At Azure Acres Recovery Center, we are continuously introducing new groups and activities that make recovery relatable and fun. The following are some of the specialized groups we offer:

Closure Group

Every night at 10 p.m., residents gather to discuss their day and engage in a tradition that has existed since 1980: We bring the telephone into the room and invite recent Azure graduates to call in so that everyone in the house can wish them a good night.

Qigong

A specialist leads a Qigong session for our clients once a week to strengthen the connection between mind, body and spirit. Qigong is a health practice that has its roots in ancient China. It uses slow, graceful movements, mental concentration and relaxed breathing to help balance the body’s energy.

Humor in Treatment

Once a month, clients are treated to a “humor in treatment” group with recovery comedian Mark Lundholm, who is motivational in his realism and a living example of the possibilities recovery brings. A self-professed pessimist, Mark takes a look back at the missed opportunities and flawed thinking that his drug addiction caused and encourages clients to share their stories.

In this group, Mark shares words of wisdom and memorable sayings that address the themes of self-centeredness, relationships, acceptance, surrender, spirituality and early signs of relapse. He has a true gift for opening people’s hearts by inviting clients to talk candidly about some of the surprising and funny characteristics that many addicts share and engage in a no-holds-barred discussion about the realities and gifts of recovery.

Every session is unique and guaranteed to be thought-provoking, funny and healing all at once. Clients are joined by staff, alumni and other clinical professionals.

Spiritual Living

Spirituality is critical to recovery, but it isn’t always what you’d expect. While we welcome prayer, spirituality is also about fighting self-centeredness with service to others and accepting accountability for our decisions and behaviors.

Our Spiritual Director meets with clients each month to explore the concept of spirituality in ways they can see, feel and touch. Trained at Mercy Center, one of the oldest and most reputable spiritual direction programs in the U.S., with a private practice and 26 years in 12-Step recovery herself, our Spiritual Director leads an eight-part series on spirituality in addiction recovery. Each session focuses on a particular theme, such as surrender, acceptance, commitment, honesty and faith.