Acuwellness as a Complementary Support Within Our Residential, PHP, IOP, and Virtual IOP Programs
At Foundry Steamboat, auricular acupuncture, sometimes called AcuDetox, is offered as a complementary, body-based support alongside the evidence-based clinical care at the center of every treatment plan. It is not a stand-alone treatment for addiction. It is one calming, low-intervention tool our team may draw on to help your nervous system settle while the core work of recovery takes place.
Our team integrates acuwellness alongside comprehensive residential treatment and detox support, psychiatric care, individual and group psychotherapy, and family programming—a coordinated approach designed to address addiction at every layer.
What Is Auricular Acupuncture (AcuDetox)?
Auricular acupuncture is a form of acupuncture that focuses on specific points in the outer ear. The most widely used approach in addiction settings is the five-point protocol developed by the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA), often referred to as AcuDetox. A trained provider places several small, sterile needles in the ear, and you rest quietly for roughly 30 to 45 minutes.
The approach is used in many drug and alcohol treatment programs, hospitals, and community settings as a quiet, group-friendly way to support relaxation during recovery. It is low-intervention and generally well tolerated, which is part of why it is often offered as a complement to more intensive clinical work rather than as a treatment on its own.
It is important to be clear about what acupuncture is and is not. Acupuncture has not been shown to treat or cure addiction, and research specific to substance use outcomes is limited and mixed. At Foundry Steamboat, we offer it for what it can reasonably contribute — comfort, calm, and a sense of being cared for during a difficult process — and we are honest about its place within a larger, coordinated plan.
Why a Body-Based Practice Can Complement Recovery
For many people, addiction is bound up with a nervous system that has spent a long time in a state of stress, hypervigilance, or shutdown, often rooted in trauma. Talk therapy does essential work, but recovery is also a physical experience: restlessness, poor sleep, agitation, and the bodily discomfort of early sobriety are real obstacles.
Body-based practices like auricular acupuncture aim to work alongside therapy by offering a moment of physiological calm. Many people describe acupuncture sessions as grounding or relaxing, and some report it helps them feel more settled and present for the harder clinical work. These experiences vary from person to person, and they are best understood as supportive rather than curative.
This is why, when acupuncture is offered, it sits inside a structured, trauma-integrated program — not as a wellness add-on, but as one small, optional support woven into a coordinated continuum of care.
An Introduction to the Foundry Steamboat Men’s Residential Addiction Treatment Program
Gender-specific care makes addiction treatment more effective by tailoring programming around the needs of men and creating a comfortable environment where they feel open and engaged.
Deeply ingrained stigmas about addiction and stereotypes about manhood can be sources of profound stress and cause men to suffer in silence. Much of our work focuses on addressing and dispelling these myths, helping men live happier, more authentic lives.
We also address the common and debilitating problem of trauma and neglect, which men can experience at any point in their lives. Our trauma-integrated approach includes evidence-based modalities such as acuwellness, which may help regulate our sense of safety, connection, and threat.
Our highly experienced clinicians, technicians, nurses, doctors, and case managers are specially trained to maintain an emotionally and physically safe environment where clients feel supported and encouraged to do the hard work of treatment.
We’re here to do the work.
- Rigorous schedule of clinical therapy
- High staff-to-client ratio
- Integrated trauma therapy
- Compassionate and involved care team
- Integrated family program
- Comfortable and distraction-free treatment environment
- High quality ongoing care planning
How Auricular Acupuncture May Support Recovery
When clients find acuwellness helpful, the benefits our clinical team hears about most often include the following. These are potential, individual experiences, not guaranteed outcomes, and not a substitute for clinical treatment.
- A sense of calm and relaxation. Many people find the quiet, restful nature of a session helps ease tension during stressful stretches of early recovery.
- Support for stress and anxiety. Some clients report that regular sessions help them feel less keyed up. Research in this area is limited and mixed, so we frame this as a possible benefit, not a reliable effect.
- A comforting, low-pressure entry point. Because acupuncture asks nothing of you except to rest, it can be an accessible first experience of self-care for people who find talk therapy intimidating early on.
- A complement to engagement and retention. In some treatment settings, adjunctive acupuncture has been associated with people staying engaged in their program. The strongest research signal for AcuDetox is around treatment retention as an adjunct, rather than around reducing cravings or use directly.
