Embracing Your Emotions in Recovery

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Recovery brings healing to the body, heart, and brain. Clients embark on this road under the impression that overcoming harmful behavior involves the sheer withdrawal of any substance. 

However, one critical aspect of recovery is accepting your emotions in recovery. Continue reading to learn about the importance of accepting your feelings during substance abuse treatment.

The Emotional Roller Coaster of Recovery

Addiction recovery can feel a lot like going on a roller coaster for the first time. You wait in line, climb to the top, and then suddenly drop, followed by twists and turns you never expected. Recovery is like that roller coaster; it has its highs and lows. 

The feelings that substances once numbed come rushing back, overwhelming and confusing. But even though these emotions can be intense and scary, they are vital to the healing journey.

Feelings remind people about their humanity. Feelings pertain to an attention-seeking inner voice. Plan to experience many different emotions, including happiness, anger, melancholy, and finally, relief. All of them are normal and essential for progress. Admitting your emotions is the first step in changing emotional feelings that hinder recovery.

Emotions in Recovery: The Agency of the Feelings in Recovery

Modern research highlights the interrelated processes of emotion and addiction recovery. Long-term successful treatment outcomes were found to be associated with active emotion processing. Research supports that recognizing emotions and understanding what triggers them can help clients avoid relapses.

Tips and Tools for Embracing Emotions in Recovery

There is more than one way to become active and accept your emotions in recovery. 

Consider the following techniques that will make your emotions easier to use during the process of recovery:

  • Mindfulness and Meditation: Take a moment to stand still and reflect on your thoughts. Try not to judge or criticize your feelings. Observing your emotions without getting overwhelmed by panic is a helpful exercise.
  • Journaling: These self-reflections often provide valuable information about the underlying emotions. Journaling is also a good way to let out overstrained feelings.
  • Therapeutic Support: In therapy, such as Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) or Cognitive Behavioral therapy (CBT), clients learn how to manage troublesome emotions in a more functional, calmer manner.
  • Establish a Network: Reach out to your loved ones, listen to them, and share your emotions and feelings as you grapple with the issue.

Considering Professional Help

At Southern Sky Recovery, we recognize that every person is unique and takes a different approach to healing. As a family-oriented treatment center, we seek to create an environment that encourages the expression of feelings and helps heal the wounds behind them. We offer multiple levels of care, including IOP, PHP, and outpatient care, according to the individual’s needs.

Our clinical services include:

  • MAT: To manage the side effects that clients experience during withdrawal; dangerous symptoms are alleviated and made manageable to avoid unnecessary pain.
  • Intervention: The guided intervention is for those unsure about entering treatment but want to facilitate more constructive and positive efforts.
  • Family Therapy: Assisting in repairing and reinforcing family unity
  • Individual Therapy: Addressing emotional and related issues in a focused, specialized manner.

Emotional Freedom Awaits: Reach Out Today!

Are you ready to step out of the box and allow your emotions in recovery to help you live a better life? Our warm staff genuinely cares about your well-being, offering a nurturing space where you can thrive.

Whether you’re just starting or looking for ongoing support, we’re here for you, no matter where you are in your recovery journey.

Let us help you turn that emotional roller coaster into a journey of self-discovery and strength. Every emotion you experience brings you closer to freedom—so don’t go through this alone. Contact Southern Sky Recovery and take that crucial first step toward emotional empowerment!

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Pam Deloach

Care Coordinator/CPRS

Pam is a Peer Support Specialist with Southern Sky, dedicated to supporting individuals on their recovery journeys with compassion, understanding, and hope. Born and raised in Hampton, South Carolina, Pam is a proud mother of two amazing boys, ages 20 and 10. She has always been drawn to work that helps others, spending 20 years as a massage therapist before beginning her own journey through recovery. Inspired by her experiences, Pam chose to use her story, strength, and insight to walk alongside others who are struggling with addiction.

In her free time, Pam enjoys going to the lake, spending time with family and friends, attending church, and cheering on her son at his baseball games. These moments keep her grounded and remind her of the joy in everyday life. She is committed to empowering individuals, building trust, and creating a safe, supportive environment for healing and growth.

Ben LaGrange

Community Relations Advocate

Ben is a person in long-term recovery with a gift for creativity, a deep connection with people, and a passion for helping others find their path to sobriety. After getting sober in 2018, he discovered that authenticity was the greatest gift he could offer. Embracing it brought genuine connection, creative freedom, and a beautiful life in recovery.

With experience in multimedia, fine art, and digital design, Ben studied photography at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and art at the Savannah College of Art and Design. He has spent years working as a professional photographer and marketer. He has also worked in recreational and art therapy for substance use treatment and has led educational groups on anger management and relapse prevention.

Ben believes that connection is the opposite of addiction—and that when we allow ourselves to be fully authentic, we become our most powerful selves, capable of deeper connection and better equipped to help others navigate a turbulent world.

Keith Toomer

Residential House Manager

Keith began his career in the maintenance and plumbing industry, where he built hands-on experience and a strong work ethic. During that time, he faced significant challenges with addiction. His decision to seek help led him to Southern Sky Recovery in Bluffton, South Carolina—an experience that transformed his life.

Through the support of Southern Sky Recovery, Keith rebuilt his foundation and discovered his true passion: serving others on their recovery journeys. He was given the opportunity to become the Men’s Residential House Manager, a role that allows him to guide, support, and mentor men as they work toward lasting recovery.

“For the first time in my life, I found a career that truly fulfills me. I love working in addiction recovery and being part of a community dedicated to helping others heal and grow.”

Outside of work, Keith enjoys spending quality time with his family. He remains committed to his own recovery and has a strong interest in nutrition and exercise, which help him stay grounded, healthy, and focused.

He is grateful every day for the opportunity to serve his community and work in a field that gives his life purpose.

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