Daily Life

Young adults who are successful at AIM House respond to consistent, predictable structure, have a desire to change, and form strong interpersonal relationships.

AIM House is structured in a way that allows participants to progress through five distinct phases while they are successfully meeting their goals and transitioning into adulthood.

The five phases were named after reviewing the success of our alumni long after they graduated. The initials of each phase placed together spell I AM ME. The I AM ME process is an ongoing progression of life beyond their time at AIM House. We are delighted to watch our participants work through the program and we are proud to be a part of their transition.

Learn more about the phases: Intentions, Actions, Merge, Manifest, Evolve

Without intentions, it is very difficult to set goals, therefore we believe it is imperative to clearly state our intentions. An intention may be as simple as staying sober, however, it is the foundation which paves the way for other goals to materialize. Some participants may need help realizing their intentions, while others are over-ambitious and need help focusing on putting each step in place to achieve their objectives.

The intentions phase is designed to provide participants with the opportunity to identify the goals and aspirations they would like to attain while in the program. Participants identify how they can begin working towards these goals and the structure that needs to be integrated into their lives to support this. Length of time is a minimum of two months.

• Further integration in program and active participation
• Build relationships and rapport with staff and peers
• Plan of action and AIM Plan
• Initial schedule set-up
• Volunteer work
• Ongoing individual, family and group therapy
• School
• House obligations such as chores, groups and activities
• Job search and vocational training
• Outside appointments, such as psychiatrist, sponsor, etc.
• Recovery 12-step meetings

• Consistent follow through with weekly schedule
• Adhere to program requirements (groups, individual/family sessions, activities)
• Ability to clearly articulate coping skills
• Demonstrate ability to utilize coping skills
• Demonstrate open communication with therapist and primary mentor
• Successfully meet all Intentions AIM Plan goals
• Develop and implement a recovery plan (support groups, therapeutic goals)

Orientation is the first step a participant moves through in the Intentions Phase. It is designed to give participants the opportunity to "arrive" and settle into the program. In addition, during this time participants begin to establish relationships with their primary mentor, therapist, and peers. Length of time is minimum of two weeks. Orientation includes limited curfew, introduction to AIM Plan and recovery meetings and other participants. No cell phone or computer (unless for school) during this period.

The actions phase allows participants the opportunity to put into action the goals and objectives they have developed in the intentions phase. This may not be as easy as it sounds, especially when one has a history of sabotaging personal success with destructive behaviors. During this period, we come face to face with what is getting in the way of actualizing goals. Relapse, or temptation to relapse, for those with addiction issues, is most likely to occur during this time. Participants are facing challenges in the real world head on for the first time since they left primary treatment.

This phase is designed to allow participants to experience success in maintaining their individual schedules. In addition, there is a stronger focus on therapeutic issues during this time. Consistency in attending individual as well as group therapy sessions is emphasized. Participants are expected to engage in the maintenance and progress toward therapeutic goals. Length of time is a minimum of three months.

• Established consistency with schedule continues
• Therapy - focus on underlying issues and family dynamics
• Therapeutic growth
• Maturation of goals and objectives
• Can apply for leadership internship

• Consistently follow through with a 30-40 hr per week schedule (includes work, school, program)
• Complete all Actions AIM Plan goals
• Complete 20 hours of leadership skill-building in community
• Consistent follow through with established recovery program
• Maintain sobriety
• Develop and present Relapse Prevention Plan
• Demonstrate a willingness to participate in individual and group therapy
• Demonstrate an ability to consistently keep room clean and follow through with chores

The merge phase is designed to provide participants with the opportunity to practice and integrate what they have learned thus far in the program. Participants have overcome hurdles that normally present themselves during the other phases and are living a life that shows congruency between intentions and actions. They are self-driven, maintain their own schedules, currently working or going to school and have established themselves as leaders in the AIM House community.

The young men are living on the third floor of the house at this point while female participants are in the carriage houses; they are given more freedom and independence to begin exploring and maintaining their own boundaries. Participants are supported in becoming more responsible for maintaining the structure and healthy lifestyle they have created for themselves at AIM House thus far. Participants also learn how to identify positive and negative risks in their lives and how to navigate through and maintain positive change. The minimum length of time in this phase is one month.

• Consistent and self-driven schedule and routine
• Resource out into community, support group and social network development
• Current 30-40 work week or full time student
• Plan for future and transition from AIM House
• Explore limits and boundaries

• Ability to consistently follow through program requirements
• Complete 20 hours of community outreach
• Completion of all Merge AIM Plan goals
• Design and implement recovery plan that is intrinsically driven
• Ability to utilize healthy coping skills in new and challenging situations
• Ability to understand and articulate patterns of risk taking
• Ablility to identify outside sources of support
• Develop and present Relapse Prevention Plan and Transition Plan in Community Group
• Maintain sobriety

Having integrated the skills, lessons, and practical applications of the previous phases, participants in the manifest phase transition into independent living in the outside community. Participants spend time building a stronger support network outside of AIM House as they gradually move into greater degrees of independence and responsibility. Many participants live in one of the Merge House apartments for a portion of this phase and then spend the second half of the manifest phase living independently in the community. Overall, the manifest phase is marked by the fruition of participant's hard work in the prior phases and is a highly individualized portion of our program. Although the length of time is unlimited, it is typically four months.

• Significant transition to living in community
• One on one mentor meetings as needed
• Transition to outside therapists
• Life skills support as needed
• Family sessions as needed
• Continued access to all groups and activities as needed
• Highly individualized

• Has established a healthy support system outside of AIM House and/or identified how to achieve such support
• Ability to advocate for therapeutic and individual needs
• Mastery of independent living skills (banking, job)
• Has identified passions and interests (able to develop goals to pursue such interests)
• Has completed all Manifest AIM Plan goals
• Consistent follow through with recovery program
• Maintain sobriety

Evolve phase marks the point at which participants have successfully completed the program and are moving on in their lives. Participants can still utilize the support system at AIM House on an as-needed basis to help face life's challenges. This is a time where the may be living in the area or may have moved elsewhere. Individualized aftercare programs are established on an as needed basis to assist participants and families in maintaining the success they experienced while at AIM House.

• Individualized/Customized Aftercare Plans
• Phone Calls/Visits from Staff as Needed