Gender-Specific Process Groups

What is a gender-specific process group?

A process group is a small, clinician-led group where clients talk openly about what they are going through and learn from one another’s experience. The goal is connection and insight, not instruction. In a gender-specific process group, everyone in the room is the same gender. That simple change makes it easier for many people to talk about things they would hold back in a mixed group.

At Healing Springs Ranch, process groups come in several forms: small groups, recovery-based groups and gender-specific groups. Each client’s schedule combines them with individual therapy and our other therapeutic groups. Gender-specific groups meet weekly.

Why a same-gender group can help

Addiction, trauma and mental health conditions are shaped by life experience, and some of that experience is tied to gender: what people were taught about asking for help, the roles they carry at home and at work, how they relate to their bodies, and the kinds of trauma they have lived through. Talking about those things can feel safer among peers who share them.

• Less holding back. Topics like relationships, sexuality, body image, parenting and past abuse are often easier to raise with peers of the same gender.
• Recognition. Hearing someone describe an experience you thought was yours alone cuts through shame and isolation.
• Practice. The group is a place to try new ways of being honest and asking for support, which clients then carry into the rest of treatment and home.

How the groups fit into the rest of treatment

Gender-specific groups are one part of an integrated treatment plan. Clients also have two to three individual therapy sessions a week with master’s-level clinicians, and take part in groups such as cognitive therapy, somatic processing, psychodrama, art therapy, mind/body groups and trauma education. Our clinical team treats addiction, mental health conditions and trauma together, including complex co-occurring diagnoses, and families are invited into the process through our Family Program. See Types of Therapy for the full list.

For men and for women

Read more about how the groups work for men and for women at Healing Springs Ranch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Healing Springs Ranch a men-only or women-only program?

No. Healing Springs Ranch is a co-ed residential program. Men and women share most of the program, and both take part in gender-specific process groups as part of their treatment.

What happens in a process group?

A small group of clients meets with a clinician to talk about what they are working on, respond to one another and notice patterns in how they relate to others. It is a place for connection and honest conversation rather than a lecture.

Do I have to share in group?

No one is forced to share. Clinicians help each person participate at a pace that feels safe, and most clients find it easier to open up as trust in the group grows.

How long is residential treatment?

Most residential stays are 30 to 45 days. Length of stay is clinically determined and can be extended when needed.

Do you accept private pay and insurance?

Yes, both. We welcome private-pay clients and offer payment plans. We are in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Health Choice, Magellan and Employers Health Network, and work with out-of-network benefits. We do not accept Medicare or Medicaid. See Financial Options.