Addiction Therapy in California
At New Directions for Women, we offer several programs intended for women in most circumstances and phases of life. Addiction is a lifelong battle, and our substance abuse counselors are experienced in treating women with addictions to various substances.
The emotional and physical needs of women are undeniably different from the needs of men. Therefore, our specialized addiction counseling in California proves more successful than traditional addiction treatment services.
Why Recovery Therapy is Necessary for Addiction Treatment
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that women are more likely to experience anxiety or depression in all age brackets compared to men. The mental distress women occasionally face is typically concerning environmental, psychosocial, and biological variables.
Researchers believe that the biological differences that may lead to more anxiety and depression are associated with women’s brain structure and hormones. Another heavily researched aspect is developmental concerns in women. Though not necessarily related to gender, women are more likely to fall victim to social stigma, lower socioeconomic status, and domestic violence.
The stress involved in the issues above may lead women to struggle with addiction and other behavioral health problems.
Professional Behavior Therapy
Our programs at New Directions are designed by women to treat women. Since choosing the right program is difficult, we offer several types of addiction counseling in California that cover a vast amount of circumstances. Our specialized therapeutic services target underlying causes and increase the success and longevity of sobriety.
Some of the types of recovery therapy programs used to treat substance use disorders are:
- Play therapy
- Family therapy
- Holistic therapy
- Experiential therapy
- Dialectical behavior therapy
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Individual and group therapy
Each type of therapy that we offer may suit one client more than another. Mental illnesses and addiction are often intertwined. Hence, our recovery therapists help women manage withdrawal symptoms and break away from addiction as part of a personalized treatment plan.
Our licensed substance abuse therapist will encourage all family members to open up their emotions and concerns to their loved ones. A mentally and physically safe area is vital for children while their parent deals with addiction or mental illness. The benefit of family counseling is that it allows family members to identify the issues taking place. A broader perspective is intended for the family to create a supportive environment and begin to recover.
Women have specific responsibilities that men typically do not have. New Directions for Women offers addiction treatment for women who need child care as well. Family therapy instills an open line of communication in the household.
Individual therapy plays a vital role in getting patients clear on their behaviors, underlying conditions, as well as their goals. Our addiction counselors strive to find patients’ triggers, eventually leading them to a more stable life. Recovery therapy is a multifaceted process that requires many treatments.
A safe place for women to open up is a small but crucial part of the recovery process. When it comes to addiction recovery, there is no easy road. This type of counseling allows clients to recover and talk with a therapist to understand substance use disorders.
Individual counseling works by helping a person understand:
- Their triggers
- The cause and impact of their behavioral patterns
- The route to developing relapse prevention behaviors
- How their past experiences affect their mental and physical well-being
Based on the severity of the client’s addiction symptoms, the frequency of individual counseling sessions can range from one day a week to every day.
Group therapy is especially beneficial for women overcoming addiction. While individual counseling offers a one-on-one approach to addiction counseling, group therapy provides you with a community perspective of others like yourself.
A licensed therapist will lead sessions in which everyone shares their experiences and feelings. During this time, participants will learn different coping skills and how to apply them to real-world situations using role play.
A few benefits of group counseling include:
- Community and peer support and connections
- You can practice any newly learned social skills
- Your communication will improve after each session
- The therapist can see how you’re interacting with other people
- Exposure to different views to help identify your own behaviors
Women struggling in recovery can use group counseling as a means to connect and recover over related issues. By sharing with fellow recovering individuals, patients won’t feel alone. They’ll feel like they have a community behind them helping with their sobriety.
One of the best forms of addiction counseling for clients with substance abuse is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). We use consistent recovery therapy sessions to help women overcome their alcohol and drug addiction. The phase-oriented program keeps clients on track to make a full recovery.
Our licensed therapist helps patients recognize negative thought patterns and habits that feed their alcohol or drug use disorder. CBT for addiction recovery offers a safe environment for each person to manage internalized thoughts and emotions. Once clients assess their cognitive patterns, our therapist will provide feedback for new behavior training to practice.
Some benefits of CBT are:
- Social and communication skills training
- Women-centered recovery services
- Positive and constructive thoughts
- Develop general and professional life skills
- Increased self-esteem
- Relapse prevention
The recovery process does not happen overnight, but clients can expect to gain life-changing benefits. Instead of using substances to cope, clients find new ways to manage self-doubt, negative emotions, or harmful thoughts.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy that teaches these specific skills. Unlike cognitive behavioral therapy, DBT focuses more on the reaction to self-destructive thoughts rather than eliminating them as a whole. Managing emotions and maintaining healthy relationships are essential parts of psychological recovery.
To treat ailments such as depression, bipolar disorder, substance abuse, PTSD, bulimia, and binge-eating, the therapist focuses on teaching four primary skills:
- Mindfulness — Clients learn to focus on the present moment. Mindfulness is a skill that takes practice and repetition to access.
