Why Peer Community Is Built Into Recovery: How Alumni Support Sustains Long-Term Healing

A staggering number of people — 48.4 million people ages 12 and older — in the U.S. have a substance use disorder (SUD). Many of these individuals benefit from an intensive level of care to get sober, such as an intensive outpatient program, or IOP.

These IOPs provide mental health treatment, structure, and a key aspect: peer community. But when it comes to substance use disorder recovery, treatment can’t be one-and-done. Even after an intensive treatment plan, recovery is an ongoing journey.

Because of this, SUD treatment is moving away from rigid programs with a single entry and exit point and toward programs with ongoing touchpoints after formal treatment ends. Peer support is a huge part of this, and Charlie Health has built it into its Alumni Program.

Read on to learn why peer connection matters post-discharge, why alumni community is built into Charlie Health, and more.

Why is peer community built into recovery at Charlie Health?

In mental health treatment and SUD recovery, the importance of peer support is undeniable. Over the years, research has shown that peer support helps people stay engaged in treatment, ultimately leading to better outcomes.

This is why peer community is a cornerstone in Charlie Health’s intensive outpatient program (IOP) for SUD. Participants attend about nine hours of group sessions each week, led by Group Facilitators, where they learn not only from their Facilitators but also from their peers. The sense of community that clients get from these groups is paramount in healing, helping them know they’re not the only ones facing these mental health struggles.

Additionally, Charlie Health SUD clients can work with recovery coaches (generally with lived experience) who build peer-to-peer relationships centered on recovery goals, motivation, and accountability.

These aspects of peer support and community don’t stop at discharge. We offer an Alumni Program, free for all clients who have graduated from our IOP. The non-clinical program offers dedicated groups for adults, teens, and adolescents across three categories: mental health skills and well-being support, interests and workshops, and processing with peers.

The Alumni Program’s peer community provides ongoing support and connection that may improve treatment outcomes. “Clients can maintain the progress they’ve seen in treatment versus regressing when they graduate,” says Shane Dunau, General Manager of Post-IOP at Charlie Health.

Why does peer connection specifically matter post-discharge?

The transition out of structured treatment can be particularly challenging for some people. They go from having a structure of therapy and groups several times a week — hours and hours where they get to connect with people who are in the same shoes as them — to having significantly less structure and built-in opportunities for connection with others in recovery.

“During treatment, you are surrounded by people who understand what you are going through, and then discharge can feel like a very abrupt transition back into everyday life,” says Eva Robbins, Senior Manager of Alumni & Family at Charlie Health. “Ongoing peer connection gives people a place to continue those relationships and reminds them that they are not alone.”

She notes that for many graduates of Charlie Health’s addiction program, it’s helpful just to simply be around people (even virtually) who understand your experience without you needing to explain everything. There’s an unspoken sense of solidarity and understanding when connecting with others in recovery.

This peer support, connection, and structure can support something crucial for SUD recovery: relapse prevention.

Post-discharge, someone might be navigating triggers, drug or alcohol cravings, and changing relationships. Engaging with a sober community can help them make sense of these challenges and continue to maintain the progress they made in treatment.

Additionally, it’s not just about talking about your feelings; it’s about having fun and using your free time in a meaningful way.

For many people with SUD in active addiction, they might have spent a large chunk of their time using alcohol or getting high. Now, post-discharge, they may find themselves with a lot of free time and aren’t sure how to fill it. Alumni groups can fill this gap, giving them something fun (and healthy) to do. “Some of our most meaningful alumni spaces are centered around wellness, art, yoga, self-compassion, hobbies, and simply having fun together,” Robbins says.

There’s so much more to recovery than just stopping substance use. Clients must build a life they love that feels meaningful and fulfilling without drugs or alcohol at the center. Having opportunities to socialize, explore hobbies, and simply have fun with other people in recovery in these alumni groups can be an important part of that process.

How is peer support different from therapy — and why do you need both?

Therapy is a clinical service provided by a trained mental health professional, tailored to a person’s individual needs and symptoms, while peer support refers to connection and support among people with shared lived experiences.

Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, is key for many people with SUD, especially those who have underlying mental health conditions. Estimates show that around 50% of people with a substance use disorder also have a mental health condition.

By treating the underlying disorder (whether that’s depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, or something else), there’s a greater chance of staying sober. This is because many people with these disorders turn to substances as a way to self-medicate or numb difficult emotions, which ends up leading to a vicious cycle of symptoms and addiction worsening.

