Relapse Prevention Program in Massachusetts
Our Relapse Prevention Program is the most flexible level of outpatient care at New Wave, designed for people who have built some stability and want to protect it. Regular support, real-world skills, and a direct bridge into our alumni community keep you moving forward.
What Is a Relapse Prevention Program?
A relapse prevention program is the most flexible level of outpatient addiction treatment, focused on helping you protect and strengthen your recovery over time. It is lighter than IOP, with less frequent sessions, but it keeps you connected, accountable, and supported as you rebuild daily life. At New Wave, this is where structured treatment gradually becomes lasting independence.
You will meet regularly for group and individual support, sharpen the skills that keep recovery steady, and stay tied into a community that knows you. Research is clear that continuing care reduces the risk of returning to use, and that is exactly what this stage is built to do. For many people it is the natural step down after IOP; for others with existing stability, it is a strong place to begin.
What Relapse Prevention Skills Will I Learn?
Relapse rarely happens out of nowhere, so we help you see it coming and stay ahead of it. We practice these skills through structured groups led by licensed clinicians and one-on-one sessions with your therapist, supported by holistic tools like mindfulness and sound work that help you stay grounded.
- Identify and manage personal triggers
- Build healthy routines and manage stress
- Create a concrete relapse-prevention plan
- Handle cravings and high-risk situations
- Repair and strengthen relationships
- Stay grounded with mindfulness practices
Who Is Outpatient Relapse Prevention Right For?
This level is a good fit if you have completed a more intensive program like PHP or IOP and want to protect your momentum, or if you have built stability on your own and want structured support to keep it. Because it is flexible, it fits easily around work, school, and family. If you are not sure whether you are ready to step down, we will talk it through with you, there is no rush, and no wrong question.
Holistic Healing and Lasting Recovery
Relapse prevention is not only about clinical skills, it is about staying well enough, calm enough, and connected enough that cravings lose their grip. That is exactly where holistic care earns its place.
Stress, poor sleep, and emotional overwhelm are some of the most common triggers for relapse. The holistic practices woven through this stage, mindfulness and meditation, recovery yoga, sound bowl therapy, and Reiki, are not extras here; they are practical relapse-prevention tools. They calm the nervous system, build self-awareness, and give you healthy ways to sit with discomfort instead of running from it.
Paired with evidence-based therapy, this whole-person approach helps recovery hold up under real-life pressure. You leave with both a clinical plan and a grounded daily practice you can lean on for years.
Into Alumni and Aftercare
Recovery does not end when structured treatment does. Our Relapse Prevention Program flows directly into our alumni and aftercare community, including 90-day check-in calls from someone who knows your name. You become part of the family, and family does not let go.
- Sober social activities
- Volunteer opportunities
- Group meetings and peer check-ins
- Regular sobriety support meetings
When you become a client at New Wave, you become a member of the family. And family does not let go.
Where This Fits in Your Recovery
Our programs connect into one seamless journey, and you keep the same therapist as you move through them. Explore the other levels of care at New Wave.
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Step 1: Detox
We connect you with a trusted detox partner, then welcome you back.
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Step 4: Relapse Prevention
Ongoing outpatient support.
Care that feels different
We were founded by people in long-term recovery, so the way we treat you comes from having been where you are. That shows up in everything we do.
Founded by people in recovery
When you call New Wave, you talk to someone who has walked this path, not a call center. This is personal for us.
The same therapist throughout
You keep your private therapist as you move between levels of care, so your progress is never interrupted and you never start over.
Holistic care, every day
Reiki, yoga, sound healing, and mindfulness are woven into daily treatment alongside evidence-based therapy, not offered once in a while.
Our Salisbury Facility
Recovery is easier in a space that feels safe and human. Our Salisbury center was designed to feel calm and welcoming, with comfortable group rooms, private therapy spaces, and our signature Zen Den for holistic work.
- Warm, non-institutional spaces
- Dedicated Zen Den for holistic therapy
- Transportation assistance available
- Easy to reach from across the North Shore
Recovery that people remember
Insurance & payment: Contact our team and we will work with you to verify insurance benefits.
Fill out our form and contact us for additional assistance
Relapse Prevention FAQs
Want to talk to a real person? Call us, someone in recovery will answer.
What is a relapse prevention program?
It is the most flexible level of outpatient addiction treatment, focused on helping you protect your recovery over time with regular support, real-world skills, and connection to a community.
How is relapse prevention different from IOP?
IOP is more structured and intensive. Relapse prevention is lighter and more flexible, designed for people who have built some stability and want ongoing support to maintain it.
What skills will I learn?
You will learn to identify and manage triggers, handle cravings, build healthy routines, strengthen relationships, and create a concrete relapse-prevention plan you can use in daily life.
Who is this program for?
People stepping down from PHP or IOP who want to protect their progress, and people with existing stability who want structured support. It fits flexibly around work and family.
How long does the program last?
It depends on your needs, but relapse prevention can continue for up to about 6 months, flowing into our alumni and aftercare community after that.
Is this an outpatient program?
Yes. Relapse prevention is our most flexible outpatient level, with less frequent sessions than IOP while keeping you connected and supported.
Does insurance cover it?
Often yes. We are in-network with WellSense and approved through MassHealth (the plan we accept is WellSense). Our team can verify your benefits.
What happens after relapse prevention?
You continue with our alumni and aftercare community, including 90-day check-in calls, so support continues long after structured treatment ends.
Keep learning
Helpful, judgment-free articles on recovery, treatment, and supporting the people you love.
Protect the Progress You've Made
Recovery is something you keep building. Our Relapse Prevention Program helps you hold onto it. Call and we will help you plan your next step.
- 100% Confidential
- Free Assessment
- No Commitment
- You'll talk to someone in recovery
In a crisis? If you or someone you love is in immediate danger, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or call 911.