By Molly Parker
Staff Writer

     Many women who seek treatment at the Palmetto Lowcountry Behavioral Hospital have lengthy histories of abuse, whether emotional, physical or sexual. And that, say clinical managers, in turn creates what they call a “setup,” the likelihood there will be a host of other problems ranging from alcoholism to low self-esteem.

Oftentimes that abuse comes from the hands of the men in their lives, including boyfriends, husbands, fathers and others, so it’s of little surprise that the women have problems with trust when it comes to discussing their issues openly around men in the co-ed treatment facility, said Rhonda Faughender, a clinical manager at the hospital. 

Over the years, she said, she has heard women time and again say they would have been more comfortable discussing their problems and working through situations if men had not been in the room.  

With those dark realities in mind, the institution has opened a 10-bed women-only unit on its Speissegger Drive campus. 

A focus on women’s issues

“People keep asking me what’s so great about the women’s unit. Well, it’s a women’s unit. That to me is the most important focal point — that we are able to focus on women’s issues,” said Faughender, who will supervise the new unit.

“In a mixed-gender unit, things come up in treatment people aren’t comfortable discussing,” said David Shiel, the institution’s executive director of adult services. “Whether (a patient) has issues with depression or anxiety or abuse, we are going to be able to set up a safe place to talk about it.”

“We want them to leave here feeling like something is going to be very different,” said Faughender.

The women checking in for treatment will generally stay five to seven days. 

The clinic will focus on empowering women and giving them control over their choices and their reactions to tough situations. Part of the treatment plan’s goal will be to teach people new skills to deal with stresses from different sources ranging from finances to the relationships in their lives, be they with significant others, children, parents or co-workers. Substance abuse treatment will be offered.

The women will work through their problems in group sessions and in tailored, individualized medical and counseling sessions. Clinicians also will teach relaxation skills, which could come in the form of yoga classes and outdoor walks.

“The women we work with typically are disempowered,” Shiel said. “They aren’t going to go out and tackle the world. Or if they do try to tackle the world, they get beat up. They don’t know how to manage.”

Individual attention

Though the women’s unit could be expanded in the future, the small number of beds will allow staff to provide individualized attention, he said. Ideally, some of the women will become friends during the process and form a network of support outside the hospital, he said.

Faughender called the women’s unit an obvious “step one” in providing gender-specific treatment options. Studies show women are twice as likely to experience depression as men, though health experts say those results could be skewed by the fact that women could be more likely to seek treatment than men. 

CEO Cherie Tolley said the hospital may consider future male-only sessions. Palmetto Behavioral Health is a private mental health hospital headquartered in North Charleston. It is the only private mental health hospital in the Lowcountry.

Molly Parker is a staff writer for the Business Journal. E-mail her directly at mparker@scbiznews.com.

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