It ’ s located in the Mid West region of Western Australia , a five-hour drive north from Perth , the nearest major city . Out here , multigenerational wheat and cattle farms butt up against beautifully ragged Australian bushland , whipped by winds so strong that , in some parts , trees actually grow sideways .

To find Hope Springs , keep your eyes peeled for the unmarked red gravel track leading off the highway , head past the grove of native wattle trees on the left and when you pull up , watch out for Lainey and Nudge , the community ’ s two rescue dogs . That ’ s part of the appeal of this place . The only people who can find it are the ones that are meant to be here . That want to be here .

Set on a sprawling 56-acre property , Hope Springs is a place of calm for those committed to their alcohol and other drug ( AOD ) recovery . It ’ s a 22-bed longterm residential rehabilitation facility , operated by not-for-profit organisation Hope Community Services ( HOPE ) and funded

through a mix of state and federal government contracts .

MUTUAL SUPPORT The facility operates under the therapeutic community model of treatment as defined by the Australasian Therapeutic Community Association . That is , it is a facility in which the community itself , through selfhelp and mutual support is the principle means for promoting personal change . Both residents and staff participate in the management and operation of the community , contributing to a psychologically and physically safe learning environment .

‘ A therapeutic community is a small representation – a microcosm – of the outside world ,’ explains Mohammed Anwaar , Hope Springs Therapeutic Community manager . ‘ It ’ s a place where people from all walks of life can come to work towards a common goal of AOD recovery .’

Daily life at Hope Springs is a highly structured programme of individual and group therapy sessions , daily work , fitness , recreation and creative pursuits . Moral reconation therapy ( MRT ) is the primary psychological approach used to guide residents through the stages of the therapeutic community .

Employed during therapy

sessions , and backed up by workbooks , assignments and speeches to the community , MRT aims to support residents to develop moral reasoning , better decision-making skills and healthy connections to others . Through the process they are also encouraged to set SMART ( specific , measurable , achievable , realistic and time-bound ) goals .

‘ We encourage residents to set one SMART goal a week , and they really vary – not every goal is about staying sober ,’ says Anwaar . ‘ Some residents set financial goals , some want to work on anger management , others want to enrol in a course . Many want to reconnect to family .’

KEEPING BUSY Outside of therapy sessions , residents are kept busy . Each resident is assigned to one of the three areas – kitchen , housekeeping or horticulture ( Hope Springs has its own shade house where vegetables are grown to feed the community ). Residents are also expected to be involved in ad hoc property maintenance .

Art therapy , yoga , creative writing and karate are also on the schedule . There ’ s even a 16-week permaculture learning programme available . Coined by two Australian environmentalists

‘ We encourage residents to set one SMART goal a week , and they really vary – not every goal is about staying sober .’

MOHAMMED ANWAAR

in the 1970s , permaculture – or ‘ permanent agriculture ’ – is focused on building sustainable and lasting agricultural systems that work with nature .

Central to the practice of permaculture are the three key ethics of earth care , people care and fair share . Put another way , permaculture encourages people to ask three questions ; How do my actions affect the earth ?

20 • DRINK AND DRUGS NEWS • MAY 2024

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