Written by Anastasia Madden, Owner/Operator of Avalon Recovery House. No jargon, no pressure — the same straight answers we'd give you on the phone. Updated .
How sober living works, how it differs from a halfway house or rehab, who it's for, and why the place you live shapes recovery.
Read the guide No. 02Typical costs, what's included, how residents actually pay, and the truth about insurance coverage.
Read the guide No. 03What to look for, five questions to ask any operator, and the red flags that should end the conversation.
Read the guideWhere you are right now points to where to start. A sober living house is a substance-free home where people in recovery live together with structure, accountability, and peer support while they rebuild independent daily life — it is housing, not clinical treatment. If that idea is new to you, begin at the beginning; if you already know it and you're comparing your options, skip ahead.
If you or someone you love just left treatment and you're deciding what comes next, start with What is a sober living house? — it explains how sober living bridges the gap between a program and living fully on your own.
If you're weighing whether you can afford it, read How much does sober living cost? — what's typically included, how residents actually pay, and the honest truth about insurance.
If you're ready to tour homes and compare them, go to How to choose a sober living home in Richmond — the questions to ask any operator and the red flags that should end the conversation.
If you already know Avalon feels right, you can start an application any time — it's confidential, and you can call us first if you'd rather talk it through.
When someone searches for sober living, they're usually in one of the hardest weeks of their life — or trying to help someone who is. Much of what they find is either marketing dressed up as advice or clinical language that answers nothing. These guides are our attempt at a third option: the same plain answers we give on the phone, written down.
They're written by Anastasia Madden, who has owned and operated Avalon Recovery House since 2020, serving the Richmond and Henrico communities. The guidance applies to any sober living home, not just ours — including the questions that might lead you somewhere else. We'd rather you find the right home than the nearest one.
One important note: these guides cover housing, not healthcare. Sober living supports recovery; it doesn't replace clinical treatment. Decisions about detox or treatment should involve a qualified professional. If you're not sure where to start, call us anyway — (804) 585-8514 — and we'll point you in the right direction, whether or not that's Avalon.