House of Healing
Residential Programme
At Coming Home, we offer a long - term, faith-based residential home for those ready to walk away from addiction, depression, anxiety, and despair - and toward hope, healing, and lasting change. Our House of Healing is more than just a place to stay - it's a place to rebuild, renew, and restart life.
At our House of Healing, we recognise that addiction, homelessness, and destructive behaviours often stem from deep, unresolved trauma - abuse, neglect, abandonment, parental drug use and incarceration, domestic violence, and divorce/separation of parents. Rather than focusing solely on symptoms and behaviours, we work to uncover and heal the core wounds beneath them. Transformation begins when thought patterns are renewed and inner pain is resolved. Within our safe and loving community, emotional trauma is faced and healed in new and life-giving ways.
Our residential programme is built on commitment - because deep transformation doesn’t happen overnight. The minimum stay is one year, though experience shows that becoming a stable and whole person often takes about two years in the programme. Healing the heart, renewing the mind, and learning to live a healthy life takes time, effort, and perseverance. Our residents don’t just stop using substances; they begin walking in purpose, wholeness, and faith.
We walk alongside each person on their journey of healing and restoration - offering practical resources, emotional support, teaching, and training to help them regain hope, build healthy relationships, and thrive. Residents develop essential life skills such as understanding values and identity, managing emotions, effective communication, conflict resolution, decision-making, goal setting, financial stewardship, parenting, and building relationships. Therapeutic work supports growth in self-esteem, meaning, and purpose - laying a strong foundation for a new life.
A unique centre
Our programme consists of five stages with increasing levels of work, responsibility and freedom. Each resident moves through these stages at their own pace, supported by staff and peers. Peer support is built in, with senior residents helping to guide and encourage new participants; leadership opportunities are available throughout the journey. In the fifth and final stage, residents live independently while still receiving ongoing support and supervision. Upon successful completion, participants graduate from the programme, equipped with employment, housing, and a clear plan for the future. Graduates are also welcome to continue their involvement as volunteers at Coming Home, sharing their experience and hope with others.
Coming Home is not a clinical rehab for addiction or a shelter for homeless people – it is a place for those who are ready to pursue their healing and turn their lives around. Often, they have hit rock-bottom, their issues have become unbearable and uncontrollable, and they have no other hopeful option but to choose change. In our safe and loving community, residents can progress from surviving to thriving and experience what it means to be loved, valued and believed in.
Our name ‘Coming Home’ holds profound meanings. The House of Healing offers coming home to a safe home, to a new family, and to oneself. It also opens the way to coming home to one’s family, to community, and to God (God Father, Son Jesus, and Holy Spirit).
The impact of Coming Home extends far beyond our residents. As lives are restored, families are healed, friendships redefined, and communities strengthened. The healing of one person can send ripples of transformation in ever-widening circles. Parts of our programme are also open to community members, and we further host public seminars to increase understanding of topics that concern society.
Healing happens not in isolation, but in relationship and in the presence of love and God’s truth.
A Safe and Structured Environment
Our home is completely free from drugs, alcohol, and nicotine. Detoxification is required before entry; detox services are available at Thames Hospital. The use or possession of alcohol, nicotine, or drugs is strictly prohibited - both on and off the premises. Violation of this rule result in dismissal from the project. Regular and random testing is conducted. During the early stages, residents may not leave the premises without a supervisor. In later stages, they may go out under the peer supervision of an advanced resident. Measures are put in place to ensure that all participants and visitors are substance-free when entering as well as throughout their time in the programme. These boundaries safeguard the community and uphold our shared commitment to change, growth, and healing.
Coming Home operates within a framework of clear expectations and strict rules. Participants are required to follow the rules and engage fully in every part of the programme. If people repeatedly defy our rules and principles, they may leave the programme. Behaviours such as aggression, swearing, dirty language, violence, fighting, abuse, dishonesty, or stealing are not tolerated. Any transgression will be addressed appropriately and consequences given according to the severity of the incident. Repeated or serious violations may result in dismissal from the programme.
Our House Parent ensures that rules are upheld and that residents are supported in maintaining them. The residents are never left on their own - our dedicated team is present 24/7 to provide supervision, guidance, and care.
Each day follows an structured schedule designed to promote stability, personal growth, and spiritual development. This includes household responsibilities such as cooking and cleaning, morning devotionals, counselling sessions, work assignments, and recreational activities. Every resident is paired with a mentor, prayer minister and counsellor. They are also connected with a local GP (doctor), psychologist, and - when necessary - a psychiatrist. This multidisciplinary approach ensures comprehensive care for the body, mind, and spirit.
Residents are supported in facing the roots of anxiety, depression, and anger, as well as deep heart issues such as unforgiveness, resentment, anger, guilt, and shame. Through teaching, counselling, and community life, they learn to honour and respect both others and themselves. The programme emphasises personal responsibility, accountability, good values, and a healthy mindset. Over time, residents grow in honesty, respect, reliability, commitment, and integrity.
I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it. (Rev. 3:8)
What Sets Our Home Apart
Coming Home is one of the very few programmes in New Zealand that offers long-term residential care. While most other programmes last only a few weeks or months and end on a set date, Coming Home takes a different approach. We don’t send people away after a scheduled time span - instead, we make space for a healing journey that leads to true transformation. Residents can stay as long as needed to change, provided that we see willingness to change and commitment to the programme.
We are the only residential programme of this kind in the Thames-Coromandel and Hauraki Districts. Coming Home fills a gap in the provision of help for people who have tried other options, but find it hard to overcome substance abuse, homelessness, or mental health challenges. The nearest residential facilities offering addiction support are 1.5 hours away, - and their shorter stays often leave individuals vulnerable to relapse. Many people prefer to remain close to their roots and families, and Coming Home makes that possible.
Coming Home embraces a holistic concept. We recognise that spirit, soul, and body are a unity, and that healing concerns all areas. We work to uncover and address the root of pain and dysfunction, the causes that have led to the circumstances and conduct of the person. It is not just about symptom or behaviour management, but about healing the heart and and renewing the mind, leading to change and transformation from the inside out.
Our holistic approach also extends to all practical areas of life – family, finances, health, housing, work, and transport. By the time residents complete the programme and graduate, they will have a furnished place to live, have rebuild relationships with family, are debt-free and have savings available, have moved off the benefit, are in full-time employment or training, hold a driver license and own a vehicle. They live free from substances and compulsive behaviours and demonstrate positive character and a healthy lifestyle. A network of supportive friends, family, mentors, and counsellors is in place, ensuring lasting reintegration and visible resocialisation.
