When looking for a support program for substance use, there are several different treatment options available. Finding the right program for you, between sober living programs and recovery homes, will allow you the best possible outcomes in recovery.
Sober living is a short-term, minimally structured recovery program in which you live in a treatment facility while becoming sober. Recovery homes are more structured, long-term, residential recovery programs with added treatment methods that help treat the entire person. Although the treatment plans of both types of programs are similar, the approaches are significantly different.
New Life House is a recovery home that goes beyond sober living. We aim to teach you real-life skills that can be implemented immediately. When choosing a route of recovery, finding the one that works best for you will improve the longevity of your sobriety.
What is a Sober Living House?
Sober living homes are generally alcohol and drug-free living environments, where you focus on your sobriety. Normally, there are basic house rules regarding substance use, like none being tolerated within the facility. There’s also minimal structure and programming, so there’s a semblance of a schedule followed by various therapeutic sessions.
Here are some other aspects of most sober living facilities:
- Limited staff tend to be present, which can impact the level of supervision.
- It is often a self-directed recovery, which may not be feasible for all.
- Clinical and therapeutic support is available, but it can be minimal.
Generally, if you have a more complex need, this program may not benefit you in a way that will yield success in sobriety. This is why New Life House uses a different approach that’s more successful.
Related: When Every Rehab Program and Sober Living Has Let You Down, Try This
How Do Recovery Homes Work?
Recovery homes tend to use a more enhanced approach compared to sober living programs. It’s a structured environment with daily schedules and routines to follow.
Here’s how our recovery home works:
- Participation is required in recovery activities and house meetings, which allow everyone to engage in different methods of healing.
- We strongly encourage attendance at recovery meetings.
- There are regular check-ins with staff and peers to be sure you are on track with your sobriety goals.
- Integration with clinical treatment services is included, such as medication management, mental health treatment, and behavioral services as well.
- Family involvement is emphasized to help create a stronger support system.
New Life House implements all of these elements within our program to create a supportive foundation for lasting recovery.
What is Another Name for a Recovery Home?
A recovery home can also be known as transitional housing, sober living, recovery residences, recovery houses, or halfway houses. Despite the various terms used, they all have similar goals, which are supporting your road to sobriety.
These spaces become true communities for their residents. Being in close quarters with other people who have similar goals and can relate to your experiences is what builds a long-lasting community.
Related: What is a Sober House and How Can it Transform Your Life?
Key Differences Between Recovery Homes and Basic Sober Living
There are some key differences between recovery homes and basic sober living. New Life House is a recovery home that offers so much more, like:
- Level of Structure and Accountability: The daily routines and expectations tend to differ in each program. Sober livings have more of a loose structure and lack solid accountability since the routines are not as solidified . Recovery homes like New Life House have intense structure and solid routines while keeping you accountable. Structure is necessary in the early stages of recovery for the best rates of success.
- Treatment Integration: We incorporate outpatient rehab for mental health and addiction. A dual-diagnosis approach supports better long-term success for sobriety. Just treating addiction, but not managing the root of the issues, which could be a mental health condition, means missing a vital component.
- Family Programming: We host family therapy sessions and bi-weekly family groups. This helps build your support network and gives your family the ability to recognize addiction as a family disease. This is unique because most sobriety programs have minimal family involvement.
- Educational and Vocational Support: New Life House understands that having educational programming opportunities is beneficial when you are reintegrated into everyday life. You’ll get a chance to complete your goals and build your future.
- Alumni Community and Continued Support: We have an incredible alumni program that is involved even after leaving the house. Continued connection to the program improves long-term success. This helps with proper after-care once leaving a recovery program, which most do not offer.
How Long Do You Stay in Sober Living?
Your length of stay in basic sober living compared to recovery homes can vary. It can be as little as one month and up to three months or more . We don’t set a limit on residency, instead, you can stay for as long as six months, a year, or until you graduate from the program if it helps your long-term success.
What are the Rules for Sober Living Houses?
The rules at New Life House are as follows:
- Sobriety
- Follow house rules
- Adhere to the curfew
- Adhere to a structured schedule and routines
- Attend recovery meetings
- No violence
- No theft
These rules create safety for everyone in the program, and the structure supports recovery. Participating and adhering to the rules leads to the best long-term sobriety outcomes. The rules and structure are not to restrict behavior, but to foster actual growth in different areas of your life.
Finding the Right Recovery Home for Your Needs
When looking into all the different options for recovery, it’s important to find quality recovery homes. These incorporate many different aspects, like dual diagnosis, highly structured routines, and family sessions to create stronger support systems and alumni programs.
Why New Life House is more than just a Sober Living Home
We curate a gender and age-specific community of young adult men so you can relate to those around you and receive effective peer support. Our robust treatment programs not only help you maintain abstinence and overcome substance use disorders, but they can also create a true life transformation.
We connect you with formal treatment services, whether that is outpatient treatment through our partnership with Clear Behavioral Health, psychiatry services for medication management from our sister brand Neuro Wellness Spa, or a combination of both.
Start Your Recovery Process Today
Choosing the right recovery environment is critical for your sobriety. We offer more support than basic addiction treatment and most sober living environments. Having the ability to integrate family sessions, work on any co-occurring mental health disorders, and our active alumni community already sets New Life House apart.
When you add in the structure, routines, and real-life skills you learn, you can rest assured you’ll have the tools needed to progress. Don’t wait any longer, reach out to us today to learn more about our recovery home in Los Angeles, CA, and begin your sobriety journey.
References:
- Sober Living vs Halfway House: What’s the Difference? (n.d.). https://www.hazeldenbettyford.org/articles/what-is-sober-living
- Polcin, D. L., Korcha, R., Bond, J., & Galloway, G. (2010). What Did We Learn from Our Study on Sober Living Houses and Where Do We Go from Here? Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 42(4), 425–433. https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2010.10400705
Last Updated on May 30, 2025
