Brought to you by 7 Summit Pathways
What made you open the treatment facility?
Opening 7 Summit Pathways was out of the need to start treating addiction differently by looking beyond the symptoms — lying, stealing, manipulating, unreliability, irrational behavior and emotions — and treat the person, as well as the disease. For many years, we have had the Minnesota Model of 28-day treatment. We believed that we needed longer treatment engagement for long term success, and that is what we created at 7 Summit Pathways. Recovery is a lifelong journey, and we wanted to create an environment that was truly conducive to building the necessary foundation.
We looked at the analogy of climbing Mount Everest. In the beginning, when you get to base camp, you get educated, gain insight, and learn about the process of attempting to summit Everest. You have a guide assigned to help you and they do so as you begin the climb. Throughout the process you have continuous education and get an understanding as to how to best accomplish the task. On that final day you make the climb to the summit, and it is all on you to push forward and get to the top while the team supports and encourages. The tools, education, strength, and hope that was shared and taught is what you rely on to get you there. That is what we do: guide the client to the summit, watch them apply what they learned, and set them up to be successful on their endeavors.
Our goal was to build a program that was long-term with step down levels of care, where you have the same therapist throughout your treatment program. We offer consistent ancillary services to support the work the client is doing while addressing the mental and physical components. We also have family group [sessions] once a week because we believe that this is a family disease, and everyone needs support and tools to apply.
What can you expect when you join a recovery program?
The most important thing that you can expect is to meet people who have similar experiences and understand how you are feeling. There is a special connection between people in recovery because they understand that this is a lifelong journey. They also begin to realize that you cannot do this alone. You need the support of the community, your therapist, your peers, your recovery support group and a spiritual connection that you begin to understand on a deeper level.
At 7 Summit Pathways, we believe that it is imperative that we meet people where they are at so each person that starts this journey will have a personal experience. The goal is to make sure that they feel surrounded by acceptance, love and support. We help them overcome the stigma and work through the guilt, shame and remorse through one-on-one therapy, group therapy, and most of all, learning how to have fun without substances.
What programs do you offer?
We offer a full continuum of care, which means that our program is set up so a person can slowly integrate into their life with support throughout the journey. We have tailored the program to meet the needs of each person, as we realize that everyone has life issues going on. We also offer multiple pathways to recovery by exposing each person to not only the 12-step model but also to Wellbriety, Celebrate Recovery, Refuge Recovery, Smart Recovery and All Recovery meetings. Lastly, we have them experience massage, cranial sacral healing, bio sound therapy, yoga, sound therapy, meditation, acupuncture and chiropractic services to assist in the overall process of rehabilitation.
What sets you apart from other programs?
One of the biggest things that sets us apart from other programs is the connection from our staff with each person that walks through the door. From the first phone call, the goal is to make the person know that they have taken the first step in their recovery. Whether they come to 7 Summit or not, we are here to support them, and we make sure they get the support they need to be successful. 7 Summit Pathways is a place of healing. It is a sacred space for people to become whole again. We have a health care specific program for licensed professionals and work closely with IPN and PRN. We offer cutting-edge medication-assisted treatment (MAT).
We intentionally have kept a small census (bed count) in order to maintain the family atmosphere and make our program an intimate experience. We believe that relationships and individualized care is what truly sets us apart from other programs. Each client has a recovery coach while they are in our program that they meet with weekly and for 30 days following their discharge. That recovery coach works with them to keep them engaged and ensure they follow their continuing care plans. Alumni engagement is also a part of our program that maintains the relationships we create while they’re with us and in treatment.
About Dr. Wilson:
Dr. Lawrence S. Wilson is Board Certified in Addiction Medicine. He is also a Urological Surgeon but had a passion to help those that are in the grips of addiction. He is not just the Medical Director; he is an integral part of the day to day program. Dr. Wilson runs three groups a week, and he helps each person understand what is going on in their brain so that they can start to understand the disease and how to overcome it by changing their thinking and their actions. These go hand in hand, and Dr. Wilson helps to make that connection.
Dr. Wilson has a passion to help each person that walks through the door. He is invested in their treatment and most of all their long-term recovery. He spends holidays with the patients and lets them know that this is the beginning of the most amazing journey of their life.
He gets to know each person. Dr. Wilson’s hope is that when you come to 7 Summit Pathways Treatment and Recovery Center you know you have found a safe place where people genuinely care about you as a person. You know that you are connected to a community or extended family. Dr. Wilson is a huge part of creating 7 Summit’s environment.