Peer support groups aren’t designed to clinically treat mental health conditions or SUD, but they provide an invaluable sense of community that therapy can’t.

That’s why therapy and peer support work so well together. Therapy provides concrete tools for healing and treatment, while peer support provides understanding, camaraderie, and community.

What the Alumni Program looks like at Charlie Health

The Charlie Health Alumni Program is a free non-clinical service offered to anyone who has completed treatment at Charlie Health. There are over 275 alumni groups, including both general groups and substance use disorder-specific groups. One of these is “The Sobriety & Support Circle,” a safe space for people in recovery to connect.

“We don’t want discharge to feel like a door closing. We want it to feel like a transition into what comes next, with continued opportunities for connection, support, and community along the way,” says Robbins. “The Alumni Program gives eligible clients a concrete next step. They can leave treatment knowing there are people, groups, and opportunities available to them after discharge.”

The Alumni Program offers three main types of groups:

• Mental health skills and well-being support: Groups where clients can learn practical coping strategies to manage difficult emotions, stress, and more.
• Interests and workshops: Groups where clients can explore different creative outlets and a broad range of hobbies and interests.
• Processing with peers: Groups where clients can share and process what they’ve been going through. There are also specialized processing groups such as BIPOC or LGBTQIA+.

3 min read

3 Charlie Health Alums Share How Our Alumni Program Helps Them

In Their Words

How the Alumni Program works at Charlie Health

An important distinction: the alumni groups are not group therapy. They are non-clinical, although Charlie Health Group Facilitators lead them. They’re not a substitute for therapy, nor are they appropriate for crisis care.

The beauty of the program is that there’s truly something for everyone. In addition to the more serious processing and skills groups, there are also fun, interest-based groups. Dunau lists groups including crafts, crochet, bingo, gaming, and even tarot cards.

In addition to these virtual groups, people also get access to a Charlie Health alumni Discord community, where they can connect with many other graduates.

Dunau says many clients use the alumni programming as a “step-down” from their IOP. She says a client might say, “I’m used to having all this community support. Let me make sure I’m going to a few groups a week as I transition out, and then [for maintenance] go to one group a week as I continue.”

This also complements individual therapy post-discharge. “[Alumni groups] are a way for an individual to come in, share what they’re going through, be held in community, and then be able to process some more clinical aspects of those things with their individual therapists.”

A huge bonus: they’re free to attend for anyone who is a Charlie Health graduate. Graduates can join up to six process groups each week, and there’s no limit to how many skills and interest groups they can attend.

What are the benefits of staying connected to a peer community after discharge?

The benefits of peer support post-discharge include a stronger sense of community and belonging, accountability, and potentially reduced relapse risk.

So, why is this? Here’s a deeper dive into the benefits.

• Reduced isolation: Recovery can feel isolating and lonely for some, especially those who may have to cut ties with friends who are still using drugs. Peer support helps people maintain meaningful relationships with others who are also pursuing sober living.
• A sense of belonging and understanding: Being part of a community of people with shared experiences can help those in recovery feel understood without having to explain every aspect of their recovery journey, because others who’ve finished SUD treatment just get it.
• Accountability: Regularly showing up to sober groups can create a sense of accountability during a period when someone’s adjusting to a less structured routine. Those in recovery feel accountable to stay sober because other people expect to see them in groups and are invested in their progress.
• Encouragement and motivation: Sober peers can celebrate each other’s progress, offer encouragement during difficult times, and remind one another that setbacks don’t have to define the recovery process.

Getting started with Charlie Health

Charlie Health is a virtual behavioral health provider delivering high-acuity treatment for kids, teens, and adults facing serious mental health conditions and addiction. We use a combination of evidence-based treatment modalities, individual therapy, supported groups, and family sessions. Medication management (including medications to help clients get sober) is available, too.

We treat a wide range of substance use disorders, including (but not limited to):

• Alcohol use disorder
• Opioid use disorder
• Marijuana use disorder
• Methamphetamine use disorder
• And more

After completing the curriculum (which takes 9-12 weeks, depending on the individual), all graduates have access to the Alumni Program to keep up their good work.

Dunau has a message for providers considering referring clients to our IOP: “You’re not just recommending someone to Charlie Health; you’re recommending them for essentially a lifetime’s worth of free services,” she says. “We’re more than just this 12-week program. Our care extends much longer.”

If you’re a provider and you have a client who might be a good fit, refer them today.

If you think you might benefit from Charlie Health’s IOP, fill out this form.