Flourish

For those who need it, your recovery journey begins with a medically supervised detox in a safe, supportive hospital setting, where experienced professionals expertly manage withdrawal symptoms and support your physical stabilisation. Detox provides the time and care needed for your body to begin healing, creating a strong foundation for the therapeutic work that follows.

Detox will be provided at a Priory Hospital close to your chosen Flourish site, and transport can be arranged to support a smooth transition into the programme.

Stage 1 focuses on helping you achieve stability and develop a deeper understanding of your addiction, creating a new baseline in which you start to feel that it’s possible to live without the addictive substance or behaviour. Through one-to-one therapy, exposure therapy, group sessions and educational workshops, you will explore the emotional, psychological and behavioural factors that have contributed to your substance use.

You will learn about your addiction, cravings and triggers, while developing practical strategies and improving lifestyle to manage them effectively, including better sleeping and eating routines. This stage also helps you to identify underlying patterns and beliefs that may be driving your addictive behaviours, with innovative therapeutic approaches used where appropriate.

For many people, completing Stage 1 alongside a detox (where required) can provide a strong foundation for recovery. While some clients choose to continue into Stages 2 and 3 to further strengthen and develop their recovery, Stage 1 alone can be a significant and meaningful step towards a healthier future.

Stage 2 is about helping you build a balanced, meaningful life beyond your addiction. The focus shifts from understanding your addiction to strengthening your identity, relationships and the skills needed for long-term recovery. During this stage, you'll continue exploring the underlying reasons behind your addiction, further unpack any co-occurring mental health conditions and develop a deeper understanding of how trauma-informed work relates to addiction and ongoing recovery.

You will be encouraged to involve loved ones in your recovery through family sessions, mediation and therapeutic exercises designed to rebuild trust, improve communication and strengthen your support network. This deeper dive into family work, including access to the family programme, gives you a better chance of successfully navigating life outside treatment with the support of your loved ones. You'll also begin reconnecting with hobbies, interests and activities that promote wellbeing and help you rediscover who you are beyond your addiction, with a greater focus on building meaningful interests and routines.

As your confidence grows, you'll take on greater responsibility through therapeutic exposure work, overnight leave and opportunities to practise your recovery skills in real-world situations. You'll further strengthen your emotional regulation techniques, develop more robust relapse prevention and discharge plans and, with ongoing one-to-one support and Recovery 360, your progress will continue to be monitored and supported every step of the way. By the end of this stage, you'll be better equipped for long-term recovery and statistically have a higher chance of abstinence. 

Stage 3 helps you transition from residential treatment back into everyday life, consolidating everything learnt from the previous stages, with the safety and security of residential support if required. 

Working closely with your therapist, you will create a personalised discharge and aftercare plan based on your goals, whether that involves returning to work, education, family responsibilities or other meaningful activities. This stage focuses on increased independence and self-efficacy, helping you recognise that a fulfilling life without addiction is possible. A focus on community engagement and planned leave in this stage, gives you opportunities to practise your recovery skills in real-life situations with ongoing professional support.

A key focus of this stage is relapse prevention, with statistics showing a higher success rate for long-term recovery, following the completion of this latter stage. Stage 3 helps you to recognise potential risks and triggers and develop practical strategies to maintain lasting recovery. Ongoing access to one-to-one support, process groups and Recovery 360 ensures you remain connected, supported and confident as you move forward into the next chapter of your recovery journey. 

Before starting the programme, you’ll have a free addiction assessment with one of our experts. This confidential conversation is a chance to talk through your history of substance use or behavioural concerns, and helps us ensure that Flourish is right for you.

If Flourish is a good fit for you, you’ll be able to start the full therapy programme straight away – often on the same day. If you don’t need a medical detox or have complex physical health needs, you won’t need to go through a stabilisation period, and you’ll be able to make the most of every day in treatment from the moment you arrive. For those who do need this stabilisation period, we will support your detox journey throughout the process.

