Why Gender Specific Group Therapy Is Important

When it comes to recovery from substance abuse, there are many factors to consider. Those who want to experience successful recoveries should have access to resources that address their specific needs. This includes therapy approaches that acknowledge the fact that individuals in therapy are unique. Gender specific group therapy is a prime example.

Substance abuse programs that ignore gender-responsive treatment may not end up being effective. Men and women often have different needs as they seek recovery. That’s why gender-specific group therapy is an important part of Crest View Recovery Center’s treatment approach.

While standard group therapy for addiction is still an important part of our program, gender-specific group therapy helps men and women establish common ground in recovery. For instance, women might not feel comfortable talking about traumatic events around men. This may especially be the case in situations that involved violence or sexual abuse by men.

On the other hand, men might hesitate to show vulnerability around women. It may be hard for them to open up when women are around. Gender-specific therapy goes a long way in breaking down communication walls.

Gender-specific group therapy also recognizes that a blanket treatment approach won’t always work the same for men and women. Just like no two individuals are alike, no two people took the exact same path to develop an addiction. An individualized treatment approach gives men and women the best chance of recovery.

At Crest View Recovery Center, we offer a wide range of addiction treatment programs. For example, these effective programs include:

• Alcohol addiction treatment
• Prescription drug addiction treatment
• Dual diagnosis treatment
• Heroin addiction treatment

If you’ve been struggling with substance abuse, know that we are here to offer hope and help. Regardless of the kind of addiction you’ve been experiencing, we have resources that can help you recover.

Each and every program will be unique and custom for you. In fact, each person who enters our care has a different experience with addiction. Along with gender-specific group therapy, your program will include personalized modalities. These treatment protocols will give you the best chance at a successful recovery.

Gender-specific group therapy works to help people in various ways. It provides comfort to those who may be uncomfortable discussing their challenges around individuals of the opposite sex. It also encourages people by letting them know that they are not alone; other women and men also struggle with substance abuse. Finally, gender-specific therapy helps to create a safe, judgment-free environment and support system for those in recovery.

Group therapy helps people in recovery to develop healthy interpersonal skills. Those who are striving to gain freedom from addiction can become more comfortable discussing their emotions and challenges as throughout recovery.

Again, individuals who are working to overcome substance abuse have very specific and unique needs. One of the things treatment should address is the fact that addiction often deprives people of some very important things. For one, substance dependence causes people to feel shame. Some individuals feel guilty because of their substance use problems.

In many cases, families who have addicted loved ones have difficulty understanding what their family members are going through. In fact, many individuals who are struggling with addiction have trouble understanding their own situations.

As a result of misunderstanding, guilt, and shame, those with addictions may withdraw from others. Unfortunately, isolation is not uncommon in situations that involve addiction. Men and women who struggle with alcohol or drug abuse may distance themselves from friends and family members.

Also, many times, people who have addictions become secretive and withdraw in order to hide their substance use habits. This sometimes happens in an effort to avoid confrontation.

Finally, people who struggle with alcoholism or drug abuse often have trouble connecting with family members or friends. They might have difficulty developing and building healthy relationships with others. Or, they may maintain codependent relationships rather than ones based on healthy emotions.

For all of these reasons, group therapy is a necessity when it comes to addiction treatment. Through group counseling sessions, people in recovery can work to develop meaningful and healthy interactions with others.

Understanding the Benefits of Group Therapy

If you are working to recover from substance abuse, therapy can help immensely. Individual therapy can certainly prove to be helpful and it should definitely be part of the treatment process. However, group therapy brings its own benefits to those who are in recovery.

Group therapy:

• Encourages teamwork
• Helps to remind people that they are not alone
• Allows individuals to communicate without fear of judgment
• Provides a “safe place” for people to discuss their challenges and victories
• Gives people a way to interact with one another without the use of alcohol or drugs
• Creates an opportunity for people to develop lasting friendships with like-minded individuals

Here at Crest View Recovery Center, we devote our time to making sure each of our clients is comfortable. Our goal is to help people find their way to total recovery from addiction. We believe group therapy should be a major part of that process. After all, we want to encourage our patients that they are not alone. Group therapy is a way to reiterate this truth.

When it comes to addiction treatment, therapy plays a very big role. It’s important for individuals who are trying to end substance abuse to partake in therapeutic sessions. This is why we offer many approaches to therapy here at Crest View Recovery Center.

Some of the types of therapy that can help people work through the recovery process include the following:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – Our facility uses cognitive behavioral therapy for addiction because we believe substance abuse is not a surface-level issue. We understand that addiction affects people on multiple levels, including mentally and cognitively. So, we address this through behavioral therapy. Our clients can discover and address unhealthy and toxic thought processes through this therapeutic approach. In doing so, individuals can learn how to identify any thinking patterns that might contribute to addiction and related behaviors.

Behavioral Therapy for Addiction – Through behavioral therapy for addiction, our clients can learn how to identify and work through unhealthy behaviors and thoughts. They can also learn to notice and understand their addiction triggers. These triggers could include things like stress or certain types of environments. It’s important for individuals to identify these triggers. It gives them the opportunity to learn how to address their triggers and prevent them from leading to addiction relapse.

More Types of Group Therapy for Addiction

Family Therapy – This is a type of group therapy that many people don’t think about when it comes to addiction treatment. Nonetheless, it’s an extremely important component of the recovery process. After all, addiction doesn’t just impact the individual who is suffering from the substance use problem. It also affects his or her family members. So, the loved ones of addicted individuals also need the opportunity to heal. This is where family therapy comes in. Through this therapy approach, families can work together to move toward a new way of life. Families can learn more about their loved ones’ struggles and develop a deeper understanding of the recovery journey.

Process group therapy is another type of therapy that can help those in recovery. Often, individuals who are working to overcome addiction simply need to be able to work through their struggles and challenges with others by their side. In fact, a good support system is one of the most important components of recovery. Process group therapy and other types of therapy approaches can help in this area.

Even though gender-specific group therapy is a vital piece of your recovery, it’s just a piece. We also use individual therapy for substance abuse to provide a solid sobriety foundation. Group therapy is, of course, a very critical factor in terms of treatment for addiction.

As we mentioned earlier, individual therapy can also help people who are in recovery. Through this approach, those in treatment can develop a healthy sense of self. They can also become more comfortable in dealing with their own struggles.

There is no doubt that a group setting promotes peer camaraderie in recovery. But a therapist or psychiatrist-led one-on-one session helps clients explore the reasons behind their addiction.

It’s important, however, to understand that both of these types of therapy are important! Those who receive our services here at Crest View can rest assured that they will receive individualized care. Whether a person needs to experience the benefits of gender-specific group therapy or individual therapy sessions, we can help!

In addition to extensive clinical care during our rehab treatment program, we promote healing through a reality-based therapy model. At CVRC, we believe that reality therapy is the best way to prepare individuals for post-treatment life. Our program helps you develop the coping strategies, social skills, and basic life skills you’ll need for continued sobriety.

Come see why gender-specific group therapy and our other treatment approaches might be perfect for your recovery. Contact us here at Crest View Recovery today by calling (866) 986-1371.