How Oasis works

The word Oasis is an acronym for Overcome Addiction Step Into Society, because that is exactly what our program assists the client to do: to overcome addiction. It helps them to put to one side damaging or self-defeating behaviors, and to recognize, label and manage feelings in a healthier way. Clients are also helped to meet their emotional needs for connectedness and respect by doing what is 'realistic', 'right' and 'responsible'.

At Oasis, the healing effect of nature and healthy living is incorporated into the in-patient addiction treatment offered by an experienced therapeutic team of qualified addiction counsellors.

Our focus is on long-term residential care, as our experience, substantiated by worldwide research, is that good outcomes are contingent on adequate lengths of treatment.

The Oasis in-patient addiction treatment programme is able to help those who have achieved some degree of social competence and productivity but have had their lives deteriorate as a result of their addiction. However, the focus is on a longer residential programme.

At Oasis Counselling Centre, each client is individually assessed and their length of treatment is determined according to their specific needs. Clients are helped to become aware of their behaviour, including compulsive helping and addictive relationships. They are then asked to have a look at the impact of this behavior on themselves and others. This is done through written work, peer group feedback, interpersonal group therapy and one to one counselling.

Time and emphasis are placed on feelings management, particularly on recognizing and managing fear and anger. Clients also develop specific behavioral changes in the supportive environment of the treatment community. They start to become more self-aware, as well as recognizing and naming obstacles and aids to better overcome addiction.

In addition to the above, in-patient addiction treatment includes a spiritual element - simply interpreted as the need to ask for help from outside of ourselves.

Clients are encouraged and supported to get involved in activities that are offered in the community of Plettenberg Bay, such as squash, tennis, gym, cycling, art courses, holistic healing courses and spiritual discourses. Oasis also has surfboards and mountain bikes available for clients.

Discover more about the 12 Step recovery programme available at Oasis, and the highly qualified addiction counsellors who have helped so many addicts overcome addiction at our drug and alcohol rehab.