Transformational Growth
People suffering from drug and alcohol use can find a ray of hope and receive life-changing treatment at The Garden Recovery & Wellness Center.
At the absolute lowest point of her beloved nephew’s years-long struggle with drug addiction, Michele Lugiano and the rest of her family simply hoped that they could keep him alive. He was not working, living on the streets and refusing all of their attempts to get him into treatment, and their greatest fear was that he would lose the battle like so many others had before him.
Fortunately, his story did not end there. He eventually got the help he needed and recently celebrated four years of sobriety.
“I could not be more proud of him,” Lugiano says. “He’s a homeowner now and he has two children and a great job. He has really worked hard and surpassed all of our hopes and dreams.”
Her nephew has not only gotten his life back on track, but he regularly speaks at high schools and colleges to warn teens and young adults about the effects of drug use. He has also inspired Lugiano to give back to other local families who are going through the same ordeal as hers.
In addition to her 30-plus-year career as an independent financial advisor, Lugiano now also serves as the Outreach Specialist for The Garden Recovery & Wellness Center in Cherry Hill and strives to educate area residents about its life-changing benefits.
“If I can help one more person succeed like he did, that would make me truly happy,” she says. “I was thinking about the old saying, ‘If you like what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.’ That’s kind of how I feel about this. It brings me joy helping other people, and that’s why I’m doing it. My goal is to let others know about this treatment center, how great it is and what separates it from other treatment centers.”
The Garden Recovery & Wellness Center specializes in drug and alcohol rehabilitation as well as mental health treatment, providing a plan customized to each patient in a high-end, comfortable facility. Offering both outpatient counseling and sober living housing, its programs include individual, group and family therapy, trauma-informed care, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, 12-step facilitation, life skills development and medication management.
Activities like yoga and art therapy are also available to give patients an enjoyable way to express themselves.
“What makes this treatment center different is that they don’t just look at the disease and what is wrong with you,” Lugiano says. “They focus on what is right with you, the strengths you have and the abilities you possess inherently within you.”
What’s more, many of the counselors and members of the leadership team have experienced addiction themselves.
“That is definitely an integral part of the treatment center being successful,” Lugiano says. “My only experience is through my nephew, but to learn from people who have actually stepped through the process and were successful doing it is important. It’s real-life experience, so the advice that you’re getting is authentic—because they’ve been through it.”
Lugiano is no stranger to supporting great causes. A star basketball player in the 1980s at Gloucester Catholic—the alma mater of her mother—she also sent her twins, Mia and Garrett, to the school and is still connected to its mission in several ways. That includes serving as the chair of a golf outing she started with hockey star Johnny Gaudreau in 2017. After the tragic passing of Johnny and his brother Matthew, it was renamed the Gaudreau Family Golf Outing.
“I continue to chair the event to help the Gaudreau family honor the boys by keeping their giving spirit alive,” she says.
As for her work with The Garden Recovery & Wellness Center, Lugiano wants to keep spreading awareness and to be a resource for any individuals or families seeking treatment. She is happy to get on the phone, walk them step by step through the process, answer any questions they have and 100% protect their confidentiality.
“My history with my nephew was difficult at times, but also so rewarding,” she says. “I try to help other families going through the difficult part and let them know that the positive outcome is so possible.”
The Garden Recovery & Wellness Center
Cherry Hill
(856) 207-0120
SIDEBAR
A Personalized Approach
At The Garden Recovery & Wellness Center, the team is committed to meeting each person where they are in the process and giving them a compassionate, invested support system to help overcome every challenge along the way.
“We see each person as much more than a diagnosis, a set of symptoms or the difficult experiences that brought them to treatment,” says Clinical Director Laura Hannifan. “We see our clients exactly as they are. Guided by Radiancy Health’s PHOS Framework, our approach combines positive psychology, health through Salutogenesis, meaningful outcomes and personal strengths.
“Salutogenesis guides our approach by focusing on how health and well-being are created, not simply only on what causes illness. Our curriculum supports this whole-person approach through mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress-tolerance skills, identity and values work, self-compassion, inner child work, healthy relationships, nervous-system awareness, movement and practical opportunities to apply new skills in everyday life."
