Gender Based Addiction Treatment.

What are the main reasons women give for not wanting to go into an all women’s treatment centre?

 
At Western Counselling we offer a residential programme with single sex accommodation. An opportunity for men and women to focus on their core issues and explore and address issues with the opposite sex. Many women particularly find the thought of living in a single sex environment challenging and come up with a range of excuses as to why it won’t be suitable for them.
 
Some of the responses have been ‘it will be very bitchy’ or ‘there will be clashes’ or the best one I’ve heard up to now is ‘I get on better with men’’. These comments are from women that often have had no or very few positive healthy relationships with other women. They have few boundaries and are often in unhealthy relationships with men. There is an element of mistrust of other females and for many they have not had positive role models i.e. Mothers, Sisters etc.
 
So, how do we change this in treatment? When a new female comes into Western Counselling for the treatment of their addiction they are put with a fellow female peer, the peer is often someone that is further into the programme and is settled. They will look after the new person offering support and to show them the ropes and reassure them that they will settle. They will share a room with their buddy so they are not alone. After a couple of days the feedback is that the new person has settled well and has been made to feel welcome which is the opposite of their initial perception.
 
Our specific Female gender day is designed to address women’s issues that have frequently been experienced by most and a way of bonding. It may be going for a coffee together and chatting and laughing, something most haven’t done for a long time if ever. The women are taught other new skills from baking, card making or more recently flower arranging. They often have pamper afternoons where they will give each other a manicure and this helps with the bonding and learning to form good connections and relationships.
 
They soon realise that they don’t get on better with men they have found men easier to manipulate or that the relationship is very controlling. This comes from the workshops and by sharing their experiences.
 
Caroline Pantzelioudaki
Counsellor – special interest in women’s therapy.
Meet Caroline and the team

from Western Counselling https://www.westerncounselling.com/blog/residential-rehabilitation/womens-drug-rehabilitation-centres/
via Alcohol