All understand that the needs and roles of women and men are just simply different, and both are important. At Brookhaven Retreat we do not profess to specialize in everything. We have made our specialty the emotional restoration of women.
Women have an entirely different emotional threshold from men and have a different life experience. For example, women have babies. Women are much more likely to have experienced sexual abuse. Women are physically less strong. Women often internalize blame, eventually becoming overwhelmed, not knowing what their belief system values are. This leads to low self esteem, personal emotional disconnection and the inability to make healthy decisions.
The roles of women within society have different demands and the inherent nurturing nature of women finds the setting of boundaries difficult. Our programs are specifically tailored to developing the coping skills and life skills that are necessary to manage the demands of life and the adjustment of distorted thinking, which can arise from the concealment of negative experiences.
Being able to communicate so family members can hear what the woman is trying to say is a learned communication skill which is essential to uniting a family. We facilitate this type of communication, which is designed to take communication out of chaos and put it into order.
When a woman is using emotional escape tools, these are simply her survival tools that are having a counterproductive effect. These have usually been developing over a ten to twenty year incubation period. The person doesn't really know it is happening until they are trapped. There has not been a culture within the person's experience that has allowed them to develop emotional maturity using safe and healthy coping mechanisms.
The emotional rebuild that takes place allows the client not only to get well, but also to develop all the necessary tools to continue to stay well and to have a productive life with themselves, their family and society. Lifelong maintenance is foundational to continued growth.
Confidentiality, privacy and safety within a community of women creates a haven that allows certain very sensitive disclosures to take place. For women, some types of disclosures are impossible to make in a coed setting. Such issues might include incest, sexual abuse, rape, violence, abandonment, abortions, and inability to self-forgive. One of the truths we believe is that secrets and lies keep women sick. Misguided loyalty causes us to stay within those secrets and lies. Brookhaven Retreat is a place to let these things go and be put to rest for a healing closure to take place. Our experience has been when both staff and clients are female that such issues can be explored more fully with better resolutions found, removing the judgement and shame so many women experience.
Kindred spirits, shared experiences, true compassion, “your pain in my heart” are what build the camaraderie amongst our clients. Our clients have often felt isolated, alone, in fear of everything and not knowing how to connect with anybody. Coming into an environment of others with personal understanding, empathy and insight into your personal struggles creates relief and the ability to self-reflect and self-understand. It is very important that we cut through and eliminate as many distractions as possible, allowing each client to focus on themselves, their needs and finding the clinical path forward.
The families of our clients usually want to be involved in weekly family therapy, accomplishing assignments and being educated as to what their role should be going forward. An all female facility has usually been a prerequisite when considering the client needs.
One of the greatest things our clients appreciate and did not expect after treatment are the new friends they have made and the yearly gatherings of alumnae. Brookhaven Retreat is a walk for life for women.
The alumnae is a bouquet – alike but different, all gathered in the same bunch.
