How is the Women's Recovery Center Different?
While addiction is addiction, at Hazelden, we know that there are some differences that women and men face during recovery. Hazelden has been a leader in the innovation of addiction treatment for women for over 50 years. Even before it was in vogue, Hazelden provided gender-specific programming tailored to the unique needs of women fighting addiction and other issues. Our continued dedication to women culminated in our opening the Women's Recovery Center on our Center City, Minnesota campus. We have women-specific programming for women at all of our facilities. We understand that women have different needs than men while recovering from addiction, so we've added treatment aspects for relationships, shame with addiction, eating disorders, spirituality, parenting, stress management, and trauma such as physical and sexual abuse.

The interdisciplinary team (including professionals who specialize in areas such as chemical dependency, bio-medical, mental health, family, spiritual care and wellness) is a team that reviews the different aspects of each patient's history before and during their stay at Hazelden. This team develops a plan for each patient to ensure they receive the proper treatment they need. While addiction is the focus of treatment, they offer prescriptive, individualized services and assign women to specialty groups and services as necessary.

How will this Center benefit me?
Our Women's Recovery Center alumnae give us positive feedback about our specialized women programming. Many tell us that it offered them a personal setting where they felt comfortable discussing women specific addiction issues without feeling embarrassed. Our extensive Women-specific treatment expertise enables us to create programming that is beneficial to assist women in finding recovery. These specialty groups and lectures include trauma, eating disorders, grief, assertiveness, parenting, health issues, dual disorders, and other ways addiction impacts women differently. These groups are co-facilitated by a chemical dependency professional and other appropriate professionals including dieticians, wellness, spiritual care, and medical professionals.

Will I be receiving this same treatment regardless of the unit I'm on?
Everyone who comes to Hazelden receives individualized treatment planning. At all Hazelden residential locations, we have gender-specific treatment, which means that men and women are treated separately, and differently based on their unique needs. Since all women face similar issues during the recovery process, this women-specialized treatment was implemented into Hazelden's clinical programming for women and the center was built as a women's residence involving areas and activities that are women-specific.

Is anything offered for families?
Addiction is a family disease and at Hazelden we know that family members feel the stress of living with someone who has an addiction to alcohol or other drugs. This can often cause family members to face physical, emotional, social, and spiritual consequences. Because of this, Hazelden currently offers the Family Program that includes presentations, reading and reflection, personal goal setting, group discussions, and fellowship with other family members, who together realize they are experiencing a very similar situation.

Family conferences were integrated into the Women's Recovery programming. Families are also allowed to visit the patient during visiting hours. The Women's Recovery Center in Center City has a room specifically for arts and crafts. When children visit their mothers in recovery at Center City, the art center is available as an interactive activity for mothers and their children so they can have fun together.

When was this Center opened?
Although Hazelden has been the leader in the innovation of addiction treatment for men and women for over 50 years, the Women's Recovery Center was opened in 2006 on our Center City campus in Center City, Minnesota. It features maple woodwork and earth tone décor, with large windows to let in sunshine and provide beautiful views of South Center Lake.

What are the rooms like?
While designing the Women's Recovery Center, it was important to design each room to ensure each woman has plenty of privacy and space. Most rooms have three beds with a half-wall separating the sleeping areas. The rooms have a patio or balcony overlooking the beautiful South Center Lake or an exterior courtyard.

Are any additional products or services offered?
With the new women's programming, a weekly women's health clinic was also added. Here, a female nurse practitioner is available to provide gynecological examinations and to address health concerns specific to women. A recovery resource manual with many topics specific to women is also available.