The Basics
There are sober livings, and then there are sober livings. Malibu Beach Sober Living has four homes, the centerpiece of which is The Beach House. Elevators and beachfront decks aside, The Beach House has the same aim as any other sober living: to provide a safe place for recovering addicts to get on their feet and transition back to the so-called real world.
Accommodations and Amenities
The beach in question is the celebrity favorite Broad Beach, known for its killer views, eroding shorelines and disputes over access. The Beach House is a five-story beachfront property with an infinity pool and hot tub, surrounded by other multimillion-dollar homes. Its nine residents occupy five monikered bedrooms: the Seashell, the Dolphin, the Starfish, the Seahorse and the Whale Watcher, each with its own attractive attributes, all of them facing the ocean. The Seashell has a kitchenette; the Dolphin is a private suite. The Starfish not only has an ocean view, but its own private entrance with stairs leading down to the beach. The Seahorse is an even bigger suite with a deck. The biggest suite is the Whale Watcher, which has a beachfront deck as well as an office. All of the rooms are opulently furnished with queen-sized beds and full bedroom sets for storage. The bathrooms are large, equipped with marble tubs and steam showers. There is a staircase between floors, but also an elevator for those disinclined to climb.
The first floor of the house is an open living room, decorated in spa colors—white, light gray, sandalwood— from the pillows to the furniture. In one corner is a bookshelf filled mostly with recovery literature (The Big Book, Eckhart Tolle and the like) and a sitting area. Then there’s a formal ring of couches and chairs, more sitting room than family room. Dead smack in the middle of this space is a pool table. The kitchen is also on the first floor. Professional chefs prepare gourmet dinners around client requests. As part of the cost of residence, The Beach House staff will do its best to stock the kitchen cabinets with suitable items for breakfast and lunch; housekeeping services are also included.
All of this is great, but the oceanfront decks are the real glory of The Beach House; clients can step outside and watch the sunset from the comfort of a lounge chair. The pool and hot tub might be relatively small, but this is nit picking; they do, after all, overlook the beach.
Rules and Regulations
Most of the clients who come to The Beach House have already been to rehab. This is a step down from primary residential treatment. There is no therapy offered here, but there are staff members available to problem solve 24/7 and clients in need have access to case managers. They provide referrals to therapists, doctors, lawyers—whatever the client needs.
Days start with a short meditation, followed by a recovery-related reading and a house check-in. Some clients participate in outpatient programs (not included in the price) while living at The Beach House, but it isn’t required. What is expected is for each member of the house to take an active role in his or her recovery.
The days here are full. Some people go to work, some people go to group therapy, others find some way to be of service to the community and most go to individual therapy. Transportation is provided to 12-step meetings and other appointments.
Health and wellness is an important component of living at The Beach House: yoga, massage and membership at a local gym are included in the cost of residence. At day’s end, there is an evening wrap up session at the house. To ensure abstinence, clients submit to a daily Breathalyzer and random drug tests.
Extras
The Beach House offers guided meditation, yoga, massage, a gym membership and, yes, room for your pets, an unusual boon for a sober living. The staff also assists in planning social evenings out, which are all sober affairs where dinner is included.
In Summary
With a supportive staff, access to outpatient programs and the ocean in its backyard, The Beach House is an attractive possibility for continuing care.
The Beach House
31450 Broad Beach Rd
Malibu, CA 90265
The Beach House Cost: $10,000 (30 days). Reach The Beach House by phone at (310) 924-0780 or by email at info@malibubeachsoberliving.com. Find The Beach House on Google+, Facebook and Twitter
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Sponsored DISCLAIMER: This is a paid advertisement for California Behavioral Health, LLC, a CA licensed substance abuse treatment provider and not a service provided by The Fix. Calls to this number are answered by CBH, free and without obligation to the consumer. No one who answers the call receives a fee based upon the consumer’s choice to enter treatment. For additional info on other treatment providers and options visit www.samhsa.gov.
