News

NEWSLETTER – OCTOBER 2026

Sunrise Surf/walk

Sunrise, Surf and a Fresh Start

On the morning of 6 October 2026, the residents were given the opportunity to experience something a little different from the usual routine at the rehabilitation centre. At 5:00am, we got everyone up and ready for a sunrise beach outing.
For some, the early start was a challenge, but it was also an
opportunity to step outside of our comfort zones and start the day with purpose. Once we arrived at the beach, everyone had a choice. Those who wanted to surf could get into the water, while those who preferred a more relaxed experience could take a walk along the beach. There was no pressure to participate in one particular activity — everyone could choose what felt right for them.

There was something therapeutic about simply being beside the ocean so early in the morning. The fresh air, sound of the waves and rising sun created an environment that encouraged calmness, reflection and mindfulness. Being in nature can help reduce stress, improve mood and provide a welcome break from the distractions and pressures of everyday life.

For those who surfed, the activity offered more than just physical exercise. Surfing requires concentration, balance, patience and perseverance. Falling off the board and getting back on is a simple but powerful reminder that progress often comes through persistence. These are qualities that are equally important in recovery.

For those walking along the beach, the slower pace provided an opportunity to talk, reflect and simply enjoy being present in the moment. Walking together also encouraged connection and fellowship between residents.

Most importantly, the morning reminded us that recovery is not only about what happens inside the rehabilitation centre. It is also about learning how to enjoy life in healthy and meaningful ways, building positive experiences and discovering new ways to connect with ourselves, others and the world around us.

Watching the sunrise together was a fitting reminder that every new day brings another opportunity for a fresh start.

Building a new septic tank

Building Together: Teamwork and Humility at Pilgrim’s Place

As Pilgrim’s Place continues to grow and welcome more residents, the need to improve our facilities becomes increasingly important. One of our recent work allocations involved building a new septic tank at the bottom of
the property to accommodate our growing numbers.

Beyond the practical benefits, this project provided the guys with a valuable opportunity to develop teamwork, communication, and responsibility. Working towards a common goal reminded us that every contribution matters and that we can achieve far more when we support one another.
An important lesson from this work allocation was humility. Recovery teaches us to put our pride aside, accept guidance, learn from others, and understand that no task is beneath us. By working together, we practise
patience, responsibility, and a willingness to serve without expecting recognition.

At Pilgrim’s Place, work allocations are about more than maintaining our facilities. They help us build character, strengthen relationships, and put the principles of recovery into practice.

The new septic tank is a valuable improvement to our property, but the lessons learned through teamwork and humility are equally important.
Together, we are not only improving Pilgrim’s Place, but also building stronger foundations for our recovery.

Creativity, Connection and Healing Through Art

Creativity, Connection and Healing Through Art
This month at Pilgrim’s Place, the guys explored creativity and personal growth through various art activities. During an
excursion to URO, they made their own incense holders, developing patience, concentration, and practical skills while enjoying time together outside the usual environment.

We also participated in a meaningful art group with Magda, focusing on our inner child.

Through creative expression, the guys had an opportunity to reflect on past experiences, explore emotions, and develop a better understanding of themselves.

Working with our inner child can be an important part of recovery, helping us recognise old hurts, understand our
behaviours, and practise self-compassion. Art provides a safe and meaningful way to express feelings that can sometimes be difficult to put into words.

At Pilgrim’s Place, these activities remind us that recovery is about more than changing our behaviour; it is also about healing, selfdiscovery, and personal growth.

Through creativity, we continue to learn, connect, and build a healthier future together.

Volunteering at Healing wings Sudwala – Growth and Change

For the past three months, Don Hodgson and Vaughan McShane volunteered at Healing Wings in Sudwala, Nelspruit, supporting both the Youth Centre Programme and the Adult Male Programme.

Their time there brought new challenges, responsibilities, and opportunities for personal growth. Through their service, they learned the importance of patience, teamwork, humility, and supporting others in their recovery journeys. Although adjusting to a different environment was challenging at times, the experience proved to be both rewarding and meaningful.
Don and Vaughan have now returned to Pilgrim’s Place, bringing back valuable lessons and experiences.

