Pura Vida Sober Living

“It's just weed” is one of the more common things families say to minimize a loved one's use — and one of the more common things that delays someone getting help.

Cannabis use disorder is real, clinically recognized, and can absolutely warrant treatment — especially with today's higher-potency products. Minimizing it doesn't protect anyone; it just postpones the conversation. Misuse and abuse of cannabis products can have a cumulative detrimental effect on relationships, employment, and physical /mental health.

If you have a loved one downplaying their use of THC, and what they're telling you doesn't seen to match what you're seeing, trust that instinct. Full post linked in bio.



https://pvrecovery.com/blog/marijuana-addiction-is-real-heres-what-to-know/

Recovery isn't just about what you stop doing. It's about what you start doing instead.

Community service and shared experience outside the facility are part of how clients practice being useful, connected, and present again — skills that don't come back automatically just because the substance use stopped.

Getting to treatment shouldn't be the reason someone doesn't go.

Through our partnership with Recovery Transportation Systems, clients without reliable transportation can still get to detox, residential, or outpatient care — free of charge. It's one of the more unglamorous parts of what we do, and one of the most practical.

Recovery Transportation Systems is a California 501(c)(3) non-profit that collaborates with addiction recovery centers to create unique transportation systems for their needs. Our systems allow recovery centers to tap into both ride share companies and volunteers, so they can provide reliable and efficient transportation for program participants committed to long term recovery.

Access isn't just about insurance. Sometimes it's just about a ride.

Meet our team: Dr. Amizetta Clark — Psychiatrist

Dr. Clark leads psychiatric care for clients managing both a substance use disorder and a co-occurring mental health condition — anxiety, depression, trauma, and more. The tandem approach is key, as treating one without the other rarely works.

In her own words: “I've watched too many people get sober, get sent home, and relapse within a month because nobody ever treated what was underneath. That's not a failure of willpower — that's a failure of care. People don't walk in with separate problems; they walk in with one life. That's why I treat both — it's important.”

📍 Santa Rosa, CA

Grief and addiction share more overlap than most people realize.

Loss — of a person, a relationship, an old version of yourself — can trigger substance use even years into recovery, because grief and craving activate a lot of the same emotional machinery. That's not a character flaw. It's a nervous system looking for the fastest available relief.

Naming that connection early is one of the most protective things you can do for your own recovery. Full post linked in bio.



https://pvrecovery.com/blog/how-grief-can-trigger-substance-use-and-ways-to-cope-healthily/

Meet Michelle Montalbano — the counselor who built our Friends & Family program from the ground up.

Her premise is simple: addiction doesn't just happen to one person, it reorganizes an entire family around it. Spouses, parents, and kids all develop their own coping patterns — some helpful, some not — long before anyone gets treatment.

In her own words: “It's easy to judge loved ones when they are in their addiction because it's difficult to understand their choices and behaviors. It's also not easy to set boundaries or find a way to accept. It can be so lonely for all involved. This is why education, empathy and compassion can support everyone in this disease that is really a family disease.”

If you're the family member wondering what your role even is right now, this program exists for exactly that question.

"There's no way I can afford treatment". This is probably the number one misconception that stops people from seeking help, but high-quality, life-changing treatment may just be more affordable than you think!

Pura Vida is in-network with most major insurance carriers such as Anthem, Aetna, Cigna, Blue Shield, TriWest, Tricare, and many more. We even have options for beneficiaries of Sonoma County MediCal. You can access months of treatment for as low as $0 out of pocket. Payment plans and financial aid are also available for those who qualify.

Don't let money concerns stop you from seeking help. Contact us with your plan information for a free & confidential benefits analysis. We will help you find care options that fit your clinical & financial needs, even if it's not with us.

Meet our team: Dr. Roderick Fontenette, MD — Medical Director

Before coming to our humble program, Dr. Roderick Fontenette served over 2 decades in the US Air Force, and triaged complex cases as an Emergency Medicine Physician in the ICU's and ER's of major hospitals. Here at Pura Vida, Dr. Rod brings his boundless expertise and superhuman energy to helping our clients manage their detox and early steps in treatment.

In his own words: “Meeting patients where they're at in their recovery journey and working with them to safely manage their withdrawal symptoms is the central focus of our detox and residential programs. Healing begins with trust and we want to lay that foundation early by delivering empathetic, personalized, and effective care from the moment that person decides they're ready to make a change.”

📍 Santa Rosa, CA

Not everyone is ready for residential treatment on day one. That's real, and it doesn't mean you're out of options.

Harm reduction, outpatient support, and honest conversations with people who won't shame you are all valid starting points. “Not ready for residential” is not the same as “not ready for help.”

If you're somewhere in between, that's exactly who our outpatient programs are for. We have daytime and evening options, as well as resources for beneficiaries of Sonoma County MediCal.

Contact us to explore what's possible in Recovery.
Link in bio.



https://pvrecovery.com/treatment/

Bohemian Magazine has named Pura Vida the Best Drug & Alcohol Treatment Program in the North Bay for 2026.

We want to be honest about what that actually means to us: it's not the award itself, it's who it represents — every clinician, house manager, and treatment support staff who shows up for our clients on their hardest days. The people we help end up representing us better than any marketing campaign ever could. We're so honored to have our hard work come back to us in the form of this prestigious distinction!

Thank you, North Bay.