In treatment here at Tree House PDX, we stress a lot– like the importance of brotherhood, the power of fitness, and the connection between mind, body and soul. No matter what we stress, though, almost none of it would do anyone much good without the most important aspect of treatment being front and center: the importance of open communication.

Communication is such a part of everything we do here that it takes precedence in every modality we offer. Whether it’s one on one communication in a modality like process therapy, nonverbal communication in a modality like embodied presence yoga, or physical communication in a modality like fitness therapy, almost every waking minute of our days here are structured around this concept of open communication.

Communication isn’t just for treatment, though. As a matter of fact, understanding the importance of communication post-treatment can be the key to navigating issues and situations that may otherwise be difficult to handle. As men in recovery, communication is our tool for letting others know how we feel, for expressing ourselves, and for growing.

Communicating how we feel post-treatment involves many of the same practices that we learned during treatment. In communicating with others, we should make sure we’re as honest and straightforward as we can be. An old trick that could come in useful is taping ourselves before a conversation. As we practice getting our thoughts and feelings out, we can play what we’re saying back to ourselves to ensure we’re communicating in a succinct, honest, straightforward way.

Another great rule of thumb to keep in mind when communicating with others post-treatment is to strive for compromise. As we learned in treatment, we can’t always control everything– but in those times where we do have a say, it’s important to strive for resolutions where both parties’ needs are met. This helps us build relationships, and maintain the ones we have.

Here at Tree House Recovery of Portland, Oregon, we know how important communication is for a sustainable recovery process, which is why we teach our men how to use communication as a tool for expression and growth through every modality we offer.  Call (503) 850-2474 to see how we can help you today.