Their journey is a reminder that volunteering is not only about giving back to others, but also about growing as individuals and strengthening the principles of recovery.

We welcome them back and thank them for their commitment, willingness to serve, and contribution to the spirit of fellowship and recovery.

NEWSLETTER – SEPTEMBER 2026

FAMILY ROLES – UNDERSTANDING THE PART WE PLAY

The session explored familiar roles such as the Hero, Mascot, Scapegoat, Lost Child and Addict, and how each role can develop as a way of coping with addiction within a family.
These roles aren’t labels or diagnoses. They are ways of understanding patterns that may have helped someone survive or function within their family environment.
For residents in recovery, recognising these patterns can be an important step toward change. It allows us to ask: “Is this who I really am, or is this a role I learned to play?”
Recovery isn’t simply about stopping a substance or behaviour. It is also about discovering healthier ways to communicate, establish boundaries, handle conflict and relate to the people we love.
By understanding where some of our behaviours originated, we can begin taking responsibility for what we do with them today.
The goal isn’t to blame our families. It’s to understand ourselves—and to become better equipped to build healthier relationships in the future.

COMMUNITY PROJECT – PELGRIMSRUST

Recovery is not only about what happens inside the walls of a rehabilitation centre. It is also about learning how to become a responsible, contributing member of the community.
As part of our community-based project, our residents recently spent time brush cutting and clearing the cul-de-sac in Pelgrimsrust.
Community-based activities are an important part of preparing residents for life beyond rehabilitation. They provide opportunities to practise qualities such as responsibility, teamwork, discipline, perseverance and service in real-world situations.
There is also something valuable about physical work. Rather than simply talking about responsibility, residents get to experience it. The work needs to be done, everyone has a part to play, and the finished result is something the whole community can benefit from.
For many people in recovery, addiction has involved becoming increasingly focused on self and immediate needs. Healthy recovery creates the opportunity to move in the opposite direction—to become someone who contributes, serves and considers the people
around them.
A cleared cul-de-sac may seem like a small achievement, but it represents something much bigger: learning to leave the places we enter a little better than we found them.

AROUND THE FIRE

Recently, our residents came together for an evening bonfire centred around Christian worship, fellowship and unity. Away from the structure of the normal daily programme, the evening created an opportunity to slow down, connect and focus on something greater than ourselves.
Addiction can be deeply isolating. It can damage relationships, create mistrust and leave people feeling disconnected from their families, communities and even themselves. Recovery therefore involves learning how to belong again.
Sometimes healing happens in a counselling room. Sometimes it happens through hard
conversations and difficult work.
And sometimes, it happens around a fire, surrounded by people walking the same road.

BUILDING STRENGTH – GYM & FENCE

Recently, our residents got stuck into a few practical projects around the farm. They built a white picket fence around one of our buildings and revamped the pull-up bar and fitness area, creating spaces that will benefit both current and future residents.
Projects like these are about more than improving the property. They give residents the opportunity to work together, take responsibility and see the results of their own effort.
Fitness also plays an important role in recovery. Regular exercise can provide a healthy outlet for stress while building discipline, routine, perseverance and confidence. The gym is a practical reminder that strength doesn’t develop overnight—it comes from consistently showing up and putting in the work.
The same principle applies to recovery.
Every workout, every task completed and every day of making healthier choices is
another opportunity to build something stronger.
We’re not only building fences and fitness areas—we’re helping our residents build
stronger lives.

MONTH SUMMARY

September has been a month of growth, connection and practical recovery at Pelgrim’s Place.
Our residents have been learning and growing together through group sessions, community projects, fellowship and physical activity.
With Social Worker Alta, we explored the different roles we can take on within our families and how understanding these patterns can help us build healthier relationships.
Our community-based work took us into Pelgrimsrust, where residents helped clear and brush-cut the cul-de-sac – putting responsibility, teamwork and service into practice.
We also gathered around the bonfire for an evening of Christian worship and fellowship, creating space to reconnect with God, with one another and with the importance of community in recovery.
Around the farm, residents have been putting their hands to work too – building a white picket fence around one of our buildings and revamping the pull-up and fitness area. These projects remind us that recovery is built through small, consistent actions: showing up, working together, taking responsibility and becoming stronger in body, mind and spirit.
Another month of learning, serving, building and growing together.

