Woodlake Addiction Recovery Center is based on the Traditions and Principles of the 12-step programs and the founding Oxford Group. The Four Absolutes –Honesty, Unselfishness, Love, and Purity and the guiding keys of the Beatitudes were the basics of the Oxford Group from which AA and other 12-steps programs originated. Woodlake Addiction Recovery Center parallels the founding Oxford absolutes, the keys or attitudes to happiness, and the guiding principles of the 12 Step Programs into the four phases of their treatment.
ABOUT WOODLAKE ADDICTION RECOVERY CENTER
Woodlake Addiction Recovery Center operates two residential addiction treatment facilities in Louisiana: Woodlake Ethel, 30 miles north of Baton Rouge, and Woodlake West in Abbeville. The centers emphasize 12-step processes and holistic recovery. Individuals who have received a dual diagnosis of chemical dependency and co-occurring mental health disorders are accommodated, and programming that caters to legal and health professionals is provided. Medically supervised detoxification and an intensive outpatient program (IOP) are also offered.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
Assessment and the admissions process for treatment at Woodlake Addiction Recovery Center begins with a phone consultation. A four-phase residential rehab program grounded in the Christian beatitudes and Oxford absolutes, which complement the 12-Steps, and emphasizes honesty, unselfishness, love, and purity, according to the facility’s website. The center holds that addiction is both a neurological disease and a manifestation of underlying psychological and spiritual struggles.
The building blocks of treatment are individual and group therapy, 12-step meetings, education about addiction, training in sober living skills, and physical activity. There are also dedicated services for those who have suffered trauma and those who are professionals. The final stage of residential treatment focuses on building a recovery network and preparing for discharge and aftercare.
Woodlake also offers an intensive outpatient relapse prevention program. The IOP is offered as entry-level or step-down care. A year of aftercare is provided after completion of the six- to eight-week program. Random drug screenings are required and some clients are referred through an employee assistance program.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
According to the Woodlake website, the treatment staff features a board certified addictionologist, a doctorate-level social worker, master’s level counselors, psychiatrists, and nurses. Various certifications and experience listed in staff bios include grief counseling, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), domestic violence counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy, transgenerational therapy, and Gestalt.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
The Woodlake Addiction Recovery Center website depicts a beautiful campus with tree-lined trails and light-filled indoor spaces. Clients have access to a fishing pond, a putting green, and an indoor workout room. Exercise is a priority, which is included in a 16-hour full day’s schedule posted online.
Clients can also expect a strictly structured setting with a dress-code, assigned chores, and limited interaction between men and women. Tobacco use is allowed on campus.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
Alumni feedback for Woodlake Addiction Recovery Center was mixed: of the 11 reviews submitted to Best-rehabs.com to date, six were critical and five mostly favorable. The most common concern expressed, including from former clients who shared positive experiences, was the cost of treatment. Nevertheless, three of four individuals who were asked whether the cost was worth it indicated it was. Other repeated criticisms centered on food and strict regulations with consequences. A few alumni indicated that staff were condescending.
By contrast, positive reviewers repeatedly praised the physical facility and the staff. One alum highlighted the staff’s investment in clients beyond graduation, characterizing them as both caring and experienced. Another individual described the grounds as “clean and serene.” On the other hand, Carla reported that the facility was not as “luxurious” as represented in marketing materials. Ratings for meals and nutrition were split between one or two out of five stars and four or five out of five.
Similarly split were ratings from four alumni polled on the effectiveness of treatment. Despite the facility’s emphasis on holistic recovery, holistic offerings received just a two-star average rating. Two of four individuals polled gave positive ratings for exercise and leisure, one response was moderate, and one was poor.
In isolated comments, J.A. complained of a lack of individual therapy, disorganization, and under-staffing.
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
All four of the affiliated friends and family reviews received by Best-rehabs.com to date awarded a maximum five-star rating for the effectiveness of treatment at Woodlake. Loved ones praised the staff for their kind treatment; two characterized the program as life-saving. Two of the four also mentioned the expense of treatment, while concluding that it was effective.
Cyndi also praised the family counseling services and the “constant contact with counselors and family.” Three individuals rated family participation five stars.
FINANCING
Woodlake Addiction Recovery Center accepts insurance from more than a dozen insurance providers, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, Humana, and United at the time of this writing. The center also assists clients in working with independent financing companies. The website notes that fees are due in 30-day increments, beginning with a full month upon admission.