Camino Recovery Centre

Centre Description

Camino Recovery Centre is an intimate and homely 8-bed facility, run by licensed Professionals, based near Malaga in Southern Spain, that specialises in the treatment of addiction. This includes addiction to alcohol, drugs, food, gambling or sex. We also treat associated conditions such as trauma, depression and anxiety.

Medically Supervised Detoxification is part of the recovery process for many of our clients with drug and alcohol addictions. Because each person experiences detox differently, we pay close attention to our clients' individual needs. Our doctor assesses each client based on medical history, drug of choice, length of use and state of mind, in order to determine the most appropriate care. Our doctor continues to be available after detox, as needed.

Group Therapy, underpinned by a 12-Step programme, forms a big part of the treatment we deliver at the Camino Recovery Centre. Group therapy enables more issues to be covered in a short space of time. The 12-Step programme is a set of principles outlining a course of action for recovery from addiction, compulsion or other behavioural problems. Statistically, this approach to group therapy has proved to be the most effective for the largest number of people. Moreover, it helps to provide a network of support for people to maintain abstinence from their drugs of choice.

We also use a range of therapeutic interventions within the group process, including Gestalt, expressive anger work, grief and trauma work, art therapy, and psycho-drama.

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an intensive treatment that has had proven success in the field of trauma. The procedure helps “unlock” traumatic memories, enabling clients to process distressing thoughts and feelings relatively quickly. The technique is now regularly employed in the UK to treat Veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) uses horses to help people gain clarity about boundaries and relationships. EAP has shown over the years that it can successfully help treat addictions in clients by providing a powerful and moving means of resolving trauma. EAP does not involve riding a horse. This form of psychotherapy has been used in established US treatment centres for the past 20 years. It is also used in Israel for the treatment of War Veterans.

Family Work is central to our treatment here. Families often believe that the only person among them with a "problem" is the addict. But we treat addiction as an illness that affects the whole family. The truth is that an addict's behaviour can have a huge impact on loved ones, dragging them into dysfunction too. We therefore run family programmes on a monthly basis; attendance is a prerequisite for clients and strongly recommended for family members.

The most effective treatment centres in the world have strong family programmes. Studies from these treatment centres show that clients who have experienced an effective family process in treatment had a 65% higher probability of getting and staying well, as opposed to those with no family therapy attached to treatment.

Camino Recovery Approach In our view, addiction is a progressive illness; it is also a family affair. The destructive behaviour of an addict can have a huge impact on loved ones.

Latest research indicates that addictive behaviour is often rooted in trauma (the experience of a situation, event or series of events, of an overwhelming and terrifying nature). As a result, an individual may repeatedly turn to a substance or type of behaviour in an attempt to comfort themselves or cope. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work.

As addiction takes hold, a complete loss of self-worth, a breakdown in trust, and inevitable social isolation follow – as both the addict and his or her family are drawn into the vortex.

Seeking proven treatment is crucial to the process of recovery.
We believe that no two people are the same and for this reason we offer highly individualised care. The fact that we only have eight beds means that people can’t get lost in the shuffle; equally, there’s no place to hide.

Group therapy, underpinned by a 12-Step programme, forms a big part of the treatment we deliver at the Camino Recovery Centre. This is because group therapy allows more issues to be covered in a short space of time; and reliable studies have shown that the 12-Step approach is the most effective pathway for the largest number of people.

An individual's journey to recovery with us begins at Malaga airport. A member of Camino's staff will meet the client and offer a gentle introduction to their stay on the 45-minute drive to the treatment centre. We will then support them through detox (if necessary), primary, secondary and aftercare, to promote long-term sobriety and quality of life.

People with addiction, trauma and associated conditions deserve professional treatment delivered with compassion, dignity and respect. This is what the Camino Recovery Centre is about.

Don Lavender, BA, M.Div., Programme Director

Please follow the website button above for further information. Also you can use the Email button to contact Camino Recovery directly.