LIBERTY, NY — Paul Pellinger, chief strategy officer at the Recovery Unplugged Treatment Centers in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and Austin, Texas, visited a combined meeting of the Sullivan County Rural Health Network and Drug Task Force in Liberty on July 11.

Pellinger, who has been involved in the treatment of substance abuse and mental health for over 26 years, was born and raised in Sullivan County.

A press release outlining his company’s treatment program said, “In addition to traditional talk therapy, Recovery Unplugged uses individually prescribed music therapy as its key modality. Clients don’t have to be musicians, or even musically inclined to benefit from the program. After its first 32 months of operation, the number of Recovery Unplugged patients still clean exceeded by three times the national average for addicts who have completed rehab programs. The facility also has less than a 9% AMA rate (clients who leave Against Medical Advice before completing their programs), compared to the 43% national average. This is important because it’s been proven that the longer the treatment, the better chance at long-term recovery.”

According to Pellinger, the music helps addicts identify with specific melodies and lyrics in order to explore and better understand the root causes of their addiction. Music plays an important role in breaking down emotional and psychological barriers, becoming a catalyst for introspection and communication.

Nancy McGraw, director of Rural Health Network in Sullivan County, said the audience was “very interested in the approach he’s taking to recovery. It’s extremely innovative. It’s also important to help the public understand that we need to reduce the stigma associated with recovery and meet people on the level they’re at, and (music) would seem to be a great way to make connections.”