How we treat addiction at Radix Recovery

At Radix Recovery in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, our treatment philosophy is built on one belief. Every person using substances against their own goals, values, or sense of who they want to be deserves a compassionate, evidence-based path back to themselves. Our approach is structured, clinically credible, and deeply human. We help residents rest, recover, and rebuild, in that order, with the right support at every step.

Rest. Recover. Rebuild.

Rest

Creating a foundation of safety and stability

Stabilization first, so deeper work becomes possible.

Recover

Healing through evidence-based clinical care

Therapies with strong evidence for substance use disorders.

Rebuild

Developing community, purpose, and a life worth protecting

Connection, structure, and meaning back in daily life.

Kayla Borja Frost

Chief Clinical Officer

This page was clinically and medically reviewed for accuracy and alignment with current addiction medicine standards.

Last Reviewed

July 2026

Rachel Fry

Director Of Nursing

A whole-person view of recovery

We treat addiction as a disease of mind, body, and behavior, complicated by the mental health conditions that often live underneath it.

That means we do not separate substance use from mental health, and we do not hand residents off between disconnected providers. We use evidence-based clinical care, real community, and whole-person wellness inside one coordinated program.

Mind

Body

Behavior

Three words guide the work: Rest, Recover, Rebuild. Each one represents a phase of healing, and each one has a clear clinical purpose.

Rest. Creating a foundation of safety and stability

Recovery cannot begin until the body and nervous system have somewhere safe to land. For many residents, that starts with removing substances under medical supervision so the brain can begin to heal. Our medically monitored detox is staffed by a dedicated team and overseen by medical providers who manage withdrawal safely and humanely.

At the same time, we lower the volume on everything else. The Higley Mansion environment is intentionally calm, structured, and consistent. Daily schedules are predictable. Sleep is protected. Meals are nourishing. Noise, conflict, and chaos are kept away from the people doing the hardest internal work of their lives.

We layer in practices that help the nervous system actually settle, not just rest on paper:

Mindfulness work that teaches residents how to notice and regulate intense states
Gentle movement such as yoga, walking, and stretching to discharge held stress
Sleep hygiene support and protected rest periods
Nutrition designed to stabilize blood sugar and support brain repair

This phase is not about pushing residents into deep therapy on day one. It is about creating the conditions under which deeper work becomes possible. We respect the science of stabilization. A regulated nervous system can absorb new learning. A depleted, dysregulated one cannot. Rest is the foundation everything else gets built on, and we treat it as a clinical priority, not an afterthought.

Recover. Healing through evidence-based clinical care

Once a resident is stable, real clinical work begins. Our recovery approach is built on therapies with strong evidence behind them for substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions. These are not buzzwords on a website. They are the actual interventions our licensed clinicians use in individual and group sessions every week.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Helps residents identify the thought patterns and beliefs that drive substance use, then practice replacing them with healthier responses.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Builds four core skill sets: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. These are the practical tools residents use to navigate hard moments without returning to substances.

Motivational Interviewing (MI)

Is a collaborative style of conversation that helps residents find their own reasons for change rather than being told what to do. It strengthens internal motivation and autonomy.

Trauma-Informed Care

Runs through everything we do. We recognize that trauma often sits beneath addiction, and we never re-traumatize residents in pursuit of breakthrough moments. Pacing, safety, and consent are clinical standards, not extras.

True dual diagnosis treatment is part of this phase, not separate from it. Once substances begin to leave the system, mental health conditions that were masked by use become visible. Our clinical team is built to identify and treat those conditions directly. Anxiety, depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and other co-occurring conditions are addressed by the same team that is addressing the substance use, with one coordinated plan. Learn about our dual diagnosis treatment.

Clinicians work alongside residents, not above them. The goal is for each resident to leave with a working set of skills, an honest understanding of their own patterns, and a plan they helped build.

Rebuild. Developing community, purpose, and a life worth protecting

Sobriety alone is not recovery. Recovery is what gets built in the space where addiction used to live. The Rebuild phase is where residents start putting structure, connection, and meaning back into daily life, with us alongside them.

Community is central to this. Isolation feeds addiction. Connection feeds recovery. We build community in several intentional ways:

12-step and mutual-support work

We make daily 12-step meetings, guided step work, and sponsorship pairing available to every resident who wants them. AA, NA, and SMART Recovery (a non-12-step alternative) all have a place in our program. Residents are encouraged but not forced. The fellowship and shared experience these programs offer are real, durable supports outside our walls and after discharge.

Group therapy and peer support

Facilitated clinical groups give residents structured ways to share, listen, and practice new skills with people walking the same path.

Family involvement

Addiction does not happen in isolation, and recovery does not either. We invite families into education sessions and family therapy where appropriate, helping the people who love a resident become genuine partners in long-term recovery.

