A spirit of service has animated the work of Willingway since its founding in 1971. As Willingway celebrates 50 years of helping people overcome substance use disorders, our commitment to personalized, evidence-based, compassionate care continues to drive our work. We are proud of our history and excited for the future as we help individuals reclaim their sobriety—and their lives.
Willingway’s Roots
Willingway grew out of the work of Dr. John and Dot Mooney, a surgeon and a nurse who found themselves struggling with addiction. After experiencing the debilitating effects of addiction, they regained their sobriety and set about helping others to do the same, turning their own home into a treatment center for those with substance use disorders. Five decades—and over 20,000 clients—later, Willingway remains a private, family-operated facility located on a beautiful 11-acre wooded campus.
Feel at Home While Getting Help
What makes Willingway truly special is a unique blending of top-notch detoxification and rehabilitation services with a home-like environment.
When it comes to treatment for substance use disorders, we are equipped for, and experienced in, serving those dealing with medically complicated situations or who might be facing a particularly difficult detoxification. Our medical staff is highly trained, and several staff members have been with Willingway for better than 35 years.
Meanwhile, we do our work in an environment designed to make you feel welcome, respected, and cared for. Each room at Willingway is private and has a double bed, a desk, its own bath, and individual temperature controls for each person’s comfort. We serve three healthy home-cooked meals each day, and a 24-hour snack bar is a wonderful place for residents to gather together socially. Our lovely campus provides a variety of outdoor recreation options, and we have a pool and gym equipment available as well.
Perhaps most importantly, we know each person by name and as an individual, which allows us to create a warm, inviting, personal experience for everyone we help.
Serving the Whole Person—& the Whole Family
Our philosophy of treatment is grounded in the notion that a substance use disorder is an illness that impacts the whole person—the body, the emotions, the mind, and the soul. More than that, it is a disease that impacts the whole family.
As a result, Willingway offers a five-day Family Program that is included at the end of inpatient treatment for a substance use disorder. Strong, supportive family relationships are absolutely essential for those who are in recovery from a substance use disorder, so we invite spouses and other family members to participate in this important program. Our Family Program can help heal broken relationships, which is also a key part of maintaining sobriety over time.
Expanding of Services & Always Looking Forward
There is no doubt that 50 years of service is a significant milestone. But we are not resting on our laurels. Instead, we are committed to expanding our services even further to ensure that we can help as many individuals as possible.
The Pines at Willingway is a perfect example of this approach. This 20-bed facility for young people between the ages of 14 and 18 brings our expertise and compassion to adolescents who are struggling with a substance use disorder. A safe haven for teenagers who need a fresh start, The Pines at Willingway addresses the specific needs of young people so that they can enter adulthood having moved past an addiction to drugs or alcohol and into the recovery journey.
Willingway has also become PsychArmor certified and joined the VA Community Care Network, giving us the expertise and resources necessary to provide robust substance use disorder treatment services to those who have served our country in the military. Our Veterans Program recognizes the ways in which military service can lead to difficulties once a person returns to civilian life. When those difficulties result in the development of a substance use disorder, Willingway can help our country’s heroes get back on track.
If You Need Help, the Most Important Moment Is Right Now
We are excited to celebrate 50 years of important work. And we’re excited about all the lives we might touch in the future. But if you are a person struggling with substance use disorder, the most important time is not the past or the future. It’s the present. You need to get help right now.
At Willingway, you can find that help in an environment well-suited for recovery and restoration. Let us put our experience to work for you so that you can build a drug-free life.
