Recovery Without Walls
Recovery with Walls (RWW) is a Cape Cod-based center that offers structure, safety, support and stability to women following treatment for substance dependency. It’s services are free of charge. RWW is Bill Dougherty’s gift to the world, so we begin with his story.
Bill’s Story
Bill Dougherty spent his first 40 years growing up and then working in various pursuits while struggling with alcoholism. He served in the military, and also worked in marketing, as a schoolteacher, even as a bartender but never found fulfillment. As Bill puts it: “I was continuing to hit dead end streets.”
At 42, Bill hit a low. He recounts: “I’d hit low points, lost my family, and I was in darkness. I was going to doctors and psychiatrists. I was taking medication. I found myself at Cape Cod on a bridge looking over the water. I couldn’t jump, I couldn’t NOT jump. Fortunately, by the grace of God I’d met a young woman who’d been to a treatment center. Someone who understood me. Although she was tough with me when I hit bottom, she was my last friend. I came down from that bridge, called her and said ‘I’ll do anything.’”
Bill was one of those people for whom Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) really worked. As for many, AA became his second home and he eventually met his wife there.
For the next 20 or 30 years Bill worked in hospitals and treatment centers to try and help others recover as well. Through experience, Bill learned from that treatment programs usually don’t cure long term addiction. “Eleven years ago I was working in a very good center where I could actually get to know people. But I kept watching same cycle: They leave, lack backup, they relapse. And it seems to be even more of a problem with women than men.”
The Real Treatment Begins the Day You Leave Treatment
Bill began to develop his dream to establish a post-treatment support center for women. Services would be free of charge. Bill didn’t want depend on reimbursement from governments or other organizations because that would give those organizations authority over his work. When he talked about his vision, however, others in the treatment business told him it would never fly. He would run out of funding, they said.
Recovery Without Walls
Bill opened the Recovery Without Walls (RWW) office in Falmouth, Massachusetts in 2006 with the support of his wife and a few volunteers. RWW’s model was and is to provide immediate help for women who have completed a course of treatment for addiction, are in a 12-step program such as the AA’s, remain sober or clean, and also abstain from relationships for their first 12 months in RWW.
As Bill puts it, those in recovery “Need to have an attachment to something healthy and move on to other healthy things.” Through its volunteers, RWW is highly flexible about finding ways to help women. The first priority is to help with any safety issues, then to offer services.
The approach to assistance is highly-individualized because everyone has individual needs and challenges. For example, the immediate safety issue may be getting a car fixed, finding a place to live, or getting a job. Then clients need a point of attachment, a way to commit to something and in turn, to themselves. This may be counseling, an opportunity to volunteer at the office, another support group, a job, or something else.
The RWW website details the following services:
- Basic services including client support services, referrals and resource information, coaching, skill development, limited financial assistance, and advocacy.
- Mindfulness & Meditation For Women in Recovery: A weekly class with an Instructor and Integrative Life Coach that assists participants in “cultivating a sense of deep relaxation and renewal, combining soothing guided meditation, calming rhythmical breathing exercises, energizing body movements and rejuvenating sound therapy…”
- Acupuncture: RWW has found this ancient Chinese treatment highly effective in reducing cravings and anxiety. It facilitates an overall sense of wellness even for patients that are resistant or fearful of other interventions. Here’s a link to a moving video describing the acupuncture program from the RWW site.
A Community that Runs Itself
RWW does not charge for services, does not seek reimbursement from government, and does not have employees. It is in fact the model that Bill envisioned 11 years ago that others in the recovery space said “could not work.” So how does RWW do it?
RWW runs entirely on volunteer efforts and private fundraising. For volunteers RWW has Bill himself, family members, and RWW program alumni. Current and former clients often drop in to help, or sometimes Bill calls them for help. Money for RWW’s dedicated yoga, meditation, and acupuncture service providers and other expenses is primarily raised through athletic and concert fundraising events.
As Bill puts it: “RWW sort of runs itself. One of the beauties is program serves clients forever. You can always keep coming back.”
Moments of Greatest Challenge and Inspiration
RWW has been operating for 11 years, and Bill hopes it will still be here in 20. It has helped over 500 women in recovery so far, 120 this year alone, and plans to help 250 next year. RWW has been opened to other programs, so that women in recovery at those programs can draw from 800 hours of mindfulness and acupuncture care paid by RWW.
Not surprisingly Bill describes raising money as the biggest challenge: “Sometimes we have periods when money is running out, it is a big challenge to raise more and the needs keep coming in. On those days, one gets disheartened.”
On the inspiring side: “I know that somehow what we need will be provided for, with God’s help” and “The women – there’s much more laughter than tears.”
Call to action
Studies show relapse rates after treatment for alcoholism or drug addiction are as high as 90%. Addiction is one of this country’s worst issues, accounting for more than two-thirds of arrests and enormous health costs.
How is this for inspiring? RWW touts a 74% long term success rate at keeping women in recovery sober, safe, housed, and employed or productively occupied.
These numbers – 74%, 500 women – represent a wonderful gift from Bill to so many and an inspiration to us all. Please watch the acupuncture video and read Troy Clarkson’s articles from The Falmouth Enterprise (link1, link2) – they capture RWW’s human story so well.
Knowing that recovery is a long road, look for opportunities to help people on along it. If you are in the recovery business, do what you can to meet clients wherever they are. Give them a hand up, or a point of attachment.
And please help keep “Bill’s Gift” going. Donate or help RWW here!