Holidays in Recovery

For many of the individuals in our recovery programs, this holiday marks the first in a long time of being sober. The holiday season is an opportunity to reflect and re-connect with loved ones.

On Christmas morning, each client in our six-month inpatient residential program for women in recovery received a present from staff to kick off the holiday. On Christmas night, their families visited the program and enjoyed homemade desserts. Earlier this month, Bridgewell was a recipient for Toys for Tots. The mothers were able to select gifts, and give them to their children during the visit.

This is a very emotional time of year for many in the program, so staff keeps everyone busy and engaged. Before the holiday, outings included sightseeing in Boston and shopping for small “Secret Santa” presents for other women in the program. Other activities included decorating the house with handcrafted snowflakes, designing ugly holiday sweaters  and having an “ugly holiday sweater fashion show.”

These activities are important for the women so they can focus on their recovery, while building bonds with each other. It creates opportunities to reflect on the past and planning on the future.