A Centre of Excellence for Alcohol Treatment
Mount Carmel provides a safe, supportive, therapeutic and non-judgemental environment for men and women with serious alcohol problems who see abstinence as their way forward. Located in South London, we have 18 single bedrooms for residential clients, and we also offer a day programme. Our many successful clients not only stop drinking – they change their entire lives for the better.
Individual attention – when you come to Mount Carmel, we will treat you throughout as an individual. We will listen to you and to your story and circumstances, and to your hopes and plans. We are totally committed to your recovery. We won’t give up on you.
Focus on alcohol addiction – Many of our clients get help with various addictions during their treatment, including drugs, food, and gambling, and can also provide specialist mental health treatment. But, whatever their other important issues, all our clients have alcohol as their primary addiction. This means all clients identify with each other and with the same core problem – alcohol addiction, and how to achieve lifelong abstinent recovery.
Our goal – recovery for life on a daily basis. We have helped hundreds of our clients into recovery during our 35 years of successful operation, and we can help you too.
Residential and day clients – we are equipped to deliver the same detailed and full therapy programme to day clients that we use with residents
Proven therapeutic programme – our addiction treatment programme consists of intensive group therapy and one-to-one counselling sessions. Specific groups for life skills, gender, food, yoga and meditation are included. All clients have an individualized care plan devised with their keyworker. Weekly house meetings enable clients to develop the skills of communal living.
Family support – for family members we hold free family groups twice a month and also adolescent groups for our clients’ children aged between 11 and 16 – one a month for males and one a month for females.
Free aftercare for life – on the completion of treatment we offer free aftercare for life. This consists initially of a structured programme agreed by the client and their keyworker. We also hold two aftercare groups a month, one-to-one sessions are available and we have regular social events.
Skilled and experienced staff team – all of our staff hold relevant qualifications in addiction treatment, and, just as important, are highly motivated to help you to find a full and lasting recovery
Housing support – most of our clients return to their previous accommodation, but we offer move-on accommodation for those needing further support before living fully independently. We also have excellent links with local social housing organisations for clients seeking a new beginning.
Very competitive prices – our proven treatment programme, support throughout treatment, and free aftercare, combined with our very affordable prices, add up to excellent value for money. Investing in your recovery will be the best decision you ever made.
Treatments Provided
- 12 Step based programme
- Intensive group therapy and one to one sessions
Groups include:
- Life skills workshops (family, assertiveness, boundaries, feelings, etc.)
- Dramatherapy
- Creative Writing
- Equine therapy
- Yoga Meditation
- Group Hypnotherapy
- Sleep hygiene
- Food groups
- Big Book study
- Recovery speaker
- Indian Head Massage
- Acupuncture
- Choir
- Family Groups
- Free aftercare for life upon successful completion
Day Programme
Our day programme is available for those who live in London and are able to travel in daily. The programme runs Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm and you are also required to attend a 1-1 session at the weekend (1 hour, on either Saturday or Sunday). The programme itself is the same as our residential programme.
Typically the programme lasts for 12 weeks but we have worked with multiple variations of this. Our programme is flexible and there is the option to mix between our residential programme and day programme. Your individual recovery will be discussed at assessment to find the right balance for you and what you can afford.
Price per week for our day programme is available on request.
Bed Capacity
18 Beds – (Day clients spaces are dependent on residential numbers)
Male & Female (flexible, however they will always be on separate floors)
What is Mount Carmel?
Compassionate and enthusiastic staff deliver an outstanding therapeutic programme. There is also a wide range of activities and complementary therapies. All this adds up to an exceptional environment for recovery.
We offer 3-month and 6-month residential programmes, and flexible length day programmes, and we will discuss with you which is best for you.
Do you just treat alcohol addiction?
Tell me about your treatment programme
• The 12-Step Programme of AA, and attendance at AA meetings
• Therapy groups
• One to one counselling
• Family or support network involvement.
Can you help my family?
We hold regular family groups for your spouse or partner, where they can discuss the issues that they find most troubling. We also hold similar groups for adolescent members of your family, with separate male and female groups.
We always make ourselves aware of any family problems that you face, and do our best to help to resolve or reduce these over the period of treatment.
What Aftercare do you provide?
• one-to-one counselling sessions
• aftercare group twice a month
• social events - reunions, barbecues, theatre trips, quiz nights
• continued attendance at meditation, yoga, drama, creative arts, exercise sessions, food group
• evening meals and use of laundry facilities
• informal visits
• membership of “Mount Carmel Works!”, the association of Mount Carmel graduates.
We strongly recommend that you also attend your local AA meetings regularly.
Will you help me to find housing?
For other clients, we have good links with local social housing associations, whom residents can approach to find accommodation when they leave. We also have two houses close to Mount Carmel that some of our residents move into for a period after treatment.
What relationship will I have with the staff and other clients?
Your relationship with other clients will largely be one of mutual support, and is a central part of your recovery. We find most people develop a unique bond with their peers that lasts for many years.
What rights do I have in treatment?
We believe you have the right to:
• a safe and healthy environment
• be treated with dignity and respect by our staff at all times
• be treated with dignity and respect by other clients at all times
• confidentiality (except where the welfare of a person, whether the client or someone else, including children, is at serious risk)
• participate in decisions concerning your treatment
• an individual therapist/step-worker
• have provision made where possible for any special needs you may have. During your initial assessment, you should inform the staff team of any such needs.
• high quality treatment
• make a complaint at any time, which we will handle through our specified complaint procedures.
What happens when I first arrive?
You will participate in the planning of your treatment programme, and with your peers be involved in contributing to the running of Mount Carmel. It is what you put into your stay at Mount Carmel that determines your long-term recovery. Recovery does not stop when you leave Mount Carmel – it is a lifetime’s journey.
How does Mount Carmel differ from other treatment centres?
• we think our staff team is exceptional
• not all other treatment centres have free ongoing family groups throughout treatment
• very few have free lifelong aftercare
• not all offer the range of housing support we can provide.
We can also tell you the basic principles that guide how we treat you. We believe:
• you can achieve long-term recovery from substance misuse and addiction – even when very severe.
• those suffering from substance misuse deserve the best available treatment.
• treatment should be based upon the best available evidence and expert opinion.
• treatment should be tailored to the individual and their specific needs.
• group and individual work are both powerful modes of treatment.
• all staff must be appropriately qualified and experienced, with regular supervision from senior staff.
• addiction affects people at many levels – physically, psychologically, socially – and treatment should address all these levels.
• effective treatment empowers you to work on your recovery throughout your life.
• learning from others in recovery is a vital resource for beginning and sustaining recovery.
• recovery is extremely rewarding and can last for life – and hundreds of our graduates are living proof of that.