**“AS IRON SHARPENS IRON, SO ONE PERSON SHARPENS ANOTHER.”** PROVERBS 27:17

NEWSLETTER – AUGUST 2026

BUILDING MORE THAN ACCOMMODATION

Renovation is about more than repairing walls, painting beams, or improving accommodation. At Pelgrims Place, renovating the staff quarters has become an opportunity to learn skills while creating something that will benefit others.

Learning trade skills such as painting, carpentry, preparation, measuring, and maintenance can build confidence and achievement. These skills can become tools for future employment and independence.

There is a deeper lesson in serving others. By investing our time and effort into improving a space that others will use, we learn responsibility, humility, purpose, and the importance of contributing to something greater than ourselves.

Renovation requires teamwork, communication, listening, problem-solving, and patience. Working toward a common goal strengthens relationships and develops interpersonal skills.

Recovery is not only about overcoming the past; it is about building a better future. Through practical work, service, teamwork, and learning, we discover that growth can happen through what we build together.

Serving the Paternoster Community

Recovery is not only about changing ourselves; it is also about learning how we can contribute positively to the world around us. Recently, residents of Pelgrims Place had the opportunity to restore an abandoned building along one of the town’s main roads.

The walls had become covered in graffiti and had lost their welcoming appearance. By working together to repaint and restore the area, we were able to make a small but meaningful contribution to the community we are part of.

Projects like this provide valuable opportunities for growth in recovery. Hard work can be challenging, requiring patience, perseverance, discipline, and a willingness to keep going even when a task becomes tiring or difficult. Working together as a team teaches communication, cooperation, responsibility, and respect.

Most importantly, community service allows us to experience the satisfaction of doing something that benefits others. Seeing the results of our efforts can build self-worth, purpose, and confidence. Through service, hard work, and teamwork, recovery becomes something we actively practise—not just something we talk about.

CROSS ADDICTION

Cross-addiction is a challenge because stopping one substance does not remove the addictive pattern. A person may replace substance use with gambling, pornography, shopping, food, exercise, work or social media when these behaviours provide escape or relief. Addiction is not only about substances; it is also rooted in behaviours, triggers, cravings and emotional patterns.

Mindfulness helps us recognise the cycle: trigger, craving, behaviour, consequence and repeat. Instead of asking, “Why can’t I stop?”, we can ask, “What am I trying to escape?” Healthy coping and self-awareness can interrupt the cycle. Recovery means addressing the root cause, rather than replacing one addiction with another.

Recovery isn’t just about stopping. It’s about learning to face the feeling the behaviour was helping you avoid.

PREPARING TO HARVEST – BEEKEEPING

Spring is buzzing into life at Pelgrim’s Place, and our bees are getting ready for one of the busiest and sweetest times of the year: the spring honey harvest!
As the West Coast bursts into colour, the bees becomes a hive of activity. Regular inspections help us check for a healthy queen and brood pattern, ensure the colony has
enough space to grow, and look out for signs of pests, disease or food shortages.
The West Coast provides an incredible buffet for our bees. Fynbos, veggies, wildflowers, flowering succulents, aloes, herbs and garden flowers all contribute to the nectar and pollen that sustain a healthy colony.

You can support bees in your own garden too. Lavender, rosemary, sage, borage, aloes, gazanias and indigenous flowering plants are all excellent choices.
And this is why supporting your local beekeeper is so important. Local honey contains traces of pollen from the plants in your surrounding environment. Regularly consuming small amounts of local honey helps expose the body to local pollen over time, helping the immune system become more accustomed to it and reducing the effects of seasonal hay fever.

So, when you buy local honey, you’re supporting local beekeepers, healthy bee populations and your surrounding ecosystem—while enjoying a little taste of the landscape around you.

Support local. Plant flowers. Keep the West Coast buzzing.

MONTH SUMMARY

As we look back on another month at Pilgrim’s Place, we are reminded that recovery is about far more than simply stopping substance use—it is about growth, responsibility, community and discovering new possibilities.