- A shared, group-based ritual. Group AcuDetox sessions can foster a quiet sense of connection and routine, which can reinforce the structure recovery depends on.
These benefits are supportive, not guaranteed. Outcomes vary, acupuncture does not treat addiction on its own, and it is most appropriately used when integrated with the broader clinical, medical, and family support our programs provide.
When Acupuncture Is Appropriate in Recovery
Timing and clinical judgment matter. Acupuncture is offered selectively, where our clinical team believes it may be a helpful complement, not as a default for everyone.
It is not a substitute for medical detox. During active withdrawal, medical care and physical stabilization take priority. Any acupuncture during this period is a comfort measure layered on top of appropriate medical supervision, never a replacement for it.
It works best alongside a structured plan. Like other complementary supports, acuwellness is most appropriate when it sits within a container of clinical care, accountability, and routine. It complements treatment; it does not replace psychotherapy, medical care, medication when appropriate, or continuing care.
It is always optional. No part of recovery at Foundry Steamboat depends on acupuncture. Clients who are uncomfortable with needles or simply uninterested have a full clinical program available to them without it.
Acuwellness Within Foundry Steamboat’s Trauma-Integrated Care Model
Foundry Steamboat is a trauma-integrated treatment program. Trauma is not treated as a side issue or an add-on track, it is a central organizing principle of how our clinicians think about addiction. That orientation shapes when and how we use Acuwellness.
Rather than slotting Acuwellness into a generic schedule, our clinical team evaluates each client’s trauma history, nervous system stability, recovery stage, and goals before recommending trauma processing work. For some clients, Acuwellness is appropriate early in care. For others, the more important first step is stabilization, building grounding skills, strengthening regulation tools, and getting medical and psychiatric support fully in place before targeted memory processing begins.
Acuwellness at Foundry Steamboat is offered alongside individual and group psychotherapy, psychiatric care, evidence-based modalities such as CBT and DBT, family programming through our Michael Barnes Family Institute work, and continuing care planning.
Where Acuwellness Fits in Your Continuum of Care
Acuwellness is available within several of Foundry Steamboat’s levels of care. The right starting point depends on the severity of substance use, the presence of co-occurring mental health conditions, the stability of the home environment, and the client’s history with prior treatment. Our admissions team can help you understand which level of care fits your situation.
Residential Addiction Treatment
Our men’s residential program in Steamboat Springs provides 24/7 clinical and medical support in a structured, distraction-free setting.
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
PHP offers intensive day treatment for clients who need a structured clinical container while transitioning out of residential or stepping up from outpatient care.
Wellness Activities & Recreation
At Foundry Steamboat, we help men learn how to use movement, sitness training, individual and group recreation, and mindfulness.
Learn to redevelop strong relationships is also an essential part of our care.
Continuing Care Planning
We strive to develop comprehensive and practical continuing care plans allowing men to access affordable, high-quality doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, support groups, and other recovery resources close to home.
How Auricular Acupuncture Works
Acupuncture is rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, which understands health in terms of balance and the flow of energy through the body. In the auricular approach, specific points on the outer ear are treated with fine needles.
In modern clinical settings, the more commonly discussed mechanism is the nervous system. Resting quietly while gentle stimulation is applied to the ear may help shift the body toward a calmer state, which can feel grounding during the stress of early recovery.
It is worth repeating that the scientific picture is unsettled. Acupuncture has been used in addiction treatment for decades and many practitioners and clients value it, but high-quality research has not consistently demonstrated that it reduces substance use or prevents relapse. We offer it as a complementary comfort and regulation support, and we are transparent about the limits of the evidence.
Who Acupuncture May Be a Good Fit For:
Auricular acupuncture may be a helpful complement for a range of adults in treatment at Foundry Steamboat. It may be especially worth exploring if you recognize yourself in one or more of the following.
- Adults carrying high stress or chronic tension. A quiet, restful practice may offer a moment of relief during a demanding process.
- Clients with anxiety or difficulty settling. Some people find body-based supports help them feel more grounded, though experiences vary.
- People who find talk therapy intimidating at first. Acupuncture asks little of you and can be an accessible early experience of self-care.
