International Women’s Day falls this Friday 8th March and is celebrated in many countries around the world. It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. This year’s campaign calls for a more a more gender-balanced world where womanhood is celebrated #BalanceForBetter.

The Cabin Group in Chiang Mai, a leading provider of premium addiction treatment services, understand the challenges that women face and recently launched a new women’s programme, ‘Rise’, a 10 week gender-responsive programme which reflects the experience of being a woman throughout all aspects of the client’s recovery journey. They believe a balanced world is a better world and we all have a role to play to create it. This is Asia’s first women’s only trauma-informed addiction programme; designed by women, run by women and for women.

The programme aims to help women discover, as well as empower and inspire them to take back control of their lives through a non-judgmental, safe, secure, single-sex environment. Women are supported by an all-female continuing care team, a family therapist and an onsite nurses’ station, housed within a community village for up to 38 women. The programme counsellors are professionals in recovery from addiction and trauma and are uniquely placed to help other women to recover from their addiction.

The Rise Programme primarily helps women to recover from the following:

  • Primary addictions: chemical (alcohol, prescription medications, drugs)
  • Process: (gambling, gaming, social media, work, exercise)
  • Trauma & PTSD
  • Mood disorders
  • Personality disorders
  • Attachment disorders
  • Disordered eating
  • Self-Injurious behaviour issues
  • Love & Intimacy issues

Rise’s Programme Director Paula Shields is passionate about educating and empowering women to seek recovery and utilises her skills in group facilitation as well as individual counselling sessions at The Cabin. She comments: “Addiction by its very nature disconnects people from others and themselves. Therefore, our gender-responsive programme for women has an emphasis on connection and growth-fostering relationships. The Cabin is striving for world class clinical excellence, and I see the launch of our Rise programme as a pioneering step forward, ensuring that our clients are given the very best treatment. For me, this is more than addiction treatment. It’s about changing people’s lives by changing their understanding of what’s possible for them. Even in our darkest moments we can Rise.”

Support International Women’s Day on social media, #BeMoreMe, #BalanceforBetter and #IWD2019.