This month, our residents have worked together to build staff quarters, developing practical skills while learning the value of teamwork and shared responsibility. We also had the opportunity to serve the Paternoster community by helping transform a neglected wall, demonstrating how recovery can extend beyond our centre and make a positive difference in the wider community.

We explored the challenges of cross-addiction and the importance of recognising unhealthy behaviours before they become replacements for substance use. On the farm, we have also assessed our existing beehives and ascertained their quality as we prepare for the new season. As spring approaches, this is an important time to ensure our colonies are healthy and strong, ready for increased activity, flowering and the opportunities that the season brings.

As we enter a new season, we look forward to new projects, new skills and new opportunities for growth, service and recovery.

“DO NOT CONFORM TO THE PATTERN OF THIS WORLD, BUT BE
TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND. THEN YOU
WILL BE ABLE TO TEST AND APPROVE WHAT GOD’S WILL IS—HIS
GOOD, PLEASING AND PERFECT WILL.” ROMANS 12:2

NEWSLETTER – JULY 2026

A TASTE OF THE WILD WEST COAST

This month, our residents took part in a memorable coastal foraging team-building event that combined adventure, creativity, and collaboration in a unique recovery-focused experience. After receiving the basic ingredients needed to prepare sushi, teams headed to the beach to responsibly forage for natural coastal ingredients, connecting with the environment while working together toward a shared goal.

The experience extended far beyond preparing a meal. Each team was challenged to create its own seafood restaurant concept, complete with a unique name, themed decorations, creative presentation, and a persuasive pitch to a panel of judges. Their dishes were
evaluated on presentation, taste, originality, and overall team spirit, encouraging residents to think outside the box while expressing their creativity and individuality. Activities like these play an important role in addiction recovery by demonstrating that enjoyment,
achievement, and meaningful connection can be experienced without the use of substances.

The event encouraged communication, trust, problem-solving, and shared responsibility, while also building confidence through creative expression. Spending time in nature further promoted mindfulness and wellbeing. By combining outdoor adventure with imagination and teamwork, this month’s event reinforced the value of healthy leisure activities and positive social connection, essential building blocks for long-term recovery and lasting personal growth.

MOUNTAIN MURAL – Climbing Together

Our mountain mural became much more than an art project, it became a powerful reflection of the recovery journey. Mountains often symbolize challenge, perseverance, and hope, making them the perfect reminder that every worthwhile destination requires courage, commitment, and determination.

As residents worked together to bring the mural to life, they experienced many of the same qualities needed for personal growth. Planning, problem-solving, patience, and teamwork all played an important role in completing the artwork. Each brushstroke represented a small contribution, demonstrating that meaningful progress is built one step at a time. Creative projects like this also provide an opportunity for self-expression and mindfulness. Art encourages individuals to slow down, focus on the present moment, and take pride in what they are creating. For many, it becomes a healthy outlet for emotions while building confidence through the achievement of completing something lasting and meaningful.

Now standing proudly within our community, the mural serves as a daily reminder that every journey begins with a single step. Recovery is rarely a straight path, but with persistence, support, and faith, even the highest mountains can be climbed. Together, we continue to encourage one another to keep moving forward, embracing each challenge as another opportunity to grow stronger and reach new heights.

COAT OF ARMS

This week, our art therapist, Magda, guided the men through a powerful exercise: creating their own personal coat of arms. Using meaningful symbols, colours, and imagery, each person designed a badge that represents who they are, what they value, the battles they’ve overcome, and the future they’re building.

Creative activities like this encourage self-awareness, reflection, and healthy self- expression, essential parts of recovery. When we begin to see ourselves through purpose instead of our past, lasting change becomes possible. Recovery is about more than breaking free from addiction – it’s about rediscovering identity.

NO MORE MR NICE GUY

One of the recent group presentations at Pelgrim’s Place explored a topic that resonated deeply with many of the men in recovery: The Nice Guy Syndrome. While kindness is a valuable quality, being a “nice guy” often has very little to do with genuine love or humility. Instead, it can be driven by fear, fear of rejection, conflict, disapproval, or not feeling good enough. Many people become experts at pleasing others while suppressing their own needs, emotions, and boundaries. Over time, this creates resentment, anxiety, unhealthy relationships, and emotional exhaustion. In recovery, these patterns can also fuel addiction, as people turn to substances or destructive behaviours to cope with the pressure of living behind a mask.

