The Basics
Nestled against the foothills of Sabino Canyon, a picturesque terrain filled with cacti and other desert vegetation, Taste of Peace in Tucson, Arizona, has offered women in recovery a sober living environment since 2013. Clients live in an enormous, two-story house in a quiet neighborhood. Director and co-founder Leilonne Neylon, also in recovery, keeps the numbers low, no more than eight clients, so that the women feel secure.
Accommodations and Amenities
The house is furnished in a combination of Southwestern and Modern décor. There are huge windows and porches that provide majestic mountain views. Typically there are about six clients, not including Neylon and two other staff members who live at the house. The women are paired off in rustic rooms, complete with full-sized beds with pillow top mattresses and wooden headboards, dark wooden dressers and large windows.
Neylon goes grocery shopping at least once a week. While clients usually grab a quick bite for breakfast and lunch, the women, including Neylon, rotate and take turns preparing dinner for the household. The women break bread during the evenings around a big rustic dining room table in a room that has high ceilings and tiled floors.
Rules and Regulations
A typical stay is between three and six months. While some residents have had inpatient treatment, Taste of Peace accepts women on a case-by-case basis. Taste of Peace provides help for women with co-occurring disorders, particularly trauma-related issues. Suzanne English Franz, CSAC, serves as program director and provides one on one support for the women. Neylon also works closely with them, helping them develop recovery plans. Since the women are required to attend regular 12-step meetings, she also assists them with Big Book study and step work. During the first month, there is a blackout period and all women are chaperoned off the premises. Transportation os provided to all meetings and appointments. On a daily basis, the women get up at 8 am and observe a 10 pm curfew.
Taste of Peace works closely with Zen Institute, a local outpatient substance abuse and addiction treatment facility. Their Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is four weeks long, followed by a four-week aftercare protocol. Treatment consists of individual and group therapy. Zen Institute uses several evidence-based practices, including, DBT, CBT, EMDR as well as their own method, called inner twin therapy.
Extras
Taste of Peace believes that healing comes from regular exercise. In addition to receiving a free gym membership, the women hike on Sabino Canyon Trail which is between one and three miles long. The scenic loop features creeks and other natural splendors and leads into the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains.
In Summary
Set against a gorgeous desert terrain, this sober living house offers a sense of family, as well as extensive individualized attention for those in recovery from substance abuse and co-occurring disorders. This is not a sober living environment that emphasizes getting back to work or developing skills for independent living, but for women who are looking for a truly serene experience with a lot of individual support, this is an excellent choice.
Taste of Peace
Sabino Canyon Road
Tucson, AZ 85750
Taste of Peace Cost: $3,500 (30 days). Reach Taste of Peace by phone at (520) 425-3020 or by email. Find Taste of Peace on YouTube and Facebook
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Photo courtesy of TOPArizona
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.
