What Is A Women's Extended Living Facility?

There are many different circumstances where a woman would need to seek out the support of an extended living facility, including drug and/or alcohol addiction, and domestic abuse.

What is unique about going to an extended living facility is just that - a woman can live there for an extended period of time. This will give her time to get a support network set up so that she can return to the world outside more able to make healthy choices.

Unfortunately, many women who escape from abusive relationships by entering a women's shelter for a couple of weeks, usually return to the same relationship. Then the cycle is repeated, often ending in the woman's death.

While a woman is staying at a shelter, she seldom has access to counseling where she could be reminded of her value and could learn new coping skills. Without this, she has no hope of being able to survive without the codependent abusive relationship she has become accustomed to.

A female drug addict quite often experiences a type of lifestyle in her active addiction that is so degrading that it is extremely difficult for her to reach out for help. Instead of seeing herself as a sick person needing help to get well, she sees herself as a bad person who has no hope of ever getting 'good.'

When abused women or drug addicted women enter an extended living facility, they feel totally hopeless. They feel that they will never be able to escape the negative hostile lifestyles they have been living.

Because there is no rush to leave an extended living facility, these women have the opportunity to take the time to really look at what has happened with their lives. They can also share with other women who have experienced similar circumstances.

It takes time for them to realize they are not alone and that they no longer have to be afraid. It takes time for them to realize that it is okay to hope. Women in this type of facility will open up to each other when given the chance; they will encourage each other and then hope will begin to grow. This is the beginning of them developing a support network that will help them make healthy new choices.

Healthy self-care shows the desire for real recovery. This begins with personal hygiene which is basic to most women. However, these broken women see themselves as less than animals. They have forgotten how to even care for their basic needs.

From this small beginning, these women can reach out for medical care, financial assistance, legal assistance, counseling, and job training. They can become financially independent and get housing of their own.

For many, the road to healing and anew life can be started at a women's extended living facility.