Recovery is not about becoming selfish or uncaring, it is about learning to be honest, setting healthy boundaries, expressing emotions in healthy ways, and allowing relationships to be built on truth rather than performance. Controlling the “nice guy” cycle is a daily practice. It means pausing before automatically saying “yes,” speaking honestly even when it feels uncomfortable, accepting that not everyone will approve of every decision, and remembering that personal worth is not determined by other people’s opinions. True recovery is not about becoming someone everyone likes. It is about becoming the person God created you to be, living with integrity, courage, and authenticity. That is where genuine confidence, healthy relationships, and lasting freedom begin.

MONTH SUMMARY

This week at Pelgrim’s Place focused on growth through honesty, self-reflection, and
creativity. Our psychology group explored the concept of the “Mr Nice Guy,” helping residents recognise people-pleasing behaviours and develop healthier boundaries rooted in authenticity.
Self-awareness sessions encouraged participants to better understand their emotions, strengths, and patterns, laying the foundation for lasting personal change.
Creativity brought these lessons to life through collaborative art projects that fostered teamwork, patience, and self-expression.
Together, these experiences reminded us that recovery is about more than sobriety.

SELF AWARENESS

Understanding our thoughts, emotions, and behaviours is the first step toward lasting recovery. This week focuses on recognising personal patterns, identifying triggers, and developing greater emotional insight.

HEALTHY BOUNDARIES

Learning to say “no” can be just as important as learning to say “yes.” We will explore people-pleasing, healthy boundaries, and the confidence to live with honesty and integrity.

CREATIVITY & PERSONAL GROWTH

Through art and hands-on projects, we’ll strengthen confidence, teamwork, and discover new ways to communicate and grow.

NEWSLETTER – JUNE 2026

Welcome to the team Vaughan

We are delighted to welcome Vaughan to our volunteer team at the rehabilitation centre. Vaughan’s recovery journey began on 5 May 2025, and through his dedication, perseverance, and commitment to positive change, he has continued to make remarkable progress in his life. His experience in recovery gives him a unique understanding of the challenges and victories that many of our clients face every day.
On 1 June 2026, Vaughan officially joined our volunteership programme, bringing with him not only enthusiasm and a willingness to serve but also valuable lived experience that can inspire hope in others who are beginning their own recovery journeys.
Volunteers play an important role in creating a supportive and encouraging environment within our facility, and we are excited to have Vaughan as part of our team. His commitment to giving back is a wonderful example of how recovery can
empower individuals to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Vaughan. We wish him every success in his
volunteer role and look forward to the positive impact he will undoubtedly make within our rehabilitation community.
Welcome aboard, Vaughan!

Preparation for the 21km run on the 20th June

As part of our preparation for the upcoming 21km race on 20 June, our team recently
completed an 18km training run. The run was an important milestone in our training
journey, helping us build endurance, confidence, and team spirit ahead of race day.
Despite the challenges that come with long-distance running, everyone showed determination and commitment, encouraging one another every step of the way. The
experience highlighted the importance of perseverance, discipline, and working together to
achieve our goals.
We are proud of this achievement and look forward to putting our training into action when we take on the 21km challenge later this month.

Building hope through skills development

At Pelgrim’s Place Rehabilitation Centre, recovery extends beyond sobriety to building skills, confidence, and a renewed sense of purpose.
Residents are actively involved in a variety of projects, including construction and renovation work, workshop training, gardening, worm farming,
beekeeping, and vehicle restoration. These initiatives provide valuable hands-on experience while teaching responsibility, teamwork, and practical skills that
support long-term recovery and future employment opportunities.
From developing accommodation facilities and preparing gardens for the flower season to restoring a Land Rover and managing beehives, each project contributes to personal growth and self-development.
Through meaningful work and community involvement, residents are building brighter futures for themselves while helping to strengthen and improve the Pilgrim’s Place community.
Building Hope. Changing Lives.

