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September 4th, 2025

Secondary Care Programme | Support Beyond Your Initial Rehab Treatment

Continuing Your Recovery Journey

Recovery from addiction is a lifelong journey, and for many individuals, completing initial primary addiction treatment marks just the beginning of a long-term commitment to healing and growth. After the intense, structured environment of primary treatment, secondary care offers a vital step in maintaining and strengthening your recovery. It provides continued therapy, ongoing support, and a safe environment to ease the transition back into everyday life, while still nurturing the essential structure that early sobriety needs.

What is Secondary Care?

Secondary care, also known as “step-down”, is designed for individuals who have successfully completed primary treatment but still require ongoing support to prevent relapse and reinforce the tools they’ve learned. It typically includes continued therapy, group work, life skills training, peer support, and independent living arrangements.

Unlike primary treatment, which is more intensive and may involve detox, secondary care often involves living in a more independent setting, but with the continued support of professionals and peers. This allows individuals to rebuild their lives, reintroduce themselves to their communities, and integrate into society while still benefiting from structured, therapeutic support.

What to Expect from Secondary Care

After completing primary addiction treatment (be it alcohol rehab or drug rehab), you may still face challenges as you reintegrate into daily life. Secondary care provides the necessary framework to address those challenges and build a lasting recovery foundation. Some key components of secondary care include:

Ongoing Therapy & Group Work

Therapy is a cornerstone of addiction recovery, and secondary care ensures you have access to ongoing individual and group therapy sessions. These sessions focus on maintaining emotional well-being, addressing any residual issues, and refining the coping strategies and relapse prevention techniques learned during primary treatment.

Group therapy, in particular, is invaluable in secondary care. It allows individuals to connect with others who are on a similar journey, share experiences, and learn from each other in a safe and supportive environment. Together, you and your peers can explore the challenges of long-term recovery, gain insight, and stay accountable to each other.

Independent Accommodation

One of the key aspects of secondary care is helping individuals transition from the structure of inpatient treatment to more independent living. While the level of independence may vary, those in secondary care typically reside in independent accommodation, often within a supportive community setting. This allows you to practice what you’ve learned in therapy, such as managing daily routines and responsibilities, while still benefiting from a network of support and structure.

Ongoing Peer & Staff Support

Recovery doesn’t happen in isolation. The support of others, both peers and staff, is essential for continued success. In secondary care, you’ll have access to a community of individuals who understand your journey and can provide support when you need it most. Staff members, who may include counsellors, addiction specialists, and recovery coaches, are also available to offer guidance, monitor progress, and intervene if any concerns arise.

Life Skills for Lasting Integration into Society

A major focus of secondary care is helping individuals regain the life skills necessary for lasting recovery. This includes practical skills like managing finances, maintaining a job, building relationships, and staying active in the community. Life skills training provides a foundation for successfully reintegrating into society and maintaining long-term sobriety.

Building Confidence in Your Recovery

Secondary care is a time to rebuild your confidence and resilience. With the right support, you can continue to grow emotionally and psychologically. It’s an opportunity to deepen your understanding of yourself, reinforce your recovery strategies, and continue the work of personal development that was started in primary treatment.

Your Safe Space for Continuing Recovery

At our Providence Projects Centre, we offer a safe, supportive environment for individuals transitioning from primary addiction treatment to secondary care. With a focus on maintaining structure and community, the centre provides individuals with the tools and support they need to thrive in early sobriety.

At the Providence Projects Centre, you will receive ongoing therapy, including both individual therapy and group work, to continue working on your recovery. The centre is designed to offer a nurturing and stable environment where you can practice the skills and coping strategies you’ve learned while also building new routines. Rebuilding your life after treatment is challenging, but at Providence Projects, you’ll find ongoing peer and staff support to help you every step of the way.

The centre’s independent accommodation offers individuals a chance to regain confidence in living independently, while still being supported by a recovery-focused community. Through life skills training, the centre ensures that you can integrate successfully into society and maintain lasting recovery. Whether it’s managing relationships, finding stable work, or simply living day-to-day, Providence Projects equips you with the tools for success.

Why is Secondary Care Important?

Secondary care is crucial for bridging the gap between intensive inpatient treatment and living a fulfilling, independent life. Many individuals who leave primary treatment can feel vulnerable as they face the realities of everyday life without the immediate support they’ve relied on during their stay in treatment. Secondary care minimises this gap, providing a controlled, supportive environment for individuals to continue their recovery journey.

