Most treatment programs are 12-step based. While 12-step programs were cutting-edge 75 years ago, they do not address the underlying causes of addiction. At best, for those with trauma or abuse or neglect or many other forms of pain in their backgrounds, they are a bandage solution. We use 12-steps only as an adjunct to other forms of therapy.

Dr. James Prochaska, creator of the Stages of Change Model and one of the world’s most quoted psychologists, has endorsed the treatment protocol as described in our #1 bestselling book on Amazon.com, “Ending Addiction for Good.”

When addiction is approached like a disease, the patient can feel demoralized by being told that they has an incurable illness from which people most often do not recover. The best that can be hoped for is management. We use a positive psychological approach that doesn’t focus as much on what is wrong with you, but on what is RIGHT with you. We use our patients’ assets to help them design lives they can be proud of.

Remember that 12-step model, the one that tells you you’re powerless? That’s not the whole story. What research has proven is that while addiction affects the brain, the brain can be changed – both in its structure and chemistry – so that you really can change your life. But you have to be part of a treatment protocol that uses neuroscience to your advantage. You’ll get that support at Cliffside Malibu.

Everything at Cliffside is personalized for YOU. Every member of our team is invested in your recovery, whether you are getting treated for drugs, alcohol or a co-occurring disorder in which depression or anxiety is present. Detox and residential programming are offered to help meet you where you are in your treatment journey. You won’t simply go from one group to the next; you will be given access to literally every type of therapy – for mind, body and spirit – from yoga to meditation to mindset & interpersonal neurobiology therapy – to create a synergistic effect with your psychotherapy. These adjunctive efforts create the brain change that leads to lasting recovery.

When you are tackling the pain of addiction, you need a program that helps you feel safe, comfortable, and provides treatment that truly works. Alongside evidence-based individual and group therapies, you will be surrounded by an environment that feels like home and more. You’ll have access to chef-prepared meals, gym workouts, yoga instruction, beach walks, and the option to have a private room. Our beautiful homes are serene and discreet, making this the ultimate setting to recover for life. In fact, 97% of former patients have reported that they can handle what happens in life after their stay at Cliffside Malibu.