Nestled amongst the breathtaking hills and valleys of Beit Shemesh, Retorno has been at the forefront of addiction prevention and treatment for over 30 years.
In keeping with Retorno’s community approach to addiction prevention, over 30,000 people each year take part in Retorno’s community-wide prevention programs: students and teachers, army soldiers and officers, professionals and laypeople, parents, and more.
Retorno believes that “there are no bad kids, just kids who’ve had bad experiences.” It considers extreme behaviors an expression of internal pain, loneliness, trauma, and crisis. Drug and alcohol abuse, gambling, excessive sexual behaviors, overuse of social media and internet, are all common manifestations of internal struggles blossoming into full-blown addiction.
Prevention programs
Prevention programs, given through a variety of unique workshops, invite an open dialogue that allows you to recognize and even touch the pain that exists inside, and teaches you different ways of dealing with it. Workshop participants are exposed to Retorno’s array of educational and therapeutic tools, opening a window to the world of emotional turmoil and the errant “solution” for this turmoil of engaging in extreme behaviors. By learning in a warm, safe, trusting environment, where you grasp the meaning of powerlessness and lack of control, as well as the ability to ask for help, you begin to understand the manifestations of addiction. Through in-depth experiential workshops, participants will take part in an entirely new kind of discussion, and acquire practical tools that will enable you to help others.Workshops
The activity takes place in an experiential workgroup that connects participants with the world of emotion through an intense dialogue that delves into what happens when we ignore pain and don’t give it space, and how it can be done differently. You will experience the power of sharing and of asking for help when coming from a place of honesty, openness, and truly dealing with the issues.Equine therapy
Here you will discover the contribution that animals make to the therapeutic process as they are used in Retorno. You will enter the compound and learn new things about yourselves through your contact and nonverbal communication with various animals and the feelings that these experiences will arouse. Following this exposure, with the professional guidance of Retorno’s staff, you will glimpse the fascinating relationship that develops between man and animal, that leads to various ways we can identify and reconstruct relationships with central figures in our lives, as well as the implications of these relationships.Activities for Educational Staff
It is vital to understand the phenomenon of addiction, in all its aspects, to prevent it as well as identify and treat it. Besides working on preventing these destructive habits from forming, there is a great need to understand how extreme behaviors develop and what tools are worth teaching students to enable them to deal with these habits and behaviors.Student Activities
More than ever before, our youth is trying to cope with social difficulties and tantalizing, accessible “solutions” that are available at the touch of a button. The need to internalize firm boundaries and develop excellent coping abilities is not an “extra” anymore. It’s a basic life skill.What to do when…?
Many questions arise as parents of teenagers, and more than once we feel concerned or worried about their behavior. How can we prevent them from using drugs or getting hurt through social media?Army Commanders and Soldiers
Exposure to continuous trauma and stress can increase the risk of turning to substance abuse or other addictive behaviors. The IDF today understands the importance of dealing with the subject of addiction, but sometimes commanders in the field need help in finding a way to deal with the phenomenon that is appropriate in the military context. Day-long seminars in Retorno expose the soldiers and commanders to addiction and its unique characteristics and give them new tools to help them understand it thoroughly, identify its causes and signs, and deal with it in the best way possible within the army framework.Employee Team-Building Days
During team-building days at Retorno, participants meet the people they have the least time for – themselves. By learning about the unique healing process that Retorno’s patients undergo, you will learn to better recognize what is blocking you – as well as your strengths and abilities. By using Retorno’s special tools, you will increase your ability to work as a group in order to achieve the best possible results. As a person who wants connection, growth, and positive changes in life, you will find that the tools the patients use in Retorno’s community to turn their lives around can be significant and meaningful for you as well.Comprehensive Course for Professionals in Therapeutic Fields
A course in addiction treatment using Retorno’s methods was created from the rich experience gained in the center regarding addictions and extreme behaviors.
The course is meant for education professionals and therapists who want to learn about addiction both from a theoretical viewpoint and by getting practical experience in the 12-Step Workshop.
The course is given by Retorno’s professional staff.
Sign up for Retorno’s prevention workshops
Do you want to help an addict in your life but don’t know how to intervene? Our workshops can give you the tools you need. Contact us to sign up for a workshop. Give us a call, or just fill out the contact form and press Send.Share this :
