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 guideWhen 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.