October 2025: I was scared to death as I knew that I was in desperate need of a rehabilitation…read morecenter for my opioid use disorder and alcoholism. This was my first time ever reaching out for help & going to a recovery center. Everything about Hemet Valley Recovery Center was welcoming, transparent & beyond my expectations. Here is my personal experience broken down into sections so the reader can skip to the section that most applies to their personal needs. Bottom line: HVRC saved my life & has helped me find my life purpose again.
Initial phone call: I had to check availability & insurance requirements as I am on Medicare. They are the only recovery facility that accepts Medicare on the West Coast. I was told to bring my own pillow & blanket & was given a time that a driver from the facility would come to pick me up to take me to HVRC.
Drive to facility & intake: Donnie, the driver, relieved my worries with water, gum, mints and a peaceful drive to the center. He was able to answer any of my general questions with a calm demeanor. Arriving at the center, I walked through the intake forms, insurance paperwork, general overview of detox, & expectations of the recovery program.
Detox: Supportive Dr. Raja, skilled nursing staff, hospital meals that were tailored to my specific nutritional needs & wants, space in my room to sleep, heal & detoxify my body, I felt confident in my ability to get started on my recovery journey. The proximity to the local emergency room also put me at ease if I needed a higher level of care due to my complex medical issues.
Counselors: All patients are assigned a counselor. They check in with you on your mood, individual situations, & progress of your rehabilitation process. They are kind, compassionate & loving humans.
Classes: Daily schedules have a variety of holistic rehabilitation classes. Anything from lectures, experiential groups, healthy lifestyles, meditations, yoga, Native American talking circles, NA/AA meetings, recovery planning, Men & Women's groups, Just for Today talks, arts & crafts, HVRC has it. The best class is "Pain Group" with Sherry Burditt, RN, HN-BC (AHNA Board Certified Holistic Nurse) for 5 weeks, 9 hours a week, 45 hours total. It's a progressive learning experience class that allowed me to use self-discovery, emotional healing & spiritual growth to face past demons, learn about my own energy (Chakras), & love myself again. Hands down the best learning experience about myself I have ever done (& continue to do as part of my personal recovery plan).
HVRC Community: For nearly 90 days, I was immersed in the HVRC family. From the people you share your days & nights with, along with your thoughts, feelings, assignments & food, to the nursing staff, counselors, administrative staff, drivers, the house senior residents/house managers to daily HVRC volunteers, people are supportive, kind & are there to do what is best for mankind: sustain an environment of caring, client-first vibes.
PHP (partial-hospital patients): Having lived in both the female sober-living houses, Mayberry & Harbor, both provide a calm and healing environment to spend time while not at the center. I have fond memories of van rides full of people to & from the center, quick trips to the ATM or appointments, & AA meetings & Soboba's talking circle.
Outings: Nails/pedicures, haircuts, AA meetings, doctor appointments/imaging, ATM runs, Soboba talking circle.
Family Weekend: AMAZING experience. Run by Lisa, it is a weekend of family & loved ones learning about addiction. Not just the disease itself, but how to support their loved one in & out of treatment, expectations of their loved one coming home, & a session for me & my family to start the healing process moving forward.
Continuing care & Alumni meetings: Thursday nights: an in-person continuing care program that supports HVRC alumni. Counselors offer support in multiple ways. After is the Alumni in-person/Zoom AA/NA meeting. My favorite night to attend a meeting & connect with so many others who are going through the same thing that I am: staying clean & sober in my recovery.
HVRC Alumni events: President Jeff does a GREAT job of promoting where the donated money goes. From helping clients with prescriptions, housing & other necessities, to creating joy for clients and staff with auction baskets, sit-down dinners, arts & crafts, hiding Easter eggs & Sam the Leprechaun, supplying treats to buy at the Alumni store, cookouts, individual gifts, Veteran recognitions, & more!! HVRC Alumni is a space for us to stay connected by volunteering, supplying resources or giving money to a great cause year-round.
I just can't say enough good things about my recovery & experience from Hemet Valley Recovery Center. Just celebrated 6 months. I thank both my Higher Power & HVRC for being clean & sober today. As Nike says: "Just Do It". You'll save your life or someone else's.
Hugs & blessings from a proud recovering client, Teresa