Four Circles Introduce Women-Only Track

Four Circles Recovery Center has opened a new women-only track for 18- to 28-year-olds struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. This gender-specific track is designed to empower young women through a unique combination of traditional substance abuse treatment and wilderness therapy.

Using a holistic approach centered on treating the whole person, the exclusive women's course will address issues specific to women, with added emphasis on self-esteem, body image, positive social behaviors, eating disorders, depression, self-care, trauma work, healthy relationships, and positive peer connections. Four times a week, female therapists who specialize in women's issues provide therapeutic and educational sessions to young ladies one-on-one and in small groups. All-female support groups provide a compassionate, nonjudgmental environment for women to share their stories, fears, struggles, and life lessons with other women who have walked in their shoes.

"Sometimes men and women have different therapeutic needs," explains Heather Schnoebelen, MA, the clinical manager of the women-only track at Four Circles. "For example, the underlying reasons for a woman's substance abuse problem may stem from past sexual abuse or trauma, which will require different emotional supports than a young man struggling with anger management or defiance. Separating men and women helps each group deal with their issues head-on, without any distractions or uneasiness."

In addition to offering clinical treatment for substance abuse and co-occurring issues, the women-only program will integrate gender-specific 12-step meetings, service projects, art therapy, sweat lodge ceremonies, martial arts, horticulture, and a ropes course. Wilderness expeditions are another critical component of the Four Circles program, teaching women primitive skills, teamwork, natural consequences, and other valuable lessons. While the men's groups spend at least half of their time in the wilderness for periods up to two weeks, women's groups venture out roughly 40 percent of the time for periods of two to seven days, returning to base more frequently to discuss their experiences and prepare for the next stage of treatment.

According to Jack Kline MS, LPC, NCC, Executive Director of Four Circles Recovery Center, "At base, young women work with licensed therapists to identify the problem behaviors and patterns that contributed to their substance abuse. In the wilderness, the young women and their therapists work together much like a family. Living in close proximity, therapists can identify negative behaviors they may not see in a clinical therapy session and instantly begin addressing them."

"At Four Circles, women learn to adapt to change by transitioning from rugged wilderness life to the regular routine of life at base, where they must follow rules, get along with roommates, negotiate boundaries, and apply their wilderness skills in a real-life setting. The balance between traditional clinical therapy and experiential wilderness learning is the true benefit of a hybrid model like ours," adds Schnoebelen.

Nestled in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Four Circles offers a unique setting for young women to begin exploring who they are, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. In an emotionally secure environment, young women will challenge their beliefs about themselves in order to grow into the women they want to be.

"Just three weeks after introducing the women-only track at Four Circles, the feedback from our female clients has been overwhelmingly positive," reports Kline. "Combining the comforts of base and the adventure and challenge of the wilderness experience, young women can get the best of both worlds at Four Circles. This new track presents a life-changing experience for women facing drug and alcohol addiction. For the first time, these young ladies are learning what it means to truly take care of themselves."

Four Circles Recovery Center is an innovative addictions, substance abuse, and co-occurring mental health disorders treatment program for young adults ages 18 to 28 that combines a traditional counseling setting with a series of wilderness expeditions. Four Circles employs the most effective, cutting-edge clinical modalities with an underlying traditional 12-step philosophy to create the foundation for sustained recovery.

Four Circles is a proud member of Aspen Education Group, the nation's largest and most comprehensive network of therapeutic schools and programs. Aspen Education Group offers professionals and families the opportunity to choose from a variety of therapeutic settings in order to best meet a student's unique academic and emotional needs. Aspen is a division of CRC Health Group, the nation's largest chemical dependency and related behavioral health organization. For more information about Aspen Education Group, visit www.aspeneducation.com or call (888) 972-7736. For more information about Four Circles Recovery Center, please visit www.fourcirclesrecovery.com or call (877) 893-2221.