The Basics
Founded in 2015 in the Boston suburb of Lexington, Massachusetts by Paul Gardner and Melissa Lowrey, Tharros House provides high-end sober living along with extended care for men in early recovery. Gardner, who is in recovery, was inspired to name the house “tharros,” which in Greek means courage.
Accommodations and Amenities
Tharros House has a nine-bed capacity. The 7,000 square foot green Colonial includes seven bedrooms, including five singles and two doubles and six full bathrooms. A typical double includes two queen sized beds, dressers, and a closet. Rooms have white walls, and carpet, and include large windows, which provide ample sunlight. The house also has a 60 foot long meeting room, two living rooms with big screen TVs and a spacious fully equipped kitchen that includes a kitchen island, where a professional chef conducts cooking and nutrition classes.
Breakfast food including fresh fruit, smoked salmon, bagels and cereals is provided daily. Most of the time, the men are out during the day, attending an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) or other recovery-related activity, so they are responsible for their own lunches. For the most part, the men prepare their own dinners. At Tharros House, three weekly dinners are provided, not including Saturday evening barbeques and dinners at local restaurants after regularly scheduled bowling nights.
Amenities include a ping -pong table, cable, W-Fi, laundry facilities, weekly housekeeping, linens and household supplies, transportation to 12-step meetings and parking permits, as well as driveway parking. Gardner lives on the premises. Additionally, Tharros House has a resident manager who lives on the premises.
Rules and Regulations
Tharros House accepts men who have been clean and sober for a minimum of 14 days, but typically gives priority to clients who have recently graduated from a drug rehab program. They look for clients who have a strong desire to stay clean and sober, but also work with those who relapse after having some sobriety, provided that they have undergone detox. The recommended length of stay is a minimum of two months, but some clients stay up to a year.
Typically, clients attend an IOP, which works closely with the house. IOP clients participate in five weekly 12-step meetings. Residents who aren’t enrolled in an outpatient program must attend between seven and 10 weekly recovery support meetings. Those opting for a non-12-step based alternative, including SMART Recovery and Refuge Recovery, are encouraged to do so.
Extras
Other services include case management, off-site equine therapy and clinical advising from Dr. Gita Zarnegar, a Doctorate-level clinical psychologist, and a Master’s-level MFT. Zarnegar, who has over 27 years of experience in behavioral health and clinical treatment, assesses a client prior to their arrival, as well on a weekly basis during their stay. Zarnegar provides individualized treatment plans, as well as weekly reviews and recommendations to staff, regarding clients. Clients requiring medication management for co-occurring disorders are referred to highly regarded psychiatrists.
In Summary
Tharros House offers men a high end, and highly structured milieu, along with a lot of individualized attention and care. This is an excellent option for those who are looking for a sober living that does not employ a “one size fits all approach.” Tharros House does not disclose their address, for the safety and privacy of their clients.
Tharros House
Lexington, MA 02421
Tharros House Cost: $5,000-$8,000 (30 days). Reach Tharros House by phone at (617) 697-1218 or by email at Tharroshouse@gmail.com. Find Tharros House on Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn
Do you have a complaint or review of Tharros House to add? Use the comments area below to add your Tharros House review.
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.
