At La Ventana we know that traumatic events in a women’s lifetime can result in serious consequences, such as mental illness and substance abuse. To address the needs of these individuals, La Ventana now offers a residential mental health facility for women in crisis.
La Ventana provides a safe, supportive facility where female clients can explore their cognitive, emotional and physical health. By addressing all aspects of health, we believe that full healing is possible. Our residential mental health facility for women aims to dissect the reasons for pain and suffering. When the underlying cause of depression and anxiety is treated, the rest of the body can heal.
Understanding the Effects of Trauma in Women
According to the American Psychological Association (APA.org) traumatic events include any of the following:
- Physical, psychological or sexual abuse
- Witnessing violence against others
- Accidents and natural disasters
- Domestic violence
- Terrorism and war
Our Licensed, Certified & Accredited Women’s Primary Mental Health Residential Home in Thousand Oaks, CA
Roughly half of individuals will be exposed to at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. While some people are able to recover from trauma on their own, not all can. Some individuals suffer lifelong problems from the trauma they endured without proper treatment.
Women are more at risk for developing long-term effects from trauma. They are twice as likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), experience a longer duration of symptoms and show more sensitivity to stimuli that reminds them of the trauma. Sadly, many women never receive treatment and end up going through their whole lives suffering physical and emotional pain.
Furthermore, trauma is likely to go unnoticed by health professionals due to a lack of time and resources. The good news is that there are many treatment options available to help these individuals. Researchers show that women who have survived traumatic events respond well to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), experiential therapy, group and individual counseling, family therapy, pharmacotherapy and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). These are the women La Ventana aims to help.
Even though advocacy groups work hard to reduce violence against women, the numbers are still startling. Every day, women are sexually assaulted, raped and even murdered by both intimate partners and strangers. Ninety percent of adult rape victims are female, and 82% of all juvenile victims are female. Women between the ages of 16-19 are four times more likely to be assaulted than the general population.
Sexual violence has long-term effects on women. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network RAINN.org reports that:
- 94% of women who are raped experience symptoms of PTSD during the first two weeks after the assault
- 30% of women still have PTSD symptoms nine months after the assault
- 33% of women who are sexually assaulted contemplate suicide
- 13% of women who are sexually assaulted attempt suicide
- 70% of women who are sexually assaulted experience moderate to severe distress, which is more than than any other crime
Furthermore, victims of sexual assault are more likely to use drugs than the general population. They also tend to have trouble at work or school, get into more arguments with friends and family and feel they can no longer trust those around them.
Our Licensed, Certified & Accredited Women’s Primary Mental Health Residential Home in Thousand Oaks, CA
Trauma Treatment Interventions at La Ventana
La Ventana’s residential mental health facility offers a number of treatment interventions for women who have suffered traumatic events in their lifetimes. Our women’s-only program is safe, supportive and designed to promote long-term recovery from mental health disorders, psychiatric disorders and dual diagnosis.
Each client is unique, and we treat them this way. We realize that the women who come to us have different backgrounds; some have suffered sexual assault while others were physically abused or neglected. This is why we focus on evidence-based treatments tailored to our clients’ unique needs.
The types of treatments we offer in our residential female-only mental health facility include but are not limited to:
- Dialectical behavior therapy
- Cognitive behavior therapy
- Experiential therapy
- Intense individual therapy
- Group therapy
- Family therapy
- Pharmacotherapy
- EMDR
- Music therapy
Benefits of Gender-Specific Treatment
A large number of women that we work with have been physically or sexually assaulted by a man. Due to this, we feel that these women heal best in an environment without other men. We often find that women feel most comfortable and are willing to open up in a female gender-specific environment.
Here are the benefits to offering female-only mental health treatment:
Greater focus on issues affecting women. Issues like parenting, income, employment and mental health conditions affect a woman’s recovery different than a man’s. Our mental health facility gives special attention to these areas.
Greater safety and security. In a women’s center, sexual assault victims feel more comfortable discussing their past. These environments are also safer and have fewer distractions compared to coed treatment facilities.
Nurturing environment. Our residential female mental health facility is highly nurturing, as we know that women do best in this setting. We intend to build a strong sense of community to guide women through trauma recovery and protect them from from relapse.
Address gender-specific relapse risks. Our mental health program also addresses gender-specific relapse. For example, women are more likely to relapse due to low self-esteem, eating disorders associated with substance abuse and continuing relationships with abusive partners.
Start Your Recovery Today with La Ventana
La Ventana is family owned and has been helping individuals for over ten years. We have highly experienced doctors and mental health professionals who are trained to work with all types of individuals and experiences. Contact us today to learn more about our residential mental health facility for women and to verify insurance. Toll Free (800) 560-8518
Our Licensed, Certified & Accredited Women’s Primary Mental Health Residential Home in Thousand Oaks, CA
