Your Flightpath To Recovery… And Beyond.
FIREBIRD TRANSFORMATIONS is an individually-focused program of structured sober living for motivated men in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Our innovative paths to recovery are more than just “programs.” Our way of life centers around FIREBIRD’s close-knit community, creating new foundations of trust, from which new lives are built. The goal is to leave with a sustainable future and new “real world” takeaway skills, vocational or educational advancement, and a healed self and family.
We support reintegration through gradual acclimation through volunteerism, training and/or vocational assessment. Our tier-based, incentive-driven system of practical goal setting builds confidence and creates tangible accomplishments. Most importantly- we have fun. We make it quite clear that sober living doesn’t have to be somber living!
“My son came to Firebird Transformations sober, but unsure of himself and with atrophied life skills. Jay and his staff were instrumental in restoring his confidence and independent living abilities. My son is still sober and continues to work on those skills.”
-CY, Father
A Deeper Approach To Sober Living
Our curriculum is focused on intensive introspection, wellness of body-mind-soul, and group bonding experiences. We rigorously practice the Twelve Steps while integrating the latest research, to ensure recovery is not just a phase of healing but an aspect of enduring change, keeping pace with best practice in addiction science. We teach the power of choices, transparency, adaptability, tolerance of everyday stressors, and new ways of looking at the same old problems. We pair our Members to vetted Outpatient Clinicians and in the Asheville area, as a strong program recommendation for sustained wellbeing.
“Thanks so much to Jay and everyone at Firebird for providing me the much needed support to make changes in my life. Honestly, don’t know if I could of done this anywhere else.”
-C, Alumni
Natural Healing
Our Primary Program and center for all activities, The Kingfisher House in North Asheville, overlooks a beautiful mountain range, carp pond, and is just a minute away from Beaver Lake and Audubon Bird Sanctuary. The Redtail House (our Step-Down Program for Progressed Members or those in Advanced Recovery) in Northwest Asheville is convenient to both rural and urban opportunities, overlooks the Friday Night Lights of a revered area stadium, and provides the opportunity to live as “just regular people” in a neighborhood with great amenities and serenity to boot.
Both locations are just miles away from ziplining, whitewater rafting, and all kinds of outdoor adventure. We emphasize contact with the natural world as an aspect of growth, surrendering fear, and proving personal competence. While there is nothing like the unbounded natural splendor that surrounds us, it calls us to find that same creation within. Our outward world may be flawed- at times running off the rails- but at its heart we are all a people just seeking “to live simply that others may simply live.” What better lessons can we teach, and learn ourselves?
“Firebird is my most progressive experience in rehabilitation. An understanding approach with a stern backbone to support recovery. It proves you can have fun while maintaining something as serious as your sobriety.”
– J, Alumni
Our Call To Serve
Recovery to us is more than a clinical term. Recovery is an essential social justice movement to reclaim the value of living an impactful life. We are not simply a sober living program seeking to maintain the status quo. Per a recent NY Times article, “The death rate from drug overdoses is climbing at a much faster pace than other causes of death, jumping to an average of 15 per 100,000 in 2014 from nine per 100,000 in 2003.”
We need to be willing to be pioneering, spirited, courageous, and bold in the field, while putting our ethics and best practices above everything else to address this immediate need. We can’t afford not to, there’s too much at stake. Organizationally, our practice is collaboration over competition, for these very reasons.
“I’ve seen my son grow and mature, become more engaged with life and his self-esteem has risen. And he has embraced a sober life-style. There is still work to be done, however, which is why I’m so excited that he’ll be able to continue his journey through Firebird Transformations. Nothing is more important to me than my son’s wellbeing and I believe wholeheartedly that he is in the right program with the right people. I see the transformation taking place and I am hopeful for the future!”
– ND, Mother
We’re In This Together
We can’t reiterate enough how important it is that we examine addiction as a symptom of a larger social condition. Our American experience of addiction is unique in this sense. There’s never been a time in human history on such a massive scale where the reward center of the brain spends so little time being mis-stimulated. From the constant barrage of bells and whistles that “connect” us, the need to be entertained, the need to have our food come out just right, the need to assure 100% customer satisfaction, the need to be satisfied… we’ve unlearned how to be still, how to socially connect, how to withstand discomfort, and we’ve unlearned how to cope without the aid of some external thing.
That’s what our philosophy boils down to- addiction is not just about the drug, it’s about everything that leads up to the drug- including (and especially) childhood and adolescent traumas and impactful lessons learned, “rightly or wrongly.” If you only focus on the drug, the entire point of recovery has been missed.
We’re More Than Homes – This Is For Keeps
Our Primary Program, located at the Kingfisher House in North Asheville, serves both new and Continuing Care Members, as well as a gathering place for Community Stakeholders. We have developed many essential and progressive relationships with those in our local recovery community- and those far and wide. Professionals and those on the bleeding edge of (not just) Addiction Science but all of the Sciences which envelop a person’s Transformation are pivotal points to reach on our ongoing journey to make a legacy of difference.
Having an expansive array of support available to not just our Members, but to anyone reaching out in need, furthers the cause that recovery is not just a procedure or an episode in a personal history, but a social justice movement to reclaim the value of life. We intend to be a source of support beyond our Members and their Families, but for our Community. It’s the right thing to do.
A Complete Flightpath with Firebird
Beyond our Residential level of care, we offer a highly individualized Continuum of Care service, for our Alumni that remain in the area. The details of this plan are developed during exit planning, but the service includes: random screening, daily counseling sessions, case management, referral support, and emergency on-call coordination. More information is here, please contact us for customized services with our allied clinicians or for those looking for a “clubhouse” approach (non-Residential Mentorship care).
