One of the things I have become increasingly certain of, both through my own recovery and through the years I have spent working with people affected by substance use and addiction, is that there is no single pathway to recovery. There is no one programme, philosophy, fellowship, treatment centre, therapist, coach, medication or spiritual practice that is going to work for every person. Yet when someone is struggling with alcohol or other drugs, families are often desperate t

When Thabo* left The Foundation Clinic’s inpatient addiction program in Johannesburg, he felt strong, well and centred. The structured days, supportive staff, and therapeutic practices had given him the space he needed to detox, reset, and rediscover himself. But as the weeks passed and he returned to his job, family, and the familiar stresses of daily life, doubt began to creep in. What was beyond this initial three-week process that could support his recovery journey?