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Clinical Services

At New Directions for Women, we believe in redefining the narrative of addiction. We live by the mantra that you are not what you struggle with. The struggle is the problem, not the person. Everything about our work is built on this core belief.

Woman talking to therapist

Our Goals and Mindset

Our goal as clinicians is to maintain a stance of constant curiosity as we walk alongside women in recovery. We aim to empower women by asking questions that evoke unique insight and promote holistic health.

We believe treatment for addiction is dynamic, because people are dynamic. Our clinical services are intended to support recovering women as they grow, change, and evolve. With the services we offer, we aim to help women redefine the way they view addiction — not as the defining part of their lives, but as one of the many stories within their lives.

Addiction is something that millions of people struggle with throughout their lifetimes. We help women build identities apart from addiction by helping them rewrite their narratives and engage in a new relationship with themselves and their loved ones.

What Sets Us Apart?

We believe in the use of many traditional treatment strategies, including psychoeducational groups, evidenced-based practices and therapeutic meetings. In addition, we build the basis of our treatment strategy on dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) and narrative therapy. We aim to maintain the foundations laid by these strategies and couple them with love, excellence, and creativity. 

The ultimate goal of New Directions for Women is to create an empowering experience where women take hold of their own lives.

We understand you have a multitude of options when choosing where to send your loved ones to treatment. We want to make that an easy decision for you by offering a sanctuary where you will be met with the opportunity to find yourself, either again or for the first time. 

In addition, we know that staying engaged in the treatment and recovery process for addiction can be hard. That’s why we strategically plan our days to support and enrich the mind, body, and spirit. This approach bolsters the overall process of recovery and the short-term process of moving through treatment.

Group room at NDFW

We are recognized as a licensed substance use treatment facility in the state of California, accredited by CARF.

We offer detoxification, residential, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient levels of care.

Clinical Services: Our Foundation

Below, you’ll find an outline of the services we offer and what you can expect when you receive treatment from New Directions for Women. 

Gender-Specific Treatment

Line drawing of a woman

New Directions for Women was developed solely with women in mind. Established in 1977, it was one of the first treatment centers for women in the United States. Since the 70s, our team has worked tirelessly to meet the specific needs of a powerful group of diverse women, regardless of background or circumstances.

Psychiatric Support and Care

Line drawing of a butterfly

We believe that psychiatric support can play an integral role in recovery from addiction. Our staff ensures that each client receives the psychiatric support needed throughout the treatment process.

Personal Treatment Plan

Line drawing of a woman

Treatment at New Directions for Women begins with a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment completed by our clinical staff. This assessment allows us to not only gain a deeper understanding of the specific needs of the client, but also supports our team in developing a more comprehensive and individualized treatment plan.

Group and Individual Therapy

Line drawing of leaves

Group and individual therapy are the foundations of all effective treatment programs. We work with a treatment curriculum that is innovative and dynamic, primarily focusing on dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) and narrative therapy. We use these therapeutic techniques to help women rewrite their own stories and find freedom, empowerment, and self-acceptance. 

In addition to one-on-one therapy, our treatment program provides each client with the opportunity to explore and experience a wide range of group topics and activities. Our group therapy sessions help women in recovery build a sense of community and mutual support, reminding everyone in the group that they’re far from alone.

Discharge Planning

Line drawing of a clipboard

Beginning in the first week of treatment, clients collaborate with a case manager to determine what the best next steps are for them. The discharge plans we use at New Directions for Women are fluid and adaptable and change throughout a client’s stay. We use these plans to facilitate recovery beyond our campus and support clients after they finish their inpatient treatment.

Family Support

Line drawing of a pregnant woman

Family support is an integral part of the work we do at New Directions for Women. We know that “family” doesn’t always mean the traditional nuclear family — it’s often the client’s family of choice. Our hope is to bring supportive figures into each client’s life and educate family members on the impact of substances.