From day 1, you’ll take part in a structured, in-depth therapy programme:

• Each day includes at least four therapeutic group sessions, starting with a 90-minute group process – a safe, supportive space to build resilience and develop healthy coping strategies
• Other sessions cover topics such as addiction, trauma, emotional regulation and practical recovery skills
• You’ll also have one-to-one sessions twice a week with your therapist, offering personalised support throughout your stay

Flourish offers an alternative to the traditional 12-step, abstinence-based approach commonly used within substance misuse services. Rather than following a fixed framework, Flourish is a non 12-step, self-empowering programme that supports both harm reduction and individual choice. It's designed to meet people where they are in their recovery, recognising that there's no single pathway that works for everyone.

The programme draws on a flexible, evidence-based model grounded in therapies recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), psychoeducation and trauma-informed care. Flourish flexes across proven addiction models to tailor support to individual needs, for example, by adapting care to reflect neurodiversity and associated traits. At its core, Flourish is built around whole person care, where addiction is understood as one part of a wider care package rather than the sole focus. Individuals can also choose to attend Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or other 12-step groups alongside Flourish if they find them helpful.

As part of your recovery journey, you’ll take part in our cutting-edge exposure therapy – designed to help you safely confront the situations that may trigger cravings, stress or relapse outside of treatment.

At Priory, our experts use ground-breaking immersive virtual reality (VR) technology to recreate real-life scenarios in a safe and controlled setting. From social environments to high-pressure situations, this approach allows you to build resilience, develop coping strategies and reduce your sensitivity to potential triggers – all before you encounter them in daily life.

By integrating true-to-life exposure into your programme, we help you gain confidence, lower your risk of relapse and feel better prepared for long-term recovery.

Beyond the core group work, your programme includes:

• Teaching and educational workshops
• Self-reflection exercises
• CBT techniques and skills
• Family support sessions
• Therapeutic outings and real-world experiences
• Wellbeing activities, such as fitness classes and relaxation

Where appropriate, you may also be able to bring your pet with you during treatment. Having a familiar companion by your side can support emotional wellbeing, provide comfort and reassurance, and help maintain a sense of routine and home at what can feel like a challenging time.

All pets are subject to a risk assessment. They can be welcomed at the point of admission provided this doesn’t impact other clients, such as where there are allergies or a fear of animals.

If you’d like a clearer idea of what your time with us could look like, you can download the example timetable, showing how the days are structured and the types of sessions you’ll take part in.

While you’re with us, your loved ones will be invited to take part in weekly online sessions. These sessions are designed to help them better understand addiction, manage their own emotions and feel more confident in how they support your recovery.

If you decide to continue into stage 2 of the programme, there will be more focus on building back relationships with your family, should you wish to. Dependent on the group size, this may include a more in-depth one-day family therapy programme, led by our therapy team:

• Psychoeducational sessions – understanding the psychology of addiction, the impact it can have on relationships, and how to manage feelings like shame or guilt
• Therapeutic group sessions – creating space to explore boundaries, rebuild trust and learn healthier ways of communicating
• Peer-led sessions – providing an opportunity for you to share your intentions for recovery with your loved ones and work together on strategies for ongoing support

We’ll need your consent for any direct interaction between our therapy team and your family, and we’ll always work with you to ensure the process feels comfortable and supportive.

Your recovery doesn’t end when your stay does. Flourish includes 12 months of free aftercare, helping you stay connected, confident and on track as you return to everyday life.

As part of your transition, you’ll be supported to:

• Regain everyday life skills
• Rebuild structure and routine
• Commit to a recovery plan, based on what’s right for you

A big part of moving forward is feeling more in control when faced with everyday triggers. Through the work you’ve done at during the Flourish programme, you’ll be better equipped to handle these moments with confidence and resilience.

In addition:

• You’ll receive a follow-up call within 48 hours of discharge from a member of our therapy team – to check in, offer reassurance and ensure you’re supported in those important first few days
• You’ll also be encouraged to subscribe to Recovery 360, our digital recovery support programme
• When ready, you may wish to step down into Anchor 1:1, our flexible outpatient therapy service for ongoing 1:1 support

Together, these options offer a robust support network to guide your next steps and help you build a life in recovery that feels sustainable and meaningful.