Casa Serena - Treatment Programs for Women

Women’s Residential Treatment in Santa Barbara

The center provides a trauma-informed, women-only residential program where clients can recover in a calm and supportive environment. Housed in two Victorian-style homes a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean, the setting offers comfort and privacy while maintaining a sense of community. Clients stay in private or shared rooms with cozy furnishings and en suite bathrooms, surrounded by gardens, a library, and outdoor lounge areas. The program is designed to help women step away from daily demands and focus fully on healing.

Specialized Programs for Veterans and Eating Disorders

Dedicated tracks are available to meet the needs of veterans and women struggling with eating disorders alongside addiction. The veterans program provides specialized therapy for women facing post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), military sexual trauma, and readjustment challenges, integrating evidence-based therapy and peer support through a social model of care. Clients can also be connected with veteran-specific community resources. The eating disorder program combines nutrition counseling, body image work, and expressive therapies with medical and psychological oversight, helping clients repair their relationship with food.

Holistic Healing and Recreational Activities

Alongside traditional therapy, the center’s holistic offerings are designed to help clients reconnect mind, body, and spirit. Daily yoga and meditation sessions build mindfulness and self-compassion, while expressive and art therapy encourage emotional release through creativity. The center’s culinary arts and nutrition programs teach balanced eating and self-care, using fresh herbs and vegetables grown in the on-site gardens. Fitness classes, beach walks, and outdoor activities help enhance physical well-being.

Daily Life and Therapeutic Community

Life at the center follows a balanced schedule. Clients participate in individual therapy, group sessions, and skills workshops designed to build confidence and connection. Gender-specific groups allow open conversation about experiences unique to women, including relationships, identity, and motherhood in recovery. Evenings often include reflection, journaling, or community dinners shared in the garden. This routine is designed to help clients leave with practical tools, healthier coping strategies, and a renewed sense of purpose.

Continuing Support and Aftercare

After residential care, clients can choose to transition to Millie’s House, the facility’s sober living home. Casa Serena’s Lifetime Aftercare Program offers ongoing alumni groups, family sessions, and peer gatherings. Clients can also return for weekly group meetings, workshops, and seasonal celebrations that honor progress and resilience. This lifelong network of support ensures that each woman has access to continued guidance, encouragement, and community throughout her recovery journey.

Client Reviews

Many clients describe Casa Serena as a caring, life-improving environment, highlighting the staff and the holistic, empowering nature of the program. A few note organizational issues, lack of sensitivity to dual-diagnosis needs, and communication challenges.

• Staff & Care Experience (95% positive): Reviewers often emphasize the empathy, professionalism, and dedication of the team.” "The staff truly care and understand what you’re going through."
• Treatment Quality & Outcomes (90% positive): Many credit Casa Serena with helping them rebuild their lives through evidence-based therapy and compassionate guidance. Several mention lasting progress and renewed self-worth. "Casa Serena changed my life and gave me hope again."
• Facility & Environment (85% positive): Clients describe the setting as peaceful, restorative, and conducive to healing, with comfortable accommodations and a safe, nurturing atmosphere. "It feels like home from the moment you walk in."
• Support & Community (80% positive): Alumni frequently mention strong bonds with peers and ongoing connection through alumni and aftercare programs that help sustain recovery. "The women I met here are now my lifelong sisters."
• Access & Process: A few reviews mention room for improvement in staff communication, sensitivity, and scheduling.