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Recently, G&G Holistic opened a state-of-the-art 62-bed facility in North Miami Beach, Florida. Co-founders Jerry Goldfarb and John Giordano established the first G&G Holistic Treatment Program over 20 years ago. Mr. Goldfarb and Mr. Giordano both have decades of substance-abuse counseling experience coupled with a first-hand knowledge addiction. Mr. Goldfarb utilized his own struggle with addiction to create the unique programs that G&G Holistic is known for, and his pioneering use of holistic treatment modalities has garnered a great deal of recognition for G&G Holistic. The new G&G Holistic treatment center provides a safe, comfortable environment for patients. With the understanding that the transition from addiction to health is often easier when a patient feels at home, G&G Holistic living facilities include spacious two-bedroom apartments with shared areas. Meals at G&G Holistic are prepared by a gourmet chef under the supervision of a licensed dietician and patients are encouraged to take responsibility for the maintenance of their physical health. Accredited by the Joint Commission in 2006, G&G Holistic was awarded the Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval in recognition of the center’s high standards of care. G&G Holistic was one of the first treatment centers in the country to offer a fully holistic approach to recovery, offering clients a wide array of services geared toward healing the whole person. In addition to offering established treatment methods such as withdrawal care, individual and group therapy, and continuing medication management, G&G Holistic also crafts patient treatment plans to include meditation, 12-step meetings, acupuncture, massage, nutritional counseling and a variety of physical activities such as karate and yoga. Further rounding out G&G Holistic’s unique program, nondenominational prayer services and spa therapies are also provided.

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G&G Holistic: Mindfulness and Dialectic Behavior Therapy

People with drug and alcohol addictions travel from all across the country to North Miami Beach, Florida, seeking care through the G&G Holistic Addiction Treatment Program. The fully licensed and accredited treatment facility employs highly qualified staff who utilize an array of traditional and alternative treatment modalities that focus on the whole person: body, mind, and spirit. One of the modalities the professionals at G&G Holistic employ is dialectic behavior therapy (DBT).  DBT is a form of cognitive behavior therapy that provides patients with skills to help them cope with stressful situations and regulate emotions. It incorporates three fundamental techniques: 1. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT): CBT involves examining negative thought patterns. During CBT, patients learn to recognize negative thoughts, and they develop skills to replace those thoughts with more positive versions. As part of CBT, patients may engage in situational role playing, examine thoughts and feelings they have previously avoided, and learn to manage behaviors in a positive manner. 2. Validation: In contrast to CBT, which focuses on changing attitudes and behaviors, therapists engaging in DBT offer validation to clients as they work through their emotional pain. During validation, the therapist agrees that the client's thoughts and actions make sense in the context of his or her life, while not necessarily advocating those thoughts and actions as the best solution to the problem. 3. Dialectics: Dialectics is a process that seeks to integrate opposing thoughts and actions in order to spark positive change.  At G&G Holistic, therapists engaging clients in DBT also help them to cultivate mindfulness as a tool for transformation. Mindfulness is the process of purposeful attention without judgment. During mindfulness, one might notice an emotion and name it without attempting to judge or influence it in any way.

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G&G Holistic: Meet the Founders

G&G Holistic was founded to create a safe, nurturing haven for those with substance abuse problems. Headed by cofounders and former addicts Jerry Goldfarb and John Giordano, G&G Holistic offers a unique, holistically based program designed to foster lasting recovery. To find out more about the two founders, read below. Jerry Goldfarb: With more than 23 years of recovery under his belt, Jerry Goldfarb is dedicated to helping other people struggling with substance abuse. Jerry Goldfarb commands over two decades of counseling and program development experience related directly to addiction recovery. His earlier accomplishments include playing a key role in the establishment of the U.S. Virgin Islands’ first treatment center. Today, Mr. Goldfarb serves as the CEO of the company, where he is instrumental in the overall development and implementation of the G&G Holistic program.  John Giordano: As G&G Holistic’s President, John Giordano brings over 25 years of addiction recovery experience to the treatment facility. Throughout his professional career, John Giordano has obtained a number of professional certifications as a Certified Addiction Professional (CAP), Master Addiction Counselor (MAC), and Certified Criminal Justice Specialist (CCJS). Mr. Giordano has been honored with several awards, such as the Homeless Humanitarian Award and the Martin Luther King Award. The author of Proven Holistic Treatment for Addicts with a History of Chronic Relapse, Mr. Giordano also formerly hosted a question and answer-based television show focused on addiction.

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The Foundations of Substance Addiction Treatment

At G&G Holistic, we treat the mind, body, and spirit, employing a wide range of proven techniques to help individuals overcome drug and alcohol addiction. G&G Holistic maintains affiliations with many of the most prestigious addition treatment organizations in the United States, and we draw on evidence from all sources to develop treatment programs that work. In developing a course of treatment, it is important to realize that every individual is different, and that while the results of addiction can be similar, the underlying causes vary greatly. Different substances affect the brain in a variety of ways, and genetics also play a role. As such, the successful treatment of addiction is a process of discovery for both patient and practitioner. Another important consideration in addiction treatment is holistic care. Addictions can be triggered by a number of secondary conditions, ranging from medical and psychological problems to family or job-related stress. These conditions also need to be addressed to prevent relapse. Addiction treatment is a long-term endeavor, and comprehensive aftercare provisions need to be in place to support recovering addicts. An individual may need several months of treatment followed by years of occasional follow-up visits, or he or she may require several episodes of inpatient treatment and regular check-ups in between. As the patient progresses through treatment, the techniques and medications used will need to be varied. Addiction counselors should continuously re-evaluate the patient’s progress and course of treatment, making modifications as necessary. Additionally, it has been shown that medically assisted detoxification on its own does not cure addiction; patients need to follow up with behavioral or other types of therapy as well. Finally, it is a common misconception that an individual must want to go through treatment to recover. Evidence has shown that individuals forced to undergo treatment by the legal system, employers, or family members often respond positively. If you have specific questions about addiction and treatment options, contact G&G Holistic and we will be happy to assist you.

