While discharging someone is never an easy decision, it becomes easier when the program starts whirling about them, their drama, and their lack of interest in working on recovery. That's what happened with this client.
In a recent counseling session with her, she accused the others in the program of being "against her." She accused others of stealing from her - including the house manager. She says people were making remarks behind her back. It was a continual diatribe about the things others had done to her. But nothing at all about herself.
Our rule has generally been to work with a client as long as we can. That is, until their behavior starts detracting from the program and dragging others into useless drama. And that's what happened with this client.
In our experience when clients go sideways and we can't get them on track within a week to 10 days it's useless to waste energy. It's debilitating to staff and it hurts the morale of the housing unit in which the person lives.
And last night she crossed the line when she signed out to meet her sponsor. Instead she was seen leaving the house with a man she’d just met at a 12-step meeting – a gross violations of house rules about dating during the first 90 days of the program.
We hope she one day figures what recovery is about.
