Gender-Responsive vs. Gender-Specific

Everyone’s experience with addiction is completely unique. Canyon Crossing seeks to understand these differences and provide a treatment experience tailored to the needs of women. Our gender-specific treatment ensures a safe, structured living environment for female clients to progress in their recovery.

Gender-responsive treatment may also be called gender-sensitive. In these programs, the factors contributing to addiction for men and women are understood to be different. This allows individuals to focus on their own gender issues. However, gender-responsive programs are mixed, meaning that men and women are participating in group therapy and other programming together.

Gender-specific programs cater to just one gender. Canyon Crossing is a gender-specific program created for women. Our program centers around the issues faced by women, including domestic violence and past trauma, permitting a deeper curriculum addressing the societal factors affecting addiction in women.

When treatment is specialized to your needs, there is a greater chance of success. Research indicates that certain factors influence women’s experience with addiction more than that of their male counterparts. Trauma surrounding relationships, sex, and love can severely impact a woman’s self-image and satisfaction with life. Issues like domestic violence and physical, sexual, or verbal abuse are more likely to contribute to a woman’s substance use than a man’s. Women also have different experiences with mental health, including anxiety, panic attacks, depression, body image issues, and eating disorders, which should be addressed through treatment.

While women are less likely to develop substance use disorders, their addictions progress more quickly – this phenomenon is known as telescoping. Women use substances in smaller amounts for less time before becoming fully addicted. They also react to drugs and alcohol differently than men, experiencing more cravings and becoming more likely to relapse.

At Canyon Crossing, we teach women to walk through and overcome barriers in their lives. We tailor treatment to their unique needs. Our residential addiction treatment program solidifies positive behaviors while creating a safe atmosphere of love and respect. Reach out to us online or by calling 1-800-651-7254.