At New Directions for Women we are blessed to be close to one of the most beautiful and healing nature preserves in the country. Our drug rehab facility in Costa Mesa is nestled just steps away from Newport Beach’s Back Bay Preserve. This inland delta is home to many different species of birds and provides endless therapeutic activity. Activities at the Back Bay include spiritual meditation walks, kayaking, paddleboarding, horseback riding, biking, hiking, and bird watching. For the women and children at New Directions, the Back Bay serves as a serene environment where they can have moments of reflection and meditation.
The Newport Beach Back Bay is also one of the few remaining estuaries in Southern California. It is home to federally and locally protected endangered species of terns, sparrows, and vireos. If you’re lucky, you may catch the migration of birds from Alaska.
Other activities at the Back Bay include the Science Center located on Shellmaker Island. The center operates with the intention to educate the public on the importance of keeping the bay clean and how the environment will be affected. In fact, the patients of New Directions for Women and our alumnae participated in a Back Bay clean up in 2013 to give back to this beautiful preserve which has helped so many women beginning their recovery journey from addiction over the four decades we have been serving women.
One of the most popular activities that women at New Directions partake in is a walk around the Back Bay loop trail. This trail boasts many scenic views of the Upper Castaways Park, the Science Center, and Big Canyon. Our patients enjoy pieces of this 10.5 mile trail as they overlook the bay, enjoying the warm breeze and incredible views.
New Directions for Women also utilizes the Back Bay for one of our experiential therapies. At the Newport Aquatic Center (NAC), located close to the Back Bay, women participate in outrigger kayaking. This therapy is where women kayak together as a group in tandem with two long canoes, seating at least 6 women at a time. This type of therapy allows women to work together as a team. For other patients, the kayaking therapy gives them a time to reflect and process their emotions. Kayaking at Newport Beach’s Back Bay also allows patients to learn and enjoy new activity while sober and in a supportive group. Many women report feeling more bonded and in control. The kayaking experiential therapy is an important part of the treatment process and we are blessed to be able to do this activity in such a beautiful environment in Orange County. Southern California is certainly a healing place to get well and break free from the grasp of addiction.
The Back Bay is host to a variety of activities just steps away from the New Directions for Women campus. We believe that utilizing the Back Bay is very instrumental in the healing that occurs with our women and we are blessed to have such a beautiful healing, spiritual space steps away.
New Directions for Women is a chemical dependency treatment facility located in Orange County, California that offers help to women, pregnant women, women with children and families suffering from the disease of addiction. Our caring admissions counselors are available 24/7 to take your call and answer any questions you may have on getting help. Reach us by phone at 800-93-WOMEN. We can help. Stay in the loop with New Directions for Women by connecting with us on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.