Growing Sustainability Through Our Worm Farm

At Pelgrims Place Rehabilitation Centre, we are always looking for practical and sustainable ways to support our gardens and skills development projects. We were recently blessed with the donation of a worm farm, which is now being carefully maintained by our residents.
A worm farm uses composting worms to break down organic waste, producing nutrient-rich worm castings and liquid fertilizer. These natural products provide an environmentally friendly way to enrich the soil and support healthy plant growth.
Residents have taken responsibility for the ongoing care of the worm farm, learning valuable skills in composting, sustainable gardening, and environmental stewardship. The project not only helps reduce waste but also provides a continuous source of organic fertilizer for our vegetable and flower gardens.
The benefits are already becoming evident as our gardens receive the natural nutrients needed to thrive. Healthier plants mean improved harvests, creating a greener and more productive environment for everyone at the centre.
We are grateful for this generous donation and the opportunities it provides. The worm farm is another example of how small initiatives can make a meaningful impact, helping us build self-sufficiency while caring for the environment.Through projects like these, Pilgrim’s Place continues to foster responsibility, practical skills, and hope for the future.
Through projects like these, Pilgrim’s Place continues to foster responsibility, practical skills, and hope for the future.

NEWSLETTER – MAY 2026

COMMUNITY CONNECTION THROUGH THERAPEUTIC ART

Residents recently gathered for a meaningful and creative therapeutic art class inspired by the beauty and heritage of Paternoster. The session focused on mindfulness, creativity, and personal expression while celebrating the town’s unique coastal identity.
Participants created handcrafted rosary paternoster beads, symbolizing the famous 55 boulders found along the shoreline of Paternoster. The activity encouraged reflection, patience, and connection, with each bead representing both the natural beauty and cultural significance of the area.
The creative experience continued with a fun and relaxing mug-painting session, where attendees expressed their individuality through colourful designs and personal artwork. The painted mugs served as special keepsakes from a day filled with creativity, healing, and community spirit.
The therapeutic art class provided a welcoming space for participants to unwind, connect with others, and enjoy the calming benefits of art therapy. Events like these continue to highlight the importance of wellness, creativity, and community engagement in bringing people together.

BEACH CLEAN UP

Residents and volunteers from the Paternoster community recently joined forces for a successful beach clean-up initiative aimed at protecting the town’s beautiful coastline and marine environment. The clean-up saw community members of all ages working together to remove litter and waste washed up along the shoreline. By the end of the day, volunteers had collected an impressive total of 23 black bags filled with rubbish.

CBT GROUP

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, usually called CBT, is one of the most widely used approaches for managing anxiety, depression, stress, and unhelpful thinking patterns. At the heart of CBT is a simple but powerful idea: our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are closely connected.
One of the easiest ways to understand CBT is through the “ABC model.”
A – Activating Event
This is the situation or trigger that starts the emotional reaction. It could be something external, like receiving criticism at work, or something internal, such as a worrying thought.
B – Beliefs
Beliefs are the thoughts or interpretations we attach to the event. Two people can experience the same situation but think about it very differently. For example, one person may think, “I made a mistake, but I can improve,” while another may believe, “I always fail.”
C – Consequences
The consequences are the emotional and behavioural results of those beliefs. Helpful beliefs may lead to confidence and problem-solving, while negative beliefs can lead to anxiety, avoidance, or low mood. CBT teaches people to slow down and examine the link between these three steps. By identifying and challenging unhelpful beliefs, it becomes possible to change emotional responses and develop healthier behaviours.
The ABC model reminds us that while we cannot always control events around us, we can learn to respond to them in more balanced and constructive ways.

NEW PIG GATE

Residents learned new skills in woodwork and then used them to make a new gate for our pig pen. Learning new skills and using them to create something meaningfull is a very gratifying and therapeutic process, this provides a great opportunity for DBT(Dialectical behavioural therapy). Perofming fulfilling tasks like this is a powerful way for residents to learn new and healthy means if getting fulfillment. And the pigs also love their new gate.

Extreme Abilities with Pelgrim’s Place

The residents participated as water supporters in an Extreme Abilities event on the Paternoster main beach.

