Kirkbride Center

Evidence-Based Trauma Recovery Program

The Trauma Recovery Empowerment Model (TREM) is a central component of the center’s therapeutic approach. This gender-specific therapy is designed for people who have experienced physical, emotional, or sexual trauma. Participants meet weekly in 75-minute sessions that combine psychoeducation, emotional regulation, and cognitive restructuring. This approach helps individuals understand the connection between trauma and substance use, build safer coping strategies, and regain a sense of personal agency.

Care for Underserved Populations

Targeted support is available for people with complex histories, including those with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, veterans, older adults, and individuals living with HIV. The center also provides specialized programming for trauma survivors who have been involved in sex work, creating space for mutual support and trauma processing in a safe, nonjudgmental setting. Additional groups address the needs of people affected by domestic violence, incarceration, and chronic housing instability — ensuring that individuals whose recovery journeys are shaped by layered trauma can access care that meets them where they are.

Creative and Experiential Therapy Options

The center combines individual therapy with group sessions led by a primary therapist to support emotional healing and behavioral change. Group topics include mindfulness, healing the inner child, and yoga — approaches that help clients regulate emotions and reconnect with their bodies. Creative therapies such as art therapy, music therapy, and mural arts offer alternative ways to process experiences, while gardening provides a calming, hands-on outlet for growth and reflection. These varied options allow people in treatment to explore what resonates with them, build coping skills, and engage more fully in their recovery.

Aftercare with Connections to Community Resources

Comprehensive transitional support is provided to help clients build stable lives after residential care. Services include aftercare and discharge planning, naloxone and overdose education, and outcome follow-up post-discharge. Clients also have access to peer mentoring, recovery coaching, case management, and practical support like housing services and employment counseling. These services are designed to reduce relapse risk and support long-term recovery, especially for individuals facing challenges like unstable housing, unemployment, or limited access to community resources.

What Patients Say

Patients often point to the staff’s willingness to listen and engage as a key strength. One testimonial captures it simply: “The people are fantastic. The staff is incredibly supportive. They're willing to sit down and talk about what motivates them.” This kind of relational care — where staff are not just experts but partners in recovery — can make a meaningful difference in how supported and seen people feel during treatment.