Recovery Unplugged in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Treatment Center Setting
- Beach Community
- Luxury
- Resort
- Oceanfront
Recovery Unplugged Philosophy
At Recovery Unplugged, clients are encouraged to utilize creativity as a means of grappling with their addictions. Through the practices of lyric writing, musical performance, and musical recording, individuals are exposed to novel tools for promoting lifelong sobriety and maintaining lasting recovery. Through both residential treatment and outpatient services, clients are also provided with traditional recovery resources such as 12-Step groups and cognitive behavioral therapy. Holistic offerings include yoga, nature walks, swimming and gym sessions.
Areas of Specialization
Facility Highlights
Meet the Staff
Paul Pellinger
Chief Strategy Officer
Paul is a legend in addiction treatment with a career that spans over 20 years. He has worked as a counselor, manager, court appointed liaison, and consultant. Over the years Paul has helped open some of the most successful treatment facilities in South Florida, along with providing career changing opportunities to those whom share the same passion of helping those in need. As Chief Strategy Officer, Paul brings his years of wisdom and insight directly to Recovery Unplugged staff and clients.
David R. Kramer M.D.
Psychiatrist
Dr. Kramer is a General psychiatrist Board-Certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. David completed his undergraduate studies at Cornell University. He received his Medical degree with honors at the University of South Florida and completed his Psychiatry training at the University of Pennsylvania. He has been in private practice in South Florida since 1997. He has broad experience in the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders, addiction, post-traumatic stress, and behavioral disorders. In addition, he has extensive experience in psychopharmacology and brief, cognitively-based psychotherapy, and the assessment and treatment of substance abuse disorders. He has served as Medical Director of several residential treatment programs and has been a member of the medical staff at several local psychiatric in-patient facilities. Dr. Kramer is dedicated to the practice of thoughtful, client-informed psychiatric medication treatment
Beth Sullivan-Jawitz, MSN, A.R.N.P.
Nurse Practitioner
Beth Sullivan-Jawitz has worked in the field of addiction for over eleven years. She received her Masters Degree in Nursing from Florida International University, and is a Board Certified Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner specializing in psychiatry. Beth has worked with clients in a variety of settings, providing care to patients who suffer from addiction and mental health issues. She has been very active in her own personal 12 step recovery program for over thirteen years, and is committed to offering compassion and hope to all those who want to reclaim their lives from the horrors of addiction.
Cheryl Emery, M.S., C.A.P.
Primary Therapist
Cheryl Emery is deeply passionate about helping addicts and alcoholics to recover. She has worked clinically in the field of psychiatric and addiction treatment since 2003. Cheryl earned her Master of Science Degree with Honors from Georgia State University in one of the top Professional Counseling graduate programs in the country. Cheryl additionally earned her credential as a Certified Addiction Professional upon moving to Miami in the fall of 2014. Cheryl’s theoretical orientation is strongly Jungian and she served as a board member of the Jung Society of Atlanta for eight years. Cheryl’s enthusiasm for working with people suffering from addiction is the key to her success rate in breaking down the disease’s defenses and building a strong alliance with the person ‘inside’ who truly wants a life free from bondage.
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ABOUT RECOVERY UNPLUGGED - FLORIDA
Recovery Unplugged offers men and women who are struggling with drug and alcohol addiction the opportunity to pursue recovery by participating in music-based and traditional therapy. The flagship facility in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., provides multiple levels of outpatient therapy along with nearby supportive housing. Medically supervised detoxification services and residential treatment are available at the program’s Austin, Texas location.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
Specialized treatment at Recovery Unplugged is founded on the idea that “music chemically alters our body and makes us feel great,” according to the facility’s website. Each client works through a personalized plan of treatment, which includes education about music. Throughout the rehabilitative process, clients write, study, produce, and perform music. Some participants have never played an instrument before beginning the program and others come with extensive experience.
Integrated with music therapy are other evidence-based treatment modalities. Every treatment program incorporates individual and group counseling sessions, as well as fitness therapies such as yoga and nature walks. Both cognitive behavioral therapy and 12-step concepts are applied. Clients who are experiencing co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD, receive dual diagnosis treatment to address interrelated challenges.
At the Florida facility, three levels of outpatient treatment are offered. In the standard outpatient program, clients attend sessions on-site multiple times a week; the intensive outpatient program meets more frequently. The facility’s website does not specify a typical number of days or hours involved for these levels of care, but does indicate that the program length is one month.
Individuals seeking a more comprehensive rehab experience may participate in the “partial hospitalization” program, during which clients attend day and evening sessions throughout the week while living in off-site housing shared with others in the Recovery Unplugged community.
Aftercare includes counseling and help preparing for work and sober living beyond rehab. Family involvement in the recovery process is encouraged and arranged individually in collaboration between the client and their counselor.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
The program’s director of creative recovery is a successful musician with more than 25 years in recovery. Clinical staff members including a doctor and registered nurse both board certified in psychiatry, several master’s level therapists, and a certified Gestalt therapist.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
The Fort Lauderdale center has a capacity for 32 clients at a time. Located about one mile from the Atlantic, the setting is described as safe, serene, and comfortable in a resort-style environment.
Some clients choose to stay at local sober-living facilities, where they have access to a swimming pool, modern kitchens, semi-private bedrooms, on-site security, and transportation to and from the treatment center. Photographs on the facilities website feature beautiful, tropical landscaping and plush furnishings.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
All four former clients surveyed by Rehabs.com at the time of this writing would recommend the program to others. Five additional alumni submitted reviews, most of which were also favorable, with some caveats. A metric measuring the effectiveness of treatment received an average rating of 3.8 out of five based on eight responses. Several reviewers reported that they acquired tools and changed in positive ways while in treatment, including learning how to have fun while sober.
One alum, Tim, characterized the program as understaffed and chaotic, and Natalie agreed. Two others reported disappointment with the limited one-on-one therapy provided, although Brittany identified individual counseling as a strength, writing: “They worked with me and my specific issues.” Bridging the gap was a comment by Natalie, noting that when she expressed concern about access to counseling, the number of meetings increased.
Asked to rate the level of staff training and experience on a scale of one to five, the four alumni polled gave an average rating of 4.25. Three reviewers described the staff as caring and helpful.
Just one alum submitted a negative review, citing rundown housing. On the other hand, the four alumni polled gave an average rating of 4.5 for the facility’s cleanliness and upkeep. Three of four alumni polled also indicated that treatment was affordable or worth its cost.
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
Two out of three loved ones who submitted reviews to Rehabs.com were pleased with the program. K.B. could identify no weaknesses and cited the staff and unique approach to “mak[ing] recovery fun” as strengths. Another loved one, J., reported that Recovery Unplugged was a beneficial experience for his wife and noted that it came recommended by a friend whose family member had also attended. By contrast, K.M.K. cited problems with the facility’s handling of finances and insurance.
FINANCING
According to the facility’s website, Recovery Unplugged accepts most major insurance policies.
Published on June 2017