- Clients who value routine and ritual. Group sessions can reinforce the structure that recovery depends on.
- Adults with co-occurring substance use and mental health conditions. When used alongside clinical care, complementary supports may contribute to a sense of stability, never as a treatment for the underlying conditions themselves.
Acupuncture is optional and available where clinically appropriate to adult men in our residential program and to adults of all genders in PHP, IOP, and (for in-person components) where logistics allow. If you are unsure whether it is right for you, our admissions team can talk through your situation and recommend a level of care.
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Acupuncture & Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions
Many of the adults we treat live with both substance use and a co-occurring mental health condition such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, complex trauma, bipolar disorder, ADHD, or personality-spectrum concerns.
For some of these clients, a calming, body-based practice may offer modest support, for example, easing the physical restlessness that can accompany anxiety. We are careful, though, not to overstate this. Co-occurring conditions are treated with integrated, evidence-based clinical care; acupuncture is at most a small complement to that work, not a treatment for any mental health condition.
Treating either substance use or mental health in isolation tends to produce fragile results, which is why our integrated, trauma-aware model addresses both together.
What Makes Foundry Steamboat Different
Trauma-Integrated Care Model Trauma is not a supplementary track in our programming. It is central to how our clinicians understand addiction and how our care is structured. Complementary supports like acupuncture are offered only in service of that clinical approach.
Coordinated Continuum of Care Detox, men’s residential, PHP, IOP, and Virtual IOP are connected components of a single program, not siloed services. Your continuing care plan begins early and adapts as you progress.
Family Programming Built In
Through our Michael Barnes Family Institute work, family systems support is part of treatment rather than an optional add-on. Loved ones receive structured education, coaching, and the chance to participate in recovery alongside the client.
Gender-Specific Residential, All-Gender Outpatient
Our men’s residential program is built around the specific recovery needs of adult men. Our PHP, IOP, and Virtual IOP programs serve adults of all genders.
Clinically Serious, Not Lifestyle-Led
Foundry Steamboat is a clinically intensive program. Our care model prioritizes evidence-based treatment, coordinated clinical decision-making, and outcomes awareness over amenity-led positioning, which is exactly why we present complementary supports like acupuncture honestly and in proportion.
Our Steamboat Springs, Colorado Treatment Center Location
Find peace and support at our beautiful and serene 40-acre ranch-style treatment center in Steamboat Springs, about 30 minutes from the center of town.
This private and peaceful setting includes a comfortable main residence with ample space, comfortable bedrooms, and a kitchen that creates delicious meals using produce grown in our own gardens and greenhouse.
Testimonials
They saved my life. Now 90 days sober/clean. By far the best clinical and therapeutic care I’ve ever experienced in my life. I had been to drug/alcohol treatment before and this is not the same. The staff and physicians actually care about what happens to you and will fight your insurance for more time. Please understand that not everyone will get 90 days but if you are prepared to pay for it out of pocket please do!!! They will work with you and find a payment plan that works. — C.B.
The Foundry’s beautiful setting is matched by their progressive approach in addressing the complex problem of addiction in a complete holistic program that is flexible and adaptable for anyone and everyone. With resources for those in recovery and also their families The Foundry is an amazing place to start a lifelong healing journey. — X.B.
My perspective is that of a parent whose son was at The Foundry for a short time. His serious mental illness did not allow him to stay, however I can say that the Foundry tried everything they could and eventually did right by all of us and our family. I sincerely wish them well, and they will do well because they have they have the residents’ best interest at heart – which is recovery, from addiction and/or mental illness. — C.C.
Such a truly lovely center. They helped my best friend so much. The staff was so obviously caring and I dont know where he’d be without them — K.L.
Our Steamboat Springs, Colorado Location
Foundry Steamboat is located at 1915 Alpine Plaza C3, Steamboat Springs, CO 80487, in Northwest Colorado’s Yampa Valley. Our residential program facility sits on a 40-acre ranch-style property about thirty minutes from the center of town, in a structured, recovery-supportive mountain environment. Our outpatient programming is accessible to clients across Colorado, and Virtual IOP extends access to clients who cannot travel to in-person care.