Our Family Psychoeducation series takes place weekly on Saturdays and consists of an hour of psychoeducation, an hour of processing, and visiting time between a client and their loved one. Topics for Family Psychoeducation include the biology of addiction, the impact of addiction, addiction and relationships, and creating narratives of health and sustainability. This group is also available on Zoom for families not able to make it in person.

In addition to the family group, we offer a community support group consisting of alumna families. This group is peer-led on Monday evenings. The community support group is a place for families to be encouraged by others walking through the same process. 

In addition, we contact a family once their loved one arrives at NDFW and provide weekly progress updates thereafter.

We offer several additional resources for our clients’ families, including:

  • Daily Childcare to support moms in recovery
  • Daily Zoom classes through BizKids, a local non-profit that teaches the important life skills necessary to overcome adversity and to promote a healthy lifestyle
  • Facilitating off-site therapy for kids with the California Family Institute, a local non-profit

Day-to-Day at New Directions for Women

Here’s what you can expect from a stay at New Directions for Women.

Clinical Services

Nutritious Food

We believe nutrition plays an important role in the recovery process — and in any woman’s life. Our on-site chef prepares a continental breakfast for our inpatient clients, as well as two hot meals each day.

Reiki and Yoga

Our team includes on-site yoga and reiki practitioners, who work with our clients throughout the week.

Reiki is an alternative healing experience that is facilitated by energy work. This offering allows women to connect with emotions stored in the body in a unique way and can be an integral part of the path to self-discovery and empowerment.

In addition, we use yoga to help women stay grounded and connected with themselves while building community with others in recovery.

Holistic treatment at NDFW
Cheerful young woman painting pottery at workshop

Creative Expression

Our clients spend time in a creative setting that emphasizes the power of the arts and utilizes mediums such as music, visual art, and poetry. The intention of the group is to introduce clients to the many ways that creative expression is therapeutic and helpful in everyday life. We also introduce art as a coping skill to self-regulate emotions when triggered and to communicate with others.

Recreational Outings

The New Directions for Women facility is surrounded by wide open space for time spent in the great outdoors. Our clients can participate in various therapeutic and recreational activities while staying at the facility, including:

  • Hikes
  • Ropes Course Challenges
  • Frisbee Golf
  • Beach Volleyball
  • Whale Watching
  • Fishing

These activities encourage client participation in clean and sober recreation and strengthen the bond between women in recovery.

Scenic sunset over the Pacific ocean.
Young women telling their stories in therapy session or support group meeting. Female team talking, sharing news, discussing life situations, giving each other advice, working out solutions together.

DBT Groups

Our clients participate in dialectical behavioral therapy with a counselor in a group setting. These groups are evidence-based and have been proven to be effective in substance abuse treatment. 

The intention of these groups is to assist clients in understanding the connection between their emotions and behavior and facilitate change, growth, and healing. DBT also helps to empower women to be effective and skillful in their lives by revealing their full potential.

Process Groups

Our process groups are safe environments in which clients can feel safe and supported to discover, uncover, and work through the underlying causes of their addiction with the help and support of their counselors. 

The intention of these groups is to help clients let go of their past, overcome their fears, and to improve authentic communication.

group therapy for women
The young adult woman gestures as she talks to the unrecognizable female mature adult counselor.

Narrative Therapy

In our narrative therapy sessions, we treat each woman as an individual with their own hopes, preferences, and unique experiences that fall outside of the problem. We work together to create maps of the individual’s life that helps them see themselves in a more full way. In therapy, we:

  • Forecast goals and dreams for the future
  • Re-visit safety by looking at containment and space in a new way
  • Create maps for recovery and thriving
  • Engage future scenarios to uncover barriers, strengths, supports, and needs

Lectures

We provide a variety of educational groups and interactive lectures that are specially curated by team members and clinical supervisors. The hope of these groups is to provide engaging material that increases each client’s understanding of their relationship to substances.

inpatient drug rehab

Find Freedom at New Directions for Women

At New Directions for Women, we take pride in the level of individualized clinical care we offer to our community of women. If you have any questions or are struggling with addiction, contact us today. 

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