Residential treatment in Nairobi

Rehab Treatment Programmes in Kenya for Addiction & the Conditions Beneath It

Most addictions don’t appear in isolation — they sit on top of trauma, depression, anxiety, or unresolved family dynamics. Our 90-day residential programme treats the addiction and what’s driving it, in one place, with one clinical team.

NACADA registered

National Authority for the Campaign Against Drugs

KMPDU Level 3B

Registered medical facility

SHA insurance accepted

Social Health Authority cover

4.7 stars on Google

Across 100+ reviews

1,500+ clients

Treated since 2018

Our treatment approach

Addiction is rarely just a substance problem. By the time someone reaches a rehab, the substance use is usually the most visible symptom of something deeper — childhood trauma, untreated depression, anxiety, grief, or a family system under stress. Treatment that addresses only the substance use tends to fail, often within months.

Our programme is built around the biopsychosocial model. We treat the biological dimension (medical detox, psychiatric medication where needed), the psychological dimension (individual therapy, trauma processing), and the social dimension (family therapy, peer community, structured routine). All three happen at the same time, with one coordinated clinical team.

Holistic and biopsychosocial

Medical, psychological, and social care delivered together. The detox, the therapy, the family work, and the daily structure are coordinated by a single team, not handed off between providers.

Trauma-focused

Most addictions trace back to unprocessed trauma. We are among the few centres in Kenya offering structured trauma-focused therapy as part of every programme.

Family-inclusive from day one

Addiction is a family illness. We involve close family members throughout the programme with structured family therapy and education on how to support recovery without enabling it.

Relapse prevention built in

Addiction is a chronic, relapsing condition. The last phase of every programme is structured aftercare planning, so the transition home is the start of recovery, not the end of treatment.

Conditions we treat

We treat substance use disorders and the mental health conditions that commonly accompany them. If you’re not sure which programme fits your situation, the simplest step is to call us — we’ll talk through it with you, free of charge.

Alcohol addiction

Alcohol use disorder covers a wide spectrum — from daily heavy drinking to binge patterns tied to weekends or money. Our 90-day programme includes medical detox where needed, psychiatric assessment, and treatment for the underlying drivers — typically anxiety, depression, or unprocessed trauma. Family therapy is built in throughout.

Drug addiction

We treat substance use disorders involving cannabis, heroin, cocaine, prescription medication, methamphetamine, and other drugs. Each treatment plan begins with a full medical and psychiatric assessment, since the right detox protocol and the right medication depend on the substance and on what else is going on underneath.

Mental health conditions

Depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress are common — both as drivers of addiction and as standalone conditions. Our consulting psychiatrist manages psychiatric medication where it’s needed, alongside the talking therapies that do the longer-term work.

Dual diagnosis

When addiction sits alongside a psychiatric condition, treating one without the other tends to fail. Our integrated programme treats both simultaneously, with one clinical team and one treatment plan — not two separate referrals handed back and forth.

Inside the 90-day programme

Research consistently shows 90 days as the minimum for lasting behavioural change in addiction recovery. We only admit clients who commit to the full programme. Here is how those 90 days are structured.

1
Phase 1

Assessment and detox

Days 1–14

Medical and psychiatric assessment, supervised detox where needed, three baseline lab tests, and the start of one-on-one counselling. The most medically intensive phase — closely monitored by our nursing team and consulting physician.

2
Phase 2

Stabilisation and individual therapy

Days 15–45

Daily psychoeducation classes, individual therapy, trauma processing, and the first family therapy sessions. Routine returns. Clients begin to engage with the underlying causes of their addiction rather than just managing withdrawal.

3
Phase 3

Group work and family integration

Days 46–75

Deeper group work, ongoing family therapy, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings every Friday, and introduction of the 12 Steps or Journey to Freedom faith-based programme. Peer relationships within the cohort become an important part of recovery.

4
Phase 4

Relapse prevention and transition

Days 76–90

Relapse prevention planning, transition support, and a clear aftercare plan involving the family. Discharge is structured rather than abrupt — clients leave with a written plan and a clear next step.

After discharge, we continue to support clients and families through structured follow-up. The 90 days is the beginning of long-term recovery, not the end of treatment.

What daily life looks like

Recovery requires structure, but it also requires rest, connection, and physical wellbeing. The daily schedule balances all three.

Clinical activities (Mon–Fri)

Wellness and recreation

Phones are limited during the programme — this protects focus on recovery and reduces exposure to outside triggers. Supervised, scheduled phone access is provided for staying in touch with close family and handling important matters.

Who you'll be working with

Treatment is delivered by a multidisciplinary team with more than 40 years of combined experience in addiction medicine and mental health.

Consulting psychiatrist / physician

Conducts psychiatric assessment, manages medication for any underlying conditions, and oversees the medical side of detox.

Psychiatric nurses

Provide 24-hour nursing care during detox and throughout the programme. The first point of contact for any medical concern.

Addiction therapists

Deliver individual and group therapy, trauma-focused work, and the structured psychoeducation classes that run Monday to Friday.

Peer counsellors

Recovered individuals who facilitate AA meetings and bring lived experience into the daily psychoeducation work.

Nutritionist

Designs meal plans that support recovery — addressing the nutritional deficits that almost always accompany active addiction.

A differentiator

Addiction is a family illness

Most rehabs treat the individual and send the family home with little guidance. We do the opposite. Family members participate in structured therapy sessions throughout the programme — learning what addiction actually is, how to support recovery without enabling the addiction, and how to begin repairing the relationships addiction has damaged.

We do this because the evidence is clear: clients whose families are engaged in their treatment relapse less, recover faster, and rebuild stronger relationships afterwards.

Questions families ask us most

Call us. We’ll talk through the situation with you — free of charge and without pressure — and either recommend a programme or, if Primrose isn’t the right fit, point you toward somewhere that is. Most callers haven’t fully figured out what they’re dealing with yet, and that’s normal.

Involuntary rehabilitation is legal in Kenya. Addiction affects the part of the brain responsible for self-awareness, so a person often cannot make this decision for themselves. Many of our clients arrived through family intervention and later thanked the family for taking that step. Call us — we’ll help you think through the right approach.

A minimum of 90 days. Research and our own experience confirm this as the threshold for lasting change. We only admit clients who commit to the full programme — it’s a condition of admission, because shorter stays consistently produce worse outcomes.

We offer shared accommodation — rooms for 2, 4, or 6 people. This is intentional. Shared rooms support safety monitoring (some clients have suicidal thoughts during early recovery), break the self-isolating patterns of active addiction, and build the peer community that supports recovery. Many clients say this is the most healing part of the programme.

Yes, but only for clients who want it. We offer the 12 Steps programme (rooted in AA’s spiritual framework) and a separate Journey to Freedom faith-based programme. Clients who prefer purely secular treatment can opt out of both. Spirituality is offered, never imposed.

Take the first step today

Calling us costs nothing. We won’t pressure you. We’ll listen to your situation, explain how we work, and help you decide whether Primrose is the right fit — or recommend an alternative if it isn’t.

Available 24/7. Confidential.