Women for Sobriety

Services

Women For Sobriety (WFS) is both an organization and a self-help program (also called the New Life Program) for women with Substance Use Disorders. Founded in 1975, it was the first national self-help program for addiction recovery developed to address the unique needs of women. Based upon the thirteen Acceptance Statements, the New Life Program is one of positivity that encourages emotional and spiritual growth. The New Life Program has been extremely effective in helping women to overcome their Substance Use Disorders and learn a wholly new lifestyle. As a recovery program, it can stand alone or be used along with other recovery supports simultaneously.

Women For Sobriety, Incorporated:

  • Conducts outreach and education about addiction and recovery using the WFS New Life Program.
  • Supports the establishment and oversight of mutual aid groups based on the principles of the WFS New Life Program.
  • Administers the peer-support forum and chat room Women for Sobriety Online thanks to a generous special endowment.
  • Develops and distributes official literature about the New Life Program.
  • Administers the WFS Annual Weekend Conference.
  • Is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization which derives operational funding from group donations, literature sales, the Annual Weekend Conference, fundraising activities, and other donations.

Why A Program For Women Only?

Until the founding of WFS, it was assumed that any program for recovery from addiction would work equally well for women as for men. When it became obvious that recovery rates for males were higher than for females, it was then declared that women were harder to treat and were less cooperative.

WFS came forth with the belief that women simply require a different kind of program in recovery than the kinds of programs developed for men. The success of the WFS New Life Program has shown this to be true.

Although the physiological recovery from addiction is similar across the sex and gender spectrums, the psychological (emotional) needs of women in recovery are very different from those of men. The New Life Program is directed to these specific needs of women in recovery.

Women for Sobriety welcomes all expressions of female identity and our peer-supported resources are available to all sisters from the LGBTQ+ community.