It offers a smoother transition and reduces the risk of relapse, which can often occur when individuals are not properly prepared for life after treatment. Secondary care helps you maintain the focus and structure necessary to stay on the path of recovery, while also encouraging you to gain more independence and confidence.

How Can You Benefit from Secondary Care?

For many individuals, secondary care offers a vital lifeline after completion of rehab and the realities of independent living. It provides ongoing support, structure, and guidance during what can be one of the most vulnerable stages of recovery.

But how can UKAT’s secondary care help you, and why choosing our programme could be the difference between struggling and thriving in your new sober life?

Stay connected to the recovery community

Recovery is not something you do alone. Our secondary care programme keeps you engaged with peers who understand your journey, as well as experienced staff who can guide and motivate you. This ongoing connection helps you avoid the isolation that often leads to relapse.

In-depth daily therapy to address deep-rooted issues

Each day is structured around immersive therapy sessions that sharpen your recovery tools and keep you actively engaged in healing. Core areas of focus include developing healthy relationships and boundaries, building self-esteem, relapse prevention and the 12-step programme.

Build life skills and routines for lasting independence

We don’t just help you stay sober, we prepare you for real life. You’ll develop practical skills for managing work, relationships, finances, and personal goals. Our structured environment ensures you have the tools and confidence to face challenges head-on.

Maintain structure while gaining freedom

Our programme offers the best of both worlds: the safety net of professional support with the freedom to start making your own choices. This step-by-step approach means you can test your independence without the pressure of doing it all at once.

Reduce relapse risk with continued therapy

Early recovery is when relapse risk is highest. Our secondary care includes tailored therapy sessions to help you address any unresolved issues, deepen your self-awareness, and build stronger coping mechanisms so you can navigate triggers with confidence.

Benefit from our proven approach and supportive environment

We combine evidence-based therapies, personalised care plans, and a nurturing environment that fosters growth and accountability. You’ll benefit from a recovery community that genuinely cares about your long-term success, not just your time in treatment.

Activities for a balanced lifestyle

Recovery is about more than therapy; it’s about living well. Our programme includes activities to boost physical, emotional, and social wellbeing, such as coastal walks, beach activities, group sports like volleyball, and weekly yoga sessions.

Smooth transition to full independence

Many people find the leap from rehab to everyday life overwhelming. Our secondary care acts as a safety buffer, making the transition gradual, manageable, and far less daunting.

Choosing secondary care with us isn’t just about extending your treatment: it’s about investing in your future, giving yourself the best possible chance of staying sober, and building a life you can truly enjoy.

The Next Step

Transitioning from primary treatment to secondary care is an important step in your recovery journey. It’s not about completing a treatment programme; it’s about learning how to live a fulfilling, sober life. The Providence Projects Centre provides an ideal setting for this transition, offering ongoing therapy, support, and independent living arrangements in a safe and nurturing environment. Whether you’re rebuilding your life or learning new skills, secondary care can help you sustain your recovery and move forward with confidence.

If you or a loved one is considering secondary care or even our next stage of sober living, reach out to us today and learn more about how we can support you on the next phase of your recovery journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is secondary care suitable for?

Secondary care is ideal for individuals who have completed primary rehab and want extra support before returning home, people who feel they need more time to build confidence in their recovery tools, anyone who may be returning to a challenging home or work environment and wants a smoother transition.

How long does the secondary care programme last?

The length of your stay can be tailored to your needs. Many clients choose several weeks to a few months, depending on how much time they feel they need to strengthen their recovery before returning home.

Is accommodation included?

Yes. Our secondary care clients live in comfortable, shared accommodation separate from the therapy centre. This gives you a taste of independent living, managing your own shopping, cooking, and budgeting, while still having immediate access to professional support.

What if I have a setback during secondary care?

Recovery isn’t always a straight line. If you face challenges or feel at risk of relapse, our team will work with you immediately to address the problem and strengthen your coping strategies. You’ll also have your buddy group and the wider recovery community for encouragement and accountability.

How much is secondary care?

At UKAT, secondary care is available from £1,400 per week at our Bournemouth centre. Our admissions team can provide a detailed breakdown and help you determine the plan that best suits your needs.