Holistic wellness practices

Art, music, recreation, physical fitness, nutrition coaching, and mindfulness all earn time on the schedule. These are not filler activities. They are how residents rediscover joy, self-expression, and a relationship with their own body that addiction often erased.

Practical life rebuilding gets equal weight. Residents work on the real-world skills that protect recovery after they leave us: stable housing planning, employment readiness, financial education, and aftercare planning. The work is not theoretical. Residents practice these skills in the program so they walk out the door with experience, not just exposure.

The goal of the Rebuild phase is straightforward. We want residents leaving Radix with a life that is honestly worth protecting, and the support system to protect it.

Recovery isn’t about fixing what’s broken. It’s about returning people to their roots, to who they were before addiction and who they’re still capable of becoming.

Dr. Courtney Brennaman, PhD

Founder | Chair of the Board

Healing the whole person, not just the addiction

Underneath Rest, Recover, and Rebuild is a single conviction: recovery is the work of the whole person, not the management of a single behavior. Two residents with the same diagnosis can need entirely different care plans, and we build accordingly.

Our care reflects SAMHSA’s eight Dimensions of Wellness,^[1] which give us a complete map of where recovery actually happens:

Physical

Sleep, nutrition, movement, medical health

Emotional

Feelings, regulation, mental health

Intellectual

Learning, curiosity, creative engagement

Environmental

Safe and stable surroundings

Financial

Basic financial stability and skill

Social

Community, friendships, belonging

Occupational

Work and purpose

Spiritual

Meaning, values, connection to something larger

Each resident receives an individualized plan that addresses the dimensions most relevant to their life, not a generic program slotted onto every person who walks in. We work with residents on the goals they actually have, not just the ones a treatment plan template lists. We offer faith-based programming for those who choose to integrate it into their treatment.

The result is recovery that holds. When residents leave Radix, they are not only abstinent. They are more regulated, more connected, more skilled, and more honest with themselves about what they want their life to look like. Visit our team page to learn more about the people behind implementing this care.

A philosophy you can put to work today

Our admissions team is available 24/7 to explain how Rest, Recover, and Rebuild would apply to you or someone you love, verify insurance benefits, and help you plan the right first step.

Frequently asked questions

What is Radix Recovery's treatment philosophy?

Our philosophy is built on the belief that every person using substances against their own goals, values, or sense of self deserves a compassionate, evidence-based path back to themselves. We organize care into three phases: Rest, Recover, and Rebuild. Each phase has a clear clinical purpose, and together they treat addiction as a whole-person issue of mind, body, and behavior.

What does Rest, Recover, Rebuild mean at Radix Recovery?

Rest is the stabilization phase, where the body and nervous system heal in a calm, structured environment with medically monitored detox when needed. Recover is the clinical-work phase, where residents engage with evidence-based therapies. Rebuild is the integration phase, where residents put community, purpose, and life skills back into daily life.

What evidence-based therapies does Radix Recovery use?

Our licensed clinicians use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and trauma-informed care. These modalities are delivered in individual and group sessions and supported by family therapy, group therapy, and holistic wellness programming.

Does Radix Recovery use 12-step programs?

Yes. We make daily 12-step meetings, guided step work, and sponsorship pairing available to every resident who wants them. We work with AA and NA, along with SMART Recovery for residents who prefer a non-12-step approach. Twelve-step participation is encouraged but never forced, and is offered alongside clinical evidence-based therapy, not in place of it.

Is Radix Recovery's approach trauma-informed?

Yes. Trauma-informed care runs through every phase of our philosophy. We recognize that trauma often sits beneath addiction, and we treat pacing, safety, and resident consent as clinical standards. We do not push for breakthrough moments at the cost of re-traumatization.

What is a person-centered approach to addiction treatment?

A person-centered approach means we build individualized care plans around the specific resident in front of us, not a generic program. We use SAMHSA’s eight Dimensions of Wellness as the map: physical, emotional, intellectual, environmental, financial, social, occupational, and spiritual. Two residents with the same diagnosis can need very different plans, and we build accordingly.

Does Radix Recovery treat mental health alongside addiction?

Yes. We treat substance use and co-occurring mental health conditions as one connected picture, not two separate problems. The same clinical team treats both with one coordinated plan. Conditions that often become visible once substances leave the system, such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and bipolar disorder, are addressed directly.

How is family involved in the philosophy?

We invite families into education sessions and family therapy where clinically appropriate. Addiction does not happen in isolation, and recovery does not either. Helping the people who love a resident understand the disease, the recovery process, and their own role makes long-term recovery measurably more likely.

Take the First Step Toward Lasting Recovery

If you are ready, we are ready. Our admissions team is available 24/7 to answer your questions, verify insurance benefits, and help you plan the right first step for yourself or someone you love.

Primary clinical sources

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)