Gender Responsive Group Therapy

Addictions are equal opportunity diseases. Women are just as likely as men to become addicted to substances like heroin or meth. However, the genders don’t always experience treatment the same way. That’s a primary reason why treatment facilities like Beaches Recovery offer gender-responsive group therapy programs. The ability to customize treatment programs for men or women is a growing trend in the addiction treatment industry.

Why Gender Responsive Group Therapy Options Are Needed

Each patient who enters rehab is looking to beat the insidious disease of substance addiction. Treatment facilities are not vacation destinations. These are the places people with severe addiction problems go to reclaim or save their lives. There’s no time for games. That’s why many top rehabs centers customize treatment programs to meet specific needs.

Some men and women are perfectly comfortable going through addiction treatment programs in a co-ed environment. However, that’s not always the case. There are plenty of patients who prefer to go through treatment with as few distractions as possible. If gender differences create disturbances, treatment options like gender-responsive group therapy serve a vital function.

Addiction gender differences manifest in a variety of ways. Women often start using drugs to hide issues related to trauma or relationships. They are seeking ways to connect and believe drugs or alcohol might prompt the process. Men commonly use drugs to disconnect from issues altogether. Treating polar opposites with the same type of program is difficult.

We also see patients enter co-ed rehabs wary of having the opposite sex judge them or making sexual advances. Since it’s impossible to guarantee these types of issues won’t occur in a co-ed environment, top rehabs offer gender-specific alternatives. A gender-responsive group therapy program works because it minimizes the potential for the distractions mentioned above.

What to Expect From a Gender Responsive Group Therapy Program

Addiction treatment clinicians design group therapy programs to do two primary things. First, they want to create an in-house environment where patients can see they are not alone. Second, they want to teach patients that they can help one another because of their shared experiences. A much stronger, longer-lasting support system evolves when patients realize they can rely on each other for strength and understanding.

Common gender issues are what gives a gender-responsive group therapy program its platform. When a woman speaks about having to resort to prostitution to acquire drugs, it’s something with which most men can’t relate. In fact, there’s usually very little most men can offer about feeling that vulnerable. In a women’s only environment, female patients are more likely to open up about such personal issues.

Likewise, many men don’t always feel comfortable displaying personal weakness in front of women. The socialization of men leaves them wanting to appear strong and in control at all times. Men who have succumbed to addiction will typically feel uncomfortable about females seeing them as weak.

In both the above cases, it’s clear that both sexes could benefit from a gender-responsive group therapy program. At Beaches Recovery, we are sensitive to the needs of all patients. That’s why we offer a men’s and women’s addiction rehab center in Florida.

Additional Information About Beaches Recovery

As indicated, we place much emphasis on treating each patient as a unique individual. We use common treatment options such as inpatient treatment, outpatient treatment, dual diagnosis treatment, intensive outpatient options, and family therapy. Here’s some other information about our facility. We:

• Hold Joint Commission Accreditation
• Offer a detox program at our Tides Edge detox center
• Accept insurance payments from most healthcare insurance careers
• Provide exiting patients with access to aftercare options
• Our counselors have proper licensing, experience and strive to make a difference

Don’t let gender issues interfere with your desire to get help for your addiction. With programs like our gender-responsive group therapy program, we can create a comfortable environment for you to work on your issues. For more information, call Beaches Recovery at 866.605.0532. The start of a lasting recovery can be as easy as placing this one simple call.