What Gender-Specific Treatment Offers
Gender-specific programming separates men’s and women’s clinical groups for portions of treatment where shared experience, vulnerability, and trauma topics benefit from a single-gender setting. Research and clinical experience suggest gender-specific groups can support more candid disclosure and stronger peer connection on issues that often differ by gender, including:
- Trauma history and disclosures, particularly sexual trauma and intimate partner violence
- Body image and eating-related concerns
- Identity and life-stage issues including parenthood, partnership, and career pressures
- Relationship patterns and intimacy
- Cultural and societal expectations specific to gender
Villa’s gender-specific programming is integrated into a broader clinical framework that includes mixed-gender medical care, individual therapy, medication management, family therapy, and many group sessions. Gender-specific elements are used where clinically beneficial, not as the entire program structure.
Women's Treatment Focus
The women’s component addresses clinical issues common in women’s addiction and mental health presentations:
- Trauma processing including sexual assault history, intimate partner violence, and childhood trauma; trauma is a frequent driver of women’s substance use
- Postpartum depression and perinatal mental health for women whose recovery is shaped by pregnancy, postpartum, or motherhood
- Eating concerns and body image which co-occur frequently with mood and substance use disorders in women
- Relationship dynamics including codependency, intimate relationships, and parenting during recovery
- Hormonal and reproductive health intersections with mental health and addiction
- Women-specific medication considerations in psychiatric and addiction medicine prescribing
Men's Treatment Focus
The men’s component addresses clinical issues common in men’s addiction and mental health presentations:
• Emotional expression and barriers to seeking help which frequently delay men’s entry into mental health and addiction treatment
• Anger and aggression management as primary or secondary presentations
• Trauma processing including combat trauma, occupational trauma, and childhood trauma; men’s trauma often goes underdiagnosed
• Identity and life-role issues around fatherhood, partnership, and career
• Substance use patterns specific to men including high-functioning alcohol use disorder and stimulant use
• Co-occurring depression which is often underrecognized in men because presentations differ from typical screening symptoms
How Treatment Works at Villa
Gender-specific programming is delivered within Villa’s full continuum of care:
- Medical detox when substance withdrawal requires it
- Residential treatment – 30 to 90 days with mixed-gender medical care and gender-specific group programming where clinically appropriate
- Partial hospitalization (PHP) – 5-6 hours/day, 5 days/week
- Continued Care– 3 hours/day, 3 days/week
- Therapy and medication management
- Telehealth across California for contiued care phases
The first appointment runs 90 minutes and covers a full clinical assessment, validated screening for depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance use, and other conditions, medical and medication review, and a recommended treatment plan. Most clients are scheduled within the same week for telehealth.
Clinicians are licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) and Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW). Medically reviewed by Dr. Courtney Scott, MD. Founded by Georgia Frabotta, who brings over 23 years of personal recovery experience.
Therapies and Modalities Offered
The evidence-based modalities used in gender-specific programming are the same as standard treatment, applied with gender-aware framing:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – first-line for depression, anxiety, substance use
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) – emotion regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness
- Trauma-focused therapy (EMDR, prolonged exposure, CPT) – for trauma underlying mental health symptoms or substance use
- Motivational Interviewing (MI) – for ambivalence about change
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) – values-based behavior change
- Family and couples therapy – see family therapy programs for relationship-focused work including couples and intimacy issues
- Group therapy – includes both gender-specific and mixed-gender groups depending on the topic and clinical fit
- Individual therapy – weekly minimum, more frequent during acute phases
- Medication management – board-certified psychiatrists managing both psychiatric medications and medication-assisted treatment for substance use
Insurance, Cost, and Admissions
Villa Treatment Center is in-network with Aetna, Cigna, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Cross of California, Health Net, and MHN, and works with most other major carriers on an out-of-network basis. Gender-specific programming is delivered within standard residential, PHP, continued care, and therapy levels so insurance coverage rules are the same as standard treatment.
Verification takes 15 minutes by phone or 24 hours by online form. Self-pay rates and payment plans are available.
To start: call (818) 639-7160 or use the insurance verification form.
Serving Woodland Hills, The San Fernando Valley, and Greater Los Angeles
Villa’s facility sits on Hood Drive in Woodland Hills, CA, accessible from Calabasas, Tarzana, Encino, Sherman Oaks, Northridge, West Hills, Canoga Park, Reseda, Van Nuys, Agoura Hills, Thousand Oaks, Glendale, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Malibu, and the broader Los Angeles County. Telehealth extends services across California.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is gender-specific treatment?
Gender-specific treatment separates men’s and women’s clinical groups for portions of treatment where single-gender programming clinically benefits the work. At Villa, this includes specific group therapy sessions and certain trauma-focused work. Other parts of treatment, medical care, individual therapy, medication management, family therapy, are integrated across the full clinical team.
Why choose gender-specific addiction treatment?
Research and clinical experience suggest single-gender groups can support more candid disclosure on topics that often differ by gender (sexual trauma, intimate partner violence, body image, identity, parenting, gender-specific cultural expectations). For some clients these issues are central to recovery; for others a mixed-gender setting works equally well. The clinical team helps determine the right balance during assessment.
Does Villa have separate facilities for men and women?
Villa’s residential programming includes private bedrooms and gender-specific group sessions where clinically beneficial. Some programming is mixed-gender (medical care, individual therapy, mixed-gender group work). The exact program structure is reviewed during admissions to confirm fit.
Can I get treatment for mental health and addiction together?
Yes. Villa is licensed to treat co-occurring disorders (dual diagnosis). Mental health and substance use are addressed simultaneously by the same clinical team, with gender-specific elements integrated where clinically appropriate.
How long does gender-specific treatment last?
Length varies based on diagnoses, severity, and treatment response. Residential treatment runs 30 to 90 days. PHP runs 2 to 4 weeks. IOP runs 8 to 12 weeks. Outpatient therapy and medication management often continue 6 months to a year or longer.
Does insurance cover gender-specific treatment?
Insurance coverage is based on the underlying clinical service (residential, PHP, IOP, outpatient), not on the gender-specific framing. Most major insurance plans cover behavioral health treatment under the behavioral health benefit. Verification takes 15 minutes; call (818) 639-7160 or use the form.
Is gender-specific treatment available by telehealth?
Outpatient therapy and medication management are available by secure video across California. Some group sessions are delivered in gender-specific telehealth tracks; in-person residential and PHP programming requires being on-site at the Woodland Hills facility.
Do I need a referral?
No. Most insurance plans do not require a referral for behavioral health services, though some HMO plans do. Call (818) 639-7160 or use the verification form and admissions will confirm during the insurance check.