough – Several years ago, Kelly McCausland and a couple of her contemporaries saw chronic relapse in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) participants, and with the opioid epidemic, they became gravely concerned. They were losing friends and mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, and sons and daughters, and it seemed to them this relapse factor was becoming fatal. They also saw that there are many paths to recovery, and wanted to help people, so they started the Marlborough-based Prana Recovery Centers in 2015. McCausland is the agency’s executive director.

In 2016, Prana Recovery Centers began offering a relapse prevention program for people in recovery from substance use disorders. This fall, the agency launched a new, ongoing, cutting-edge service – a free monthly Support for Supporters [SOS] group that unites those in recovery with their supporters.

According to McCausland, Prana’s intention is to provide support for the supporters because they recognize that people who have support do better in recovery.

“It really helps to eliminate relapse when someone has support from a person who understands addiction, who knows about their own self-care, who’s educated, informed, and active in getting their own support,” she said.

The SOS meetings offer a unique blend of ancient wellness practices, education and support. During the sessions, people in recovery and their supporters start off together in one group for mindfulness instruction and practice. Then, they split into two different groups and the supporters go together, while those in recovery do 12-step work.

The supporters’ sessions include education on healthy boundaries and other topics, incorporating presentations from different speakers from professional social workers to parents who talk about their experience of seeing their child recover and parents who have had children who have died from overdose.

According to McCausland, the intention behind teaching and practicing mindfulness is that “the mindfulness helps to filter out chaos to help you get to that quiet place where your wisdom lies, where your knowingness lies, and so that’s why the mindfulness, is one of our six pillars of wellness.”

She added that stress reduction is an important benefit from the practice.

In addition to the SOS groups, Prana Recovery Centers offers a more in-depth relapse prevention program for those in recovery.

“When you leave a rehab, many times you’re told AA is the only option. We believe AA is a very viable and important option – it’s not the only path to recovery and it’s often most beneficial integrated with different paths,” McCausland said.

The program is open to any adult affected by substance use disorder. For more information, call or text Kelly at 978-580-0631 or visit www.pranarecoverycenters.org.

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