Summary: At Crossroads, we believe that substance abuse, mental health and co-occurring treatment must build upon and respect people’s unique needs to focus on self-determination, personal choices, positive relationships and connectedness. There are significant and documented differences in women and men’s addiction experience and in key issues in recovery, including self-image, relationships, sexuality and spirituality. It’s important to note the difference in the ways men and women deal with these issues and to address them in the ways that work best for each individual. Gender-responsive treatment addresses these differences to best serve the individual client. The experience of trauma and the lack of healthy relationships are extremely common in the lives of affected women. Healing requires that women and men be in an environment in which they can experience supportive, sustaining interactions with staff and each other, using a model of treatment that focuses on relationships.
