Carbondale

Her Story- A Women’s Path to Recovery

Her Story, a woman’s path to recovery was developed to support women who suffer from trauma and addictions and need a safe place to transform their pain. Research shows that up to eighty percent of women who abuse substances have suffered some form of trauma. This women-only, intimate 12-bed program in Carbondale addresses substance use disorders, trauma including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), as well as their co-occurring mental health conditions.

Trauma comes in many forms. For some, it is a single event such as violence, sexual assault, an accident, or loss of a loved one. For others, it is repeated exposure to physical or emotional abuse or neglect. Trauma often results in symptoms of other co-occurring disorders such as anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, sustained feelings of grief and loss, and bipolar or psychotic disorders. Without addressing the underlying and comorbid issues, sustained recovery is very difficult to achieve.

For women to fully address these issues a safe therapeutic environment has to be created and trust established. For our patients to heal and grow we have developed a single-gender – women-only milieu. Carbondale is located on 14 wooded acres, in a serene landscape, where women can feel safe and protected.

Therapeutic Techniques to Address Co-Occurring Disorders and/or Trauma

Along with our nine core evidence-based clinical practices, specific therapeutic techniques are used to safely address and alleviate symptoms stemming from traumatic events and memories. Our staff of licensed psychiatrists, nurses, therapists and specialists are highly trained and credentialed to work with women and their trauma. Trauma services include:

• All staff are trained in Trauma-Informed Care
• The Helping Women Recover Curriculum by Stephanie Covington
• Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Individual and Family Therapy
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
• Mindfulness-Based Sobriety
• Movement therapy, exercise, and nutrition

The Importance of Treatment

• 1 in 3 women will experience a sexual assault in their lifetime
• 2x Women who experience trauma are as likely to develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and experience it for a longer duration. This DOUBLES the risk for major depressive disorder

For these reasons, we created Her Story: a specialized program to help women overcome addiction and trauma in a safe, supportive atmosphere.

Woman and Trauma Program at Gateway Carbondale

Trauma may originate from different sources. While it’s usually associated with tragic events such as war or sexual assault, it may also be a result of different types of incidents. Seeing a fatal accident, natural disaster or the loss of a family member are all traumatic experiences.

According to research on the treatment outcomes for women with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse, up to 80% of women who get treatment for substance abuse have a history of trauma. This figure only shows the percentage among those who seek treatment — the actual percentage among the population may be higher.

This high number is most likely due to the way traumatic events affect the brain. The instant effects of a traumatic event include perspiration, increased heart rate and hypervigilance. Long-term effects of the trauma can alter a person’s thinking patterns. Symptoms such as panic attacks, depression, anxiety and flashbacks will occur. In some people, PTSD may arise.

The likelihood of women developing PTSD is 10%, while for men, it’s 4%. That means women are twice as likely to have PTSD than men. A major reason could be because women are more likely to get sexually assaulted or raped.

Unfortunately, people suffering from trauma tend to self-medicate with alcohol and drugs to forget the tragic event. As they begin to desire more of the substance to experience the same effect, dependence can develop into an established addiction.

Trauma results in co-occurring disorders such as depression, sleep disorders, psychotic disorders and persistent feelings of loss and grief. When this happens, sustained recovery may be hard to achieve without addressing the co-occurring issues.