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G&G Holistic Addiction Treatment Program: Reiki

At G&G Holistic Addiction Treatment Program, practitioners engage clients in multiple holistic therapeutic modalities focusing on body, mind, and spirit. This whole-person approach helps G&G Holistic’s clients permanently break the cycle of addiction and lead healthier, happier lives. Along with addiction-specific psychotherapy and health care, G&G Holistic provides energy therapeutics to help rebalance spiritual energy. One such modality is Reiki. Reiki is an ancient healing method that promotes stress reduction and supports healing. The Japanese technique is a spiritual practice that focuses on channeling the life force energy passed on to Reiki healers by Reiki masters. The healer uses the life force energy to balance his or her client’s energy fields and chakras so the body can heal itself.  Reiki works based on the intention of both the healer and the client. In a typical Reiki session, the client either lies down or sits in a relaxed position. The Reiki practitioner gently lays hands on the client to channel the life force energy. Clients may notice gentle warmth or a deep feeling of relaxation during the treatment. Reiki is a form of complementary healing, used in conjunction with other modalities to facilitate the body’s own healing processes. In addiction therapy, it can help reduce the physical stresses associated with withdrawal, as well as the emotional imbalances that arise during the process of detoxification and addiction treatment.

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The Importance of Spirituality in Addiction Treatment

Prepared by the Office of G&G Holistic Originator of the Holistic Addiction Treatment Program, addiction recovery center G&G Holistic addresses substance abuse on three levels: body, mind, and spirit. The North Miami Beach, Florida-based facility offers a range of holistic treatment approaches to clients, including nondenominational morning spirituals and daily Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings, all of which emphasize the importance of spirituality and prayer in the recovery process. As evidence of the value of spirituality in recovering from substance abuse, both AA and NA identify the theme as principal to achieving and maintaining sobriety. Similarly focused organizations uphold the same ideals. For instance, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reports that individuals with religious affiliations often stand better chances of avoiding use of, and therefore addictions to, alcohol and drugs. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health backed this claim with a 2005 report stating that 10.1 percent of persons who had attended less than 25 religious services in the previous year used illicit drugs. At the same time, just 2.9 percent of persons surveyed who had attended upwards of 24 services in the last year reported using such drugs, while individuals who claimed that religion played an integral role in their lives and decisions possessed the lowest instances of cigarette, alcohol, or drug use. Spirituality plays just as important a role in recovering from drug and alcohol addictions as it does in preventing them. In fact, research from The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University states individuals who successfully recover from substance abuse often possess a greater devotion to religion or spirituality than those who relapse into addiction. The explanation for the above data likely stems from the values that many religious communities uphold, such as sobriety, acceptance, and support. In addition, being part of a larger entity that discourages the use of alcohol or drugs often inspires individual members to follow suit and prevents them from coming in contact with such substances. Spirituality and religion may also potentially fill an internal emptiness that a recovering or recovered person feels when he or she stops using.

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Therapy for Substance Dependence at G&G Holistic

Individuals may choose to use alcohol and drugs for a variety of reasons, many of which stem from basic feelings of inadequacy or weakness. By abusing substances, they might feel as if they are taking power over their lives and effecting positive changes, altering their emotions by the use of chemicals. Unfortunately, the original negative feelings usually return as soon as the chemicals have left the body and are often more acute than before, encouraging the individual to use again, and frequently to use more. Soon, the individual develops a dependence on the substance as the cycle worsens, until the addiction begins to rule his or her life. At G&G Holistic, overcoming this cycle is one of the primary objectives of treatment. The professionals at G&G Holistic listen attentively to patients, working to delve more deeply into the meanings of the words they say in order to discover the underlying feelings that drive those words. Counselors encourage patients to challenge the validity of negative feelings and work to replace them with new, positive ideas. Once patients change the way they describe themselves, they can work to re-learn self-defeating habits and avoid destructive patterns, thereby changing the way they feel about themselves.

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Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) and Addiction Treatment

At G&G Holistic, we believe that successful addiction recovery requires the treatment of the whole person, including any other secondary factors that could trigger relapse. One of the techniques used in our program is Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing or EMDR. Simple and effective, EMDR is frequently used to help individuals overcome trauma, panic, or anxiety. EMDR therapy usually involves eye movement, although some therapists use tactile feedback instead. The first step in EMDR involves identifying the troubling issue that is causing problems for the patient. Subsequently, an object is moved from side to side, and the patient is asked to follow the object with the eyes while thinking about the troubling issue. After the side-to-side eye movement session is complete, the therapist asks the patient what thoughts or feelings were conjured up. Research has shown that EMDR therapy assists patients in overcoming traumatic situations much more quickly than they would otherwise. In fact, EMDR is one of the most thoroughly researched desensitization techniques in use. American psychologist Francine Shapiro developed EMDR in the late 1980s. Shapiro noticed that while she walked in the park, moving her eyes helped her to reduce stress and stop thinking about disturbing memories. Subsequently, Shapiro conducted a series of studies to establish methods for maximizing the desensitization effect of this phenomenon. For a demonstration of how EMDR works, see this video: [EMDR Demonstration Video with Colleen West • Part 1]

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Your Gateway to Lasting Recovery

G&G Holistic

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