Addiction Treatment with Lived Experience: The Avalon Approach to Real Recovery

At Avalon Wellness & Recovery, we believe that healing begins with being understood. Not just clinically assessed—but deeply, compassionately understood.

That's why we built Avalon with a team of people who bring not only licenses and credentials but also lived experience in addiction, trauma, and recovery, and that sets us apart. It's what enables us to provide care that's genuine, respectful, and effective.

We're not a franchise. We're not a chain. We're a locally founded, for-profit treatment center led by individuals who care—and individuals who have been there.

Lived Experience Isn't Just Helpful. It's Foundational.

Far too often in behavioral health, lived experience is treated as an afterthought—something you add in when possible. At Avalon, it's the bedrock of how we do things.

Our counselors, peer mentors, support staff, and leadership include individuals in long-term recovery. People who have navigated relapse, rebuilding, and the shame that often comes with seeking help. They know what it feels like to sit in a treatment center, wondering, "Will this work for me?"

That's why lived experience matters. Because:

• It builds immediate trust.

• It speaks to people's pain without judgment.

• And it models hope in a way that no textbook ever could.

Our clients don't just hear that recovery is possible—they see it every day in the people around them.

Founded by Local People Who Care

Avalon was founded right here in Kansas by professionals who didn't just want to work in recovery—they wanted to reimagine what recovery could look like in our community.

We saw a need for something better:

• A place with lower caseloads and higher standards

• A team that integrates clinical excellence and peer wisdom

• A healing space that feels respectful, safe, and human

Being local means we know the people, the resources, and the cultural challenges our clients face. We're not trying to force people into a one-size-fits-all system. We're building a recovery culture that fits them.

For-Profit—And Purpose-Driven

Yes, Avalon is a for-profit organization—but we were founded by local people who care, and that makes all the difference.

Our business model allows us to:

• Maintain lower client-to-staff ratios

• Invest in high-quality facilities and trauma-informed care

• Reinvest in our people and programs rather than cutting corners

• Operate with clinical agility, free from red tape and outdated systems

We are proud to be a for-profit program that leads with purpose. The care we offer is personal, principled, and built to last.

Where Recovery Begins: Withdrawal & Stabilization with Compassion

We understand how hard it can be to ask for help. For many, the first step is the hardest, especially when detox is part of the process.

That's why Avalon provides 24/7 medically supervised withdrawal management and stabilization (detox) in a setting that prioritizes comfort, dignity, and human connection.

Our clients receive:

• Medical oversight from experienced professionals

• Medications and interventions that ease the process

• Support from staff who've been through it and know how to walk you through it, too

Detox isn't just about surviving withdrawal. At Avalon, it's about starting the healing process with trust.

Whole-Person Treatment that Respects Individual Journeys

After stabilization, clients enter a tailored, comprehensive, and respectful treatment journey.

Our services include:

• Residential and outpatient treatment

• Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)

• Peer-led Recovery Action Planning (RAP)

• Trauma-informed individual and group therapy

• Support for co-occurring mental health disorders

• Nutrition, movement, wellness, and spiritual support

• Discharge planning and long-term recovery support

Every person’s recovery looks different. That’s why addiction treatment with lived experience—delivered by people who truly understand—is at the core of our care.

The Avalon Difference: A Program with Heart and Standards

At Avalon, we're committed to building something better. Something more human. Something more effective.

Our care philosophy is grounded in four core values:

• Dignity first – We treat every person with respect, regardless of history

• Connection heals – Recovery happens with relationships, not in isolation

• Clinical excellence matters – Evidence-based doesn't mean impersonal

• Lived experience leads – We don't just understand addiction; we've survived it

Avalon is more than a program. It's a mission lived out in every interaction, every treatment plan, and every courageous moment our clients give themselves another chance.

We're Here. We're Ready. We Understand.

Whether you're seeking help for yourself, supporting someone else, or working in the field and looking for a strong referral partner, Avalon is here.

We don't treat clients like case files. We don't offer generic care. We don't pretend recovery is linear.

What we do is show up, walk beside, and support transformation with honesty, compassion, and clinical integrity.

Lived Experience. Local Leadership. Clinical Excellence.

This is Avalon Wellness & Recovery.

Kenneth Vick, Executive Director, Person in Long-Term Recovery