Thurston House

Once you have detoxed from alcohol or drugs Thurston House provides a safe and comfortable haven for you to continue your recovery from addiction and develop your new life.

Thurston House, a residential treatment centre for men, is based in a magnificent Georgian House with a large garden in Clapham in South West London.

There will be up to 22 men staying at any one time. People stay for between 3 and 6 months.

The treatment programme

You will be given your own tailor made treatment plan, based on the 12 step abstinence based model which is likely to consist of many different elements including:

One to one counselling

You will work with one counsellor in a confidential setting to talk through the issues that may have made you vulnerable to addiction.

Group work

You share your experiences of recovery with other people in a similar situation. You are able to develop your communication skills in a safe environment which can then be applied to your everyday relationships at home and at work when you leave Thurston House.

Relapse prevention

We will provide you with guidance on the best ways to ensure that you do not relapse.

Workshops and life skills groups

You will be invited to attend these training sessions which can be anything from our basic life skills coaching to developing more specific work based skills.

We provide advice on housing and other basic welfare issues.

Social activities

You will be invited to attend social activities and events which give you the opportunity to strengthen your relationships with others. Activities include anything from playing football to ice-skating.

Family work

We welcome family support and involvement in the recovery process.

Referral and support

You must be at least two weeks drug and alcohol free, have a desire to remain abstinent in the long term, be male and 18 years or over. Thurston House is ideally suited to individuals that have completed first stage treatment and are ready for second stage treatment. However, all cases will be explored individually. Some understanding of the 12-step abstinence based approach to recovery is helpful so that you know what to expect from the programme. Referrals are accepted from all sources including self-referrals.

Pre-treatment assessment

You are usually expected to attend for an assessment visit. If this is not possible, telephone assessments or prison visits may be carried out by arrangement. Reports from other agencies may be required, for example discharge summaries, social enquiry or psychiatric reports.

What next

Following completion of the programme, aftercare support is offered for one year. Thurston House encourages the use of Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and other 12-step fellowships for ongoing support.

Our team

You work with a small team of qualified counsellors and therapists with an expertise in addictions counselling and treatment.


For details of costs or for more information, please call 0845 126 4130 between 9am - 5pm or email us at thurstonhouse@actiononaddiction.org.uk.

  • The positive change in people from when they come in to when they leave can be remarkable. It really makes my job worthwhile to know that I can help them on that road.

    Jackie