Texas Women’s Life Skills Training for Addiction

Why Do Women Need Life Skills Training?

The absence of necessary life skills is a prevalent issue among women struggling with addiction, and it often stems from the enabling behaviors of those in their lives. Many women begin misusing drugs or alcohol in their formative years and develop a reliance on their parents or other loved ones, making it challenging to be self-sufficient. This lack of self-sufficiency may be perpetuated by loved ones offering housing, paying bills, or enabling addictive behaviors.

Additionally, even those who have developed some of the life skills needed may find they are unable to successfully manage work, struggle with relationships with family members, and even lack self-care. Basic tasks can become unimportant or even forgotten when one’s life revolves around substance abuse. At The Fullbrook Center, we provide training so that women in recovery can learn the required tools to make healthy decisions. We help them become self-supporting so they can build a more stable foundation for their life in recovery.

Tools Developed in Life Skills Therapy

Life skills therapy provides women with the tools and knowledge to help them make positive life changes as they transition to their life after addiction.

Some of the tools women begin to develop in life skills therapy are:

Coping Skills

Relapse is a genuine concern for those in recovery. Acquiring effective coping skills can help with relapse prevention and can be beneficial for getting back into recovery, should relapse occur. Through this form of therapy, women learn things like sober-based methods of de-stressing, the benefits of journaling, and identifying their triggers and how to avoid them.

Communication Skills

Many women dealing with substance use disorder have underdeveloped communication skills. Learning how to communicate is an important part of the recovery process and developing healthy relationships. Being able to identify how you feel and appropriately express those feelings doesn’t always come naturally. This therapy helps focus on necessary life skills and teaches women how to express their feelings.

Emotional Regulation Skills

Drug and alcohol addiction suppresses emotions. Women in early recovery are often overwhelmed by all the emotions they now feel and have difficulty managing them. Life skills therapy teaches how to better regulate these negative emotions by utilizing various methods like exercise, meditation, and journaling.

Everyday Life Skills

Due to the power of addiction, most women abusing drugs or alcohol have likely neglected everyday tasks. For some, their home is in disarray, their personal hygiene is lacking, and their physical health is deteriorating. Life skills therapy can help re-teach healthy habits in a positive manner. Reminding women in recovery that organization and clean spaces help produce harmony in our lives.

Employment Skills

Often, when women enter addiction treatment, they have had issues with their employment or cannot obtain employment. Life skills such as communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking are essential for success in the workplace. In addiction treatment, life skills can help women develop the confidence and self-awareness necessary to navigate the job search process — from researching job opportunities to interviewing and onboarding. Life skills can also help them build better relationships with colleagues and managers, leading to greater job satisfaction and better performance.