The John Volken Academy offers residents the opportunity to overcome alcohol and drug addiction, as well as further their education, receive extensive career training, and adopt healthy and sober lifestyles. The long-term residential substance abuse rehab provides treatment for young men and women aged 19-34, equipping them with the necessary tools and skills for a happy and successful life in sobriety.
ABOUT JOHN VOLKEN ACADEMY – SEATTLE
With three locations in the U.S. and Canada, including Vancouver, Phoenix, and this Seattle facility, John Volken Academy provides long-term residential treatment to young men and women, ages 18 to 32, who are struggling with substance use disorder.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
Treatment at John Volken Academy can last anywhere from two to five years. According to the facility’s website, the average stay is 28 months. The program utilizes a therapeutic community model, which is designed to facilitate change in individuals via peer-to-peer interaction, accountability, and support.
At the center of the John Volken Academy’s philosophy is the belief that addiction recovery relies on four elements: the underlying cause of addiction must be resolved; sufficient time for healing must be allowed; a new lifestyle, attitude, and behaviors must be adopted; and the tools necessary to handle life’s challenges must be adopted. Clients are taught how to create a solid foundation for recovery by strengthening their life skills in seven key areas of development: mental, physical, financial, emotional, social, spiritual, and vocational.
Program participants are referred to as students and must progress through six tiered treatment levels in order to graduate. Days are spent at the facility’s Life-Skills Training Center (LTC), which provides individual counseling, group therapy, community activities, and workshops. Students are also given the opportunity to enroll in online courses to get their GEDs and/or pursue post-secondary education opportunities.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
The treatment team includes a broad range of addiction professionals and healthy-living specialists. The organization’s founder, John Volken, is an entrepreneur and philanthropist.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
All students live together in a cooperative environment, and typically have one or two roommates. Three healthy meals and two snacks are provided daily.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
Best-rehabs.com has not yet received any reviews from the Seattle facility’s alumni.
FINANCING
According to the organization’s website, the John Volken Academy is sponsored by private charitable foundations, meaning that treatment is free except for a one-time intake fee.
John Volken Academy – Seattle Reviews
Our son just completed and graduated from JVA after 2 full years. This program saved our sons life and gave us back the man that we knew was always within him. JVA is a two year program that is student run. There aren’t counselors, therapists, or pharmacists associated with it. They don’t dwell on why they have addictive issues, rather they teach them how to deal with everyday life, working, having fun, etc. without the need or want for chemicals. In our experience, short-term programs don’t work because there isn’t enough time in the program to overcome behaviors that will eventually return. They may have become sober in a short program but staying sober is difficult. We have been completely impressed with this program and whole-heartedly would recommend it to anyone. Our son has a bright future ahead of him due to JVA and the hard work he has put in to the program.
The website says it all – ‘You become who you were meant to be.’
We had lost our son, Eric, to addiction. He hadn’t passed away, but was certainly in danger of it. He had become a stranger to us – an imposter in our beautiful son’s body. He struggled with extreme opiate addiction – and really whatever mind altering substances he could get his hands on – for over a decade!! He bounced in and out of jail and homelessness. It was gut-wrenching and heartbreaking!
He tried a number of other traditional drug rehab facilities ‘graduating’ from some 30-40 day programs and dropping out or being kicked out of others. When we heard about JVA, we begged him to go. Initially, he was adamant that there was ‘no way in hell’ that he needed or would ever attend a 2-year program. After continued failed attempts trying other methods/programs, he applied and was accepted to JVA.
He initially committed to going for 6 months. After 6 months there, he told us that he had decided that he was going to stay the whole time and promised to graduate the program. He said that he saw changes in people more advanced in the program than himself who had qualities he admired and looked up to – and wanted the same for himself.
He put in the hard work – making the most of his time there - ceasing the opportunity to learn, grow and better his life and that of others. He graduates at the end of this month and has a bright future ahead of him if he stays on track (and we are optimistic he will) – with employment lined up, and the tools and resources necessary to not only navigate and survive – but to thrive!!
Thank you, John and Chawna Volken, for your vision, generosity and wisdom in creating this program- and for making it affordable to all! We have our son back – the man, family member and person he was always meant to be.
We are eternally grateful!
Was here for a little over a year. Everything is run by the students, and it gets EXTREMELY political. If you're not part of leadership, you're pretty much on your own. If you have any mental health issues, it's probably best not to go here as you are not allowed to attend regular therapy with a professional, and most medications are not allowed. There are no professional staff members, and there are only two staff members that actually work there. They claim that they have "group therapy," but from my experience, it is just the guys in leadership yelling at you, punishing you, and putting you down. Although I am now sober, I still have trauma from this place that I have to see a therapist weekly for. Twice a week, I was yelled at and ridiculed, even for things that weren't true. Again, if you have mental health issues of any kind, this is probably not the place for you. I have seen a lot of guys complete the program successfully. I am just speaking from my own experience.
The life of our grandson was saved by the John Volken Academy. He worked hard to complete his application, and all of us in the family were so thankful when he was accepted to the long-term treatment that is offered there. We could never have afforded such lasting care and education and work experience and watchful guidance as he has gotten from any other facility anywhere! He has been there for two years now, and is working toward graduation.. Thank you, John Volken. Thank you, Academy staff. Thank you, God, for helping us find JVA.
After a long cycle of traditional rehab, relapse, traditional rehabs again and again, my son found John Volken Academy. What a difference this unique program has made! I truly don’t know if my son would be alive today without the skills and heart-change resulting from the principles and processes of this program.
