The March 2016 edition of Resident Magazine contains an in-depth feature on the unique philosophy and facility of The Dunes East Hampton. The article appears almost exactly in the middle of the print edition, immediately preceding the cover story. Resident Magazine covers the lifestyles of the “affluent and culturally savvy” in New York, The Hamptons and South Florida.
According to Resident, The Dunes wants to change the conversation about addiction and the rehabilitation process. The Dunes’ methodology for treating addiction includes integration with the outside community and providing comfort to each individual client. This is in lieu of a system of isolation and punishment that some facilities offer.
To see an interactive online version of Resident’s March 2016 edition, click here. Flip to pages 79-81 of the magazine to read the full print version of the feature on The Dunes East Hampton.
Community Integration As Part Of Addiction Treatment
Despite the beautiful, expansive estate at The Dunes, residential clients don’t stay holed up on the property during their time in treatment.
The Resident article touches extensively on the community integration philosophy of The Dunes. The founder of The Dunes, Joe McKinsey, told Resident about his past experiences with recovery, saying he stayed in a hospital and didn’t have much freedom.
“When they let you go, it was like falling off a cliff,” McKinsey told Resident.
McKinsey added that isolation plays a very large role in addiction, either initiating or furthering substance abuse. This is why The Dunes aims to create a sense of family and community within the estate, as well as encouraging its residents to maintain communication with outside communities, especially family.
McKinsey told Resident that continuous exposure to the outside world helps keep residential clients from “falling off a cliff,” and it makes life easier post-rehab.
Treating The Whole Person
According to Resident, The Dunes seeks to study its residential clients’ personalities and tendencies, aiming to do more than simply treating the addiction present. The Dunes’ team is vigilant in seeking to understand the reasons that led to the addiction. Therefore, treatment at The Dunes goes even further than the 12-step model.
The Resident article also mentions The Dunes’ adoption of a treatment model designed by Dr. Howard Shaffer, Director of the Division on Addiction at Cambridge Health Alliance. Dr. Shaffer looks at addiction as more of a syndrome than simply as a disease. Using the Syndrome Model of Addiction Treatment, The Dunes understands that addiction can take many forms and require many different layers of treatment.
The Dunes also understands that drug and alcohol abuse not only strains relationships, but can change the addict’s personality. The Hamptons-based rehab center thus aims to remove substance abuse from the equation and restore the client to the person they once were.
Truly Individualized Care
Many treatment centers say they offer personalized care, but it’s hard for them to truly provide individual attention if they’re more worried about quantity over quality when it comes to admissions.
The Dunes, however, focuses on comfort and exclusivity for its small number of clients. The luxury treatment center’s high staff-to-client ratio means residents will receive ample one-on-one attention, and treatment can be personalized accordingly.
Although The Dunes’ treatment is highly individualized, the rehab center stresses group activities that build a sense of community, as cited by Resident. Clients leave the residential program with a network of support that will help carry them through to lasting sobriety.
If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, call The Dunes East Hampton to see if our individualized rehab program is right for your needs.