We treat clients from across Colorado, from the Denver and Boulder metro areas, to Colorado Springs, to rural Western Colorado towns, and beyond.
Insurance and Medicaid Coverage for Addiction Treatment
Foundry Steamboat is in-network with Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Multi-Plan, Rocky Mountain Health, UnitedHealthcare, and proudly accepts all Colorado Medicaid plans. We can work with most major insurance plans.
Please get in touch with an experienced member of our admissions team to verify your insurance benefits, which is a simple and quick process. Foundry Steamboat works with most insurance plans to make its care highly accessible.
Finding out if Foundry Steamboat is covered by your insurance is easy!
Just call us at (844) 955-1066.
Acuwellness Within a Coordinated, Evidence-Based Plan
Acupuncture is one small, optional complement. Lasting recovery is built on a coordinated plan that addresses substance use, mental health, family systems, and the practical realities of returning to daily life. At Foundry Steamboat, acupuncture, when clinically appropriate and wanted, sits alongside:
- Individual and group psychotherapy
- Psychiatric care and medication management when appropriate
- Evidence-based modalities such as CBT and DBT
- Family programming, including structured education and coaching for loved ones
- Continuing care planning that begins on your first day, not your last
The point is integration. Recovery is not a sequence of disconnected services, and it is certainly not built on any single complementary modality. It is a coordinated direction of care that adapts as you move through it.
Begin Addiction Treatment at Foundry Steamboat
Substance use, and the trauma that often sits beneath it, is treatable. There is never a wrong time to seek help, and there is no obligation in reaching out. Our admissions team can answer your questions, verify your insurance, and help you understand whether residential, PHP, IOP, or Virtual IOP is the right starting point, and whether complementary supports like acupuncture are available at that level of care.
If Foundry Steamboat is not the right fit, our team will help you identify an appropriate alternative. Either way, the next conversation does not have to be a commitment, it can simply be a place to start.
Next Steps
- Our straightforward admissions process
- What to bring to treatment at Foundry Steamboat
- Help getting a professional referral
- Meet the team at Foundry Steamboat
- Making waves: Foundry in the media
- Mental health and addiction resources on our blog
Meet Our Wellness Program Director
Kim Brooks, CAT, AAT
Kim Brooks has been with the Foundry in Steamboat Springs since 2015. As Wellness Director, she engages clients in activities to foster whole body wellness with the goal of creating lasting interests and habits that lead to a fulfilling life. Kim enjoys continuously learning and growing and loves being outside, whether it’s pushing her physical limits in endurance sports or finding solace deep in Wilderness Areas. She believes that remaining curious and finding wonder in daily life is important in countering the stresses that our modern lives bring.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acuwellness in Addiction Recovery
Here are some questions people also ask about Acuwellness for addiction treatment and holistic recovery frameworks more generally.
Is acupuncture a treatment for addiction?
No. Acupuncture is a complementary support, not a treatment for addiction. It does not replace psychotherapy, medical care, medication when appropriate, or continuing care. We offer it for the comfort and calm some people find in it, alongside a full clinical program.
Is acupuncture for addiction backed by science?
The evidence is limited and mixed. Auricular acupuncture has been used in addiction treatment for decades, and the most consistent research signal is around its possible role as an adjunct that may support treatment engagement. High-quality studies have not consistently shown that it reduces substance use or prevents relapse, so we describe its benefits cautiously.
What is AcuDetox?
AcuDetox usually refers to the five-point ear acupuncture protocol developed by the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA). It involves several small needles placed in the outer ear while you rest quietly, and it is the form of acupuncture most commonly used in addiction settings.
Does it hurt?
Most people find auricular acupuncture comfortable. The needles are very fine, and many clients describe the experience as calming or relaxing. If you are uncomfortable with needles, acupuncture is always optional.
Can acupuncture replace medical detox?
No. During active withdrawal, medical care and physical stabilization come first. Any acupuncture during this period is a comfort measure on top of appropriate medical supervision, never a substitute for it.
Will my insurance cover acupuncture?
Acuwellness is a complementrary part of our residential treatment and PHP services. If your insurance covers your residential treatment and PHP stay, acupuncture is covered as well, as it is not a stand-alone cost to you. Acuwellness services are also optional.
