Where Should Women Go After Primary Treatment?
For many women, returning to their previous living environments after completing inpatient treatment services can mean diving back into triggers that may jeopardize their sobriety. Sober living homes offer a supportive and structured environment specifically tailored to the needs of women in recovery, providing a safe space where they can continue to build upon the skills and strategies learned during treatment while gradually reintegrating into society. This transitional phase not only reinforces the lessons gained in rehab but also fosters a sense of community and accountability, empowering women to navigate the complexities of life without substances.
What is Sober Living For Women?
Sober living for women refers to residential environments (not residential treatment facilities) specifically designed to support women in their recovery from substance abuse or addiction. The focus is on creating a safe and nurturing space where women can continue to build upon the foundation of recovery established during inpatient treatment or other forms of rehabilitation. By residing in sober living homes, women have the opportunity to develop essential life skills, establish healthy routines, and cultivate supportive relationships with peers, all of which are instrumental in maintaining long-term sobriety and successfully transitioning back into independent living.
Why Attend a Women’s Sober Living Program?
Attending a women’s sober living program post-inpatient rehab offers a supportive community where women share experiences and hold each other accountable. These programs provide a safe environment free from triggers, sometimes offering ongoing counseling and life skills training to maintain sobriety. Tailored to address women’s unique needs, they serve as a transitional bridge to independent living where women can focus on holistic healing and growth.
Residential Treatment vs. Intensive Sober Living Program
Residential treatment involves residing at a treatment facility for an extended period, receiving intensive therapeutic support to address addiction and underlying issues. It offers round-the-clock medical and psychological assistance, including therapies like individual counseling and group sessions. Medical detoxification may be provided for safe withdrawal from substances. The focus is on stabilizing individuals physically and emotionally while equipping them with coping skills for long-term recovery.
Intensive sober living programs, on the other hand, offer supportive living environments for individuals who have completed residential treatment or other treatment programs. These programs provide a structured yet more independent setting, emphasizing accountability, peer support, and gradual reintegration into society. While they offer regular group meetings, counseling sessions, and life skills training, they don’t provide the same level of intensive therapy or medical supervision as residential treatment. Instead, they focus on applying learned skills in a real-world setting, fostering independence and self-reliance while still providing a supportive community. In fact, it’s heartening to see how sober living can add value to neighborhood relations. Many sober living homes for women organize trash cleanup and beautifying efforts in their neighborhoods, assist the elderly, or plant community gardens.
In essence, residential treatment offers a comprehensive, highly structured therapeutic environment, whereas intensive sober living programs offer continued support and guidance in a more independent setting, facilitating the transition back into everyday life post-treatment. Both approaches play vital roles in the recovery journey, addressing different needs and stages of the recovery process.
Women’s Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) vs. Sober Living
While sober living is a residential environment that emphasizes independence post-treatment, IOP is a non-residential program that clients attend during the day or evening hours before returning home.
An intensive outpatient program (IOP) typically involves attending therapy sessions and treatment sessions several times per week while residing at home or in another non-residential setting. It offers structured therapy and support, but individuals return home after each session, maintaining their independence and daily routines.
What is the Matrix Model?
Many women’s sober living programs use the Matrix Model, a researched, evidenced-based approach that recognizes the diversity and individuality of each client’s stage in recovery.
The Matrix Model is a structured 16-week addiction treatment program featuring:
- Individual therapy sessions
- Early recovery groups
- Relapse prevention groups
- Family education groups
- Social support system groups
- 12-step meetings
This program also incorporates cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, and contingency management within its program.
There are 8 core guiding principles that the Matrix Model follows:
- Establish a positive and collaborative relationship between the therapist and the client
- Create structure and set expectations
- Teach the client about addiction
- Utilize cognitive-behavioral concepts
- Reinforce behavioral change
- Educate the family members of the clients about addiction
- Have clients participate in self-help groups
- Monitor client drug use through periodic drug testing
Therapy and Addiction Treatment Groups for Women
To facilitate growth while also addressing our clients’ drug addictions, we incorporate interactive daily process groups, individual therapy, specialized psycho-educational groups, and life skills workshops into our program.
“Seeking Safety” Curriculum
During our Partial Day Program, we use a foundational new curriculum called “Seeking Safety,” which is a cognitive behavioral group therapy program that helps heal people with substance abuse disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This “Seeking Safety” form of therapy also teaches clients how to ask for help, realize when they are getting close to relapsing, perform self-care exercises, and cope with PTSD.
Outpatient Treatment Programs
Typical outpatient programs allow clients to live in the comfort of their own homes and only come to a treatment facility for treatment during the designated hours that their program is offering it.
