The Granite House, Salem, New Hampshire
Salem, NH, 03079
The Granite House in Derry, New Hampshire serves men leaving a residential rehab program by helping them transition to a life of sobriety. The Granite House is a three-phased program.
All residents at the Granite House must achieve various recovery goals to begin to gain more independence and privileges as they progress through the program.
The Granite House offers a treatment scheme solidly on the side of the 12-Step approach, but also helps its clients re-learn basic living skills as well as helping clients find employment.
Putting Change Within Reach
The Granite House founder, Eric Spofford, opened the house in 2008. Mr. Spofford felt inspired to help other recovering men after overcoming his own struggles with addiction in the past through working the 12-Steps.
The Granite House itself recently underwent renovations. It currently occupies over 8,000 square feet on a relatively quiet thoroughfare in small-town New England.
The house rises to three stories and reflects a colonial style, with the maritime colors of the exterior being the first thing you notice, along with the Star-Spangled Banner proudly displayed out front. The renovations to the house mean that it now boasts upgrades in furniture, expanded common rooms and more recreational amenities for clients.
Residents sleep two to a room. The rooms, along with the interiors of the house, continue with the navy blue color scheme while also featuring a nice mixture of antique wooden furniture with more spacious and comfortable leather couches.
Residents can avail themselves of the new plasma TVs with cable and internet access in every room. There is an XBox for clients needing a break from therapy and a library for residents brushing up on their education or pursuing job opportunities.
The Granite Men
The admissions process can begin while the client is in the last phases of his residential treatment program. Prospective residents do a 10-minute over-the-phone interview with admission staff who also speak with a potential resident’s case manager.
Clients range in age from 18 to 35.The first phase of a Granite House residency limits you to the house, where a stringent set of rules apply, as well as a profound immersion in the 12-Step fellowship.
First phase residents attend outside group sessions, find a sponsor and also receive one-on-one counseling to help them apply the fundamentals of the 12-Steps to their lives. All residents, no matter what phase they are in, can make use of the house’s onsite gym. Time for yoga and other physical fitness activities is woven into daily schedules for all clients.
The second phase of residency (the first phase lasts a minimum of 30-days) reintroduces the resident to essential life skills and emphasizes taking on more responsibilities. Where Granite House staff mostly controlled and monitored budgets and allowance for clients in the first phase, residents must begin budgeting as well as taking care of other financial responsibilities.
Residents can also begin to leave the house, for therapy as well as to find work. Days for most residents entail lengthy group meetings, the study of the Big Book of AA, in addition to physical activities and meditation time.
The third phase hopefully finds a resident steadily employed and nearing the end of his 12-Step journey. Residents in this phase, along with being gainfully employed are encouraged to begin working in the community through volunteering or organizing community events. Residents, also during the last phase, can begin mentoring newer residents and running peer-driven group meetings.
All phases also involve extracurricular activities designed to help men through their recovery. Adventure therapies like skiing, indoor-rock climbing, and team sporting events help build team-skills and challenge a resident’s expectations of themselves.
The Granite House features an aftercare monitoring program, where men voluntarily agree to be submitted to random drug tests or attend mandated 12-Step meetings. The Granite House offers men going through recovery a graduated system to help them internalize the 12-Step philosophy. Men have all the time they need to start finding work, finishing their education or starting to help others to help themselves.
Price for 30 days at The Granite House Cost: $3,500.
The Granite House on Social Media
The Granite House
35 W Broadway
Derry, NH 03038