We were humbled to participate in a new adventure called adaptive surfing, helping the physically disabled have some fun in the water! The smile on their faces is so heart-warming and it was a truly special morning spent helping others😁 What a gift to help people learn to ride waves and enjoy a great day together.
A testimony from two of the residents that took part;

“Today we went to help Extreme Abilities at Paternoster beach to teach disabled people and kids to surf! I was honestly a bit nervous at first but once I took the first kid into the water and saw the excitement on his face it made my heart so unbelievably happy! It made me realise the simple things I take for granted, like being able to surf and be in the ocean almost every day, where for many of them it was their first time. I truly feel very honoured and privileged to have had the opportunity to help them and would love to get more involved with these types of programs.” DN

“Being able to help today was an experience I’ll never forget. Before going I was nervous and I didn’t know what to expect. Initially, I didn’t sign up but now I am so glad I got the opportunity. To see the happy smiles on their faces was so rewarding and to see something I take for granted is something that someone else can’t do without assistance was humbling. While I was in the ocean helping, I felt like a kid again. I am a lot more grateful for what I am able to do and how helping with something small for me can be so big for someone else. It’s definitely something I would do again.” SF

Rise – Beach Potjie

After a period of active addiction, the principles Recovery invites you to embrace will appear foreign at first; seem as if you are locking into a lifestyle of endless limitations.

This is not true.

At Pelgrim Place, we find it is as our residents face the realities of their lives that they begin to access the freedom they always longed for.

It is as they break through barriers of warped perception that they recognize how their futile acts of numbing-out and dumbing-down actually enslaved them.

During their program, we work with each resident to cultivate the emotional maturity and personal responsibility that is required to maintain and sustain a meaningful adult life.

In this, they learn that structure holds great significance. Within a safe and healthy framework, the good life remains theirs to claim.

Our visual features a recent beach outing. It is in magnificent moments like these that residents can envision a new future through a lens that offers hope; experience that sobriety has nothing to do with playing small.

It’s all about rising up; becoming all you already have the potential to be.

Learning to be interdependent

Co – dependency and the roles in a family affected by addiction.

@Pelgrim’s Place – Co-dependency and the different roles within the family has been the focus of this month’s didactics. In these groups we have explored the complex dynamics of the resident’s relationships and the roles of their family members in their addiction.

It is a difficult subject because co-dependency is often unrecognisable as it’s been the norm for so long. There is no real litmus test for co-dependency but through closer inspection the defects in character can be spotted and subsequently one can see the pillars that support these (often) toxic relationships.

People pleasing – Lack of boundaries – Poor self-esteem – Poor communication – Dependency

A co-dependent relationship is a kind of dysfunctional relationship where one person is a caretaker and the other person takes advantage. Co-dependent relationships are extremely common among people with substance abuse issues. Co-dependency is not good for either partner/person. It allows one partner to sink deeper into addiction while forcing the other partner to completely forgo his/her own wants and needs in order to care for the other.

For more information on this topic or programs that will help you to learn health, long term solutions please contact us @Pelgrim’s Place or leave a comment below

Baking Beats Bad Beliefs

One of the great passions at Pelgrim’s Place is freshly baked bread every morning. Besides the great life lessons of self sustainability and being cost effective, baking bread has taught the farm residents to be Mindful in the morning. One resident who has suffered from depression for years finds the menial task of creating a warm loaf of bread has been a life saver.

Depression is one of the symptoms of substance abuse which can be described as “a severe and persistent low mood, profound sadness or sense of despair”. Often these are not just from the most recent fight of addiction but:

Being a shy child

Low self-esteem

Substance abuse

Trauma and negative life events

At Pelgrim’s Place we believe that addiction is just the symptom of a deeper issue. An unmet need, unresolved issue and un healed hurt. Baking bread won’t solve the issue in its entirety but can be part of the process that helps with low self-esteem and being mindful in the morning by offering a wonderful smelling bread that warms the heart of this small community. This simple task helps one notice the other wonders such as the sun rise over the ocean and the morning birds. It helps one realize that the morning depressive thoughts might be a choice and that there is still so much to look forward to.