The Matrix Intensive Outpatient Treatment for People with Stimulant Use Disorders, Counselor’s Treatment Manual, originally published in 1995 by the Matrix Center and reproduced by SAMHSA in 2006, has been used by thousands of addiction treatment counselors. The Matrix treatment model grew from a need for structured, evidence-based treatment for clients