Introduction to Our Alcohol Rehab and Drug Addiction Treatment Centre Geared Towards Women

At Sobriety.ca Foundation, we recognize that women who are seeking treatment for alcohol and drug addiction have specific needs. There are differences between the challenges faced by men and those faced by women when it comes to seeking and embracing recovery. Many women have additional familial responsibilities, and they have to deal with the societal stigma attached to women who cannot control their alcohol or drug use. Although a lot of progress has been made regarding woman’s rights over the last fifty years, there is still a biased perception related to the male dominated distinction between what is “acceptable” behaviour for a man and that of a woman. The “sugar and spice” female stereotype still exists on some level, and this leads many people to judge women who abuse drugs or alcohol more harshly than they do men. As a result, women tend to be more secretive about their substance abuse and, of greater concern, more hesitant to seek out help when they finally realize that their substance use has crossed over into the world of alcohol and drug addiction.

We have shaped our addiction treatment program to address the specific concerns faced by women seeking our help.

Addiction Treatment Philosophy for Women

The distinct characteristics of the female experience cannot be separated from the program of recovery that a woman will seek out in order to deal with their addiction. A gender free, neutral, universal program of recovery is NOT a realistic or productive means by which to address the reality of women’s addiction. Acknowledgement of the different experience that women face within our society as a whole, and within the recovery process in particular, is paramount to a program that is to be successful. At Sobriety Home, issues of childhood sexual abuse, rape and physical violence are acknowledged within the specificity of the female experience. We acknowledge the familial obligations that are particular to woman, but at the same time we communicate the belief that sobriety enables them to meet those obligations more successfully. Our professional counsellors are well equipped to discuss and deal with the different issues facing women while carefully ensuring that they are not used as a means to avoid the realities that women will face throughout their recovery.

While we understand the philosophy behind rehabilitation programs that are for women only, we believe that interaction between our male and female clients will better prepare them for the societal realities that await them.

Alcohol and Drug Rehab Facility for Women

In keeping with our mandate we offer facilities at Sobriety Home that accommodates the specific needs and concerns of our female residents. First and foremost our facility has a separate house where women sleep away from the men’s quarters. We recognize that it is important that women have their privacy and the opportunity to be away from the distinctly male attitudes regarding inter-gender interaction. Our staff works diligently to maintain a professional environment by which the focus of the rehabilitation process remains geared towards recovery and will not tolerate any suggestion of “dating” or inappropriate exchanges between the sexes. Women have the opportunity to maintain exclusivity throughout the majority of their stay with us and will not be subject to any situations that could lead to unnecessary awkwardness. The men at our facility are made aware of these concerns and are not accepted unless they are in full agreement with this policy.

Women’s Group Sessions for Drug and Alcohol Addiction

The one area that we do differ from the exclusive nature of single gender facilities is in our group sessions. Group sessions involve all residents of the facility – male and female. We believe that this is, in fact, an important asset to our program. While we do offer female only sessions where women can discuss their addiction related issues in privacy and comfort where they may not feel comfortable discussing certain issues where males are present, we also encourage co-ed sessions as a means of allowing all residents to interact in an environment that approximates today’s realities. In other words, we offer women access to the exclusivity of gender specific facilities and sessions that accommodates the specific aspects of the female experience, as well as access to other perspectives that we believe will enhance our addiction program in so far as it will better prepare all residents to deal with a sober life once they return to their families, friends and jobs.