Our outpatient programming focuses on early recovery skills, relapse prevention, family involvement, individual therapy, and 12-step methods. Clients may enter the outpatient level of care at any stage as the model accommodates people in various stages of early recovery. However, we require a minimum of 45 days of sobriety and some residential treatment experience to live at the intensive sober living home.
Our clients receive 15 to 30 hours of outpatient treatment weekly and are involved in 12-step programs while they work, go to school, or are involved in other productive activities.
We employ a live-in house mother who provides accountability and support exclusively to our clients. Women also attend our weekly Saturday Family Group, along with a support system consisting of individuals within their family systems.
Key Benefits of All Women Intensive Sober Living Facilities
For those seeking a supportive environment after completing primary treatment, there are many benefits to moving onto an all women intensive sober living facility, including:
- Gender-separate treatment for women by women
- Allows women to transition from residential treatment into a sober lifestyle
- A tranquil and supportive atmosphere
- Continued support in a sober house for women
- The Matrix Model helping clients achieve independence from addiction
- The program provides clients with the essential skills for establishing and maintaining sobriety
- Family involvement
- Relapse prevention
- Weekly individual therapy that helps clients enhance the quality of their recovery
- Social Support that helps clients transition to an alcohol and drug-free lifestyle that supports recovery
- Ability to have evening programs
- Opportunity to improve mental health through mental health treatment and therapy
Services Offered in Intensive Sober Living Home Programs
Services like these are typically offered in intensive sober living home programs for women:
- Individual and Group Therapy – Provided at the outpatient location
- Early Recovery Skills Groups – Provided at the outpatient location
- Relapse Prevention Groups – Provided at the outpatient location
- Family Education Groups, Family Conjoint Sessions – Provided at the outpatient location
- Social Support Groups
- 12-Step Involvement
- Established schedules
- Drug Testing – weekly at random
- Aftercare – up to one year
- 24-hour awake care coordinator staff to provide oversight in addition to the live-in housemother
New Directions for Women
Benefits of Our Women’s Addiction Treatment Programs
Tranquil Atmosphere
Evening Programs
Family Involvement
Amenities Offered
At New Directions for Women, we provide countless amenities within our sober living program so that you can be comfortable at all times. Our recreational amenities will also help keep you entertained and active in between treatment sessions. Our amenities include:
- Private and shared bedrooms in a single-family home
- One block to beautiful Newport Beach Back Bay reserve
- Shared living room, bathroom, and kitchen
- Fully equipped kitchen
- Garden and meditation area
- Housekeeping
- Designated parking area
Admission Criteria
- Women 18 years and up
- Completion of a 45-60 day primary treatment program
- Three-month minimum stay
The Choice Is Up to You
Now that you know all there is to know about the treatment options for women in different stages of recovery, the choice of where you want to go after your primary treatment is up to you. If you have already completed residential treatment but feel that you still need some extra support and assistance to keep you from relapsing, we suggest you give our outpatient program a try.
To learn more about New Directions for Women in Costa Mesa, contact us today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sober Living For Women
How does women’s sober living differ from co-ed sober living?
When it comes to rehabilitation, women have specific obstacles; a women-only sober living community can help. Important aspects of a woman’s road to rehabilitation may revolve around dealing with trauma, her relationships, and her self-esteem. These homes are specifically built to provide a safe environment for women to recuperate in, free from the dynamics that can occur in a mixed-gender family.
What are the rules in a women's sober living house?
Remaining sober, regularly attending meetings (e.g., 12-step programs or therapy sessions), adhering to curfew times, pitching in with home duties, and being respectful of other residents’ space and privacy are all usual rules in a women’s sober living house. These rules are designed to support a structured and supportive environment conducive to recovery.
Can I have a job while living in a sober home?
Living in a sober home doesn’t preclude people from working, going to school, or volunteering. This is an important aspect of getting back on your feet while also benefiting from the sober living community’s support system as you reintegrate into society.
How long can I stay in a women’s sober living home?
The length of time a person stays in a sober living home for women depends on their needs and growth. Many of them may stay for a year or more. Some may only stay for a few months. Because these programs are open, women can learn the skills and gain the confidence they need to live on their own at their own pace.
What is the cost of living in a sober home?
The location, amenities, and degree of help supplied can all have a big impact on costs. Some sober living facilities might have sliding scale costs or financial aid available. It’s crucial to get the most precise and recent cost information by contacting the sober living facility directly.
Can my family visit me in a sober living home?
Yes, family visits are often permitted and encouraged in women’s sober living homes. However, special rules and visit times may apply to ensure that the environment stays helpful for all residents. Overnight stays for family members may be restricted or require prior approval.