- Distress Tolerance — Instead of escaping emotions, we focus on increasing the client’s tolerance for negative emotions.
- Emotional Regulation — High-intensity emotions make it difficult to manage problems in our lives. In DBT, we offer methods that help clients address these emotions. In turn, clients are then able to face their issues from a more level-headed perspective.
- Interpersonal Effectiveness — Building self-respect goes a long way in therapy and recovery. The ability to communicate assertively builds positive relationships with friends, family, and even yourself.
DBT includes individual therapies as well, like standard cognitive behavioral therapy. Regular sessions conducted by therapists and substance abuse professionals keep clients motivated to recover. Individual counseling works alongside group therapy to give the client multiple avenues to heal and grow.
Many medical treatment centers find types of behavioral therapies that complement each other. Some individuals struggling with drugs or alcohol may attend both dialectical behavioral therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy as recovery therapy options, for instance.
Motivational interviewing is a counseling technique to help individuals attach their own personal reasons to why they want to stay sober. Overcoming addiction for the sake of it makes the idea less important. MI, instead, keeps specific reasons why clients are at a treatment institute in their mind’s eye at all times.
These groups involve group therapy to some extent. But while group therapy focuses on overcoming addiction in a professional treatment environment, the therapy in support groups is more abstract.
Types of support groups for drug and alcohol addiction include:
- Women for Sobriety
- Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
- Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
- LifeRing Secular Recovery
- Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART) Recovery
Some groups are faith-based, and some aren’t, leaving multiple options to choose from. The larger the social network in a meeting, the more opportunities they’ll have to seek help when drug abuse seems imminent.
Some clients find that their avenue to growth and healing is through physical activity like sports. This form of recovery therapy uses many challenging and rewarding activities designed for clients to find a deeper connection within themselves, distancing themselves from a drug or alcohol addiction.
Whether it’s hiking, rock climbing, sports, or equine therapy, various experiential therapy approaches can help build clients’ awareness of their communication abilities. Physical fitness does not only improve physical health, but it also affects psychological health. Clients push to be active by engaging in exercise, including bicycling, walking, or working out with a personal trainer at our on-site gym.
New Directions offers holistic addiction treatment focused on the mind, body, and spirit. Holistic treatment programs aim to use natural recovery methods (instead of/or in conjunction with medical methods) to replace an unhealthy behavior or thought.
Recovery from drug abuse relies heavily on one’s connection to self. We focus on strengthening the relationship between the mind, body, and spirit of our clients. Within meditation and yoga, terms like “mindfulness” and “presence” are commonly used. In holistic therapy, we use mindfulness and being in the present moment to assist with impulsive thoughts and decisions.
Some issues treated with holistic therapy are:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Mood regulation
- Trauma from abuse or sexual assault
- Sleep ailments
Holistic Addiction Therapy and Women
In many cases, women choose alternative drug abuse treatments such as holistic therapy for the following reasons:
- Personal beliefs
- Cost of traditional treatment
- The desire for a natural approach versus medication
- Dissatisfaction or lack of success with conventional medicine
- Recommendations by family and friends who have experienced success with holistic therapy
Contingency management programs use incentivization to help individuals stick to their recovery plan. This makes clients more likely to commit to staying sober. Many of those struggling have benefited from contingency management as part of their addiction treatment plan.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment for Women
When women are battling addiction, there are commonly other life issues that need attention as well. New Directions is well equipped to give women with a dual diagnosis (or co-occurring disorders) the help they need.
A dual diagnosis happens when a mental health disorder coexists with substance abuse. Individuals who suffer from certain conditions may find themselves becoming addicted to drugs or alcohol. Addictions can also simply be related to how the patient deals with her situation.
Common co-occurring disorders are:
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Eating Disorders
- Mood Disorders
- Anxiety Disorders
- Schizophrenia
- Depression
Women’s Mental Health Care History
Women’s Mental Health Care Today
Healthcare for women has drastically improved over the years. Women can find the healthcare they deserve while being less stigmatized. Females are more likely than men to develop mental illness. At New Directions, we take women’s health seriously and have designed a consortium of addiction programs specifically for women and their circumstances.
Why is Gender-Specific Behavioral Counseling Beneficial?
Women-only treatment centers have several types of treatment options that ensure long-term recovery. Gender differences hinder traditional treatment for some men and women. Females typically deal with circumstances differently from men, which is a disadvantage in conventional treatment.
At New Directions, we focus solely on the best way to help women overcome addiction. Our substance abuse counseling takes into account the way women deal with and heal from addiction and trauma.
Recovery Therapies to Get Help at NDFW
Start your recovery journey today. We have many treatment options, including online treatments to get help. If you or a loved one is suffering from drug abuse and addiction, please call us today. You can also reach us by clicking “Contact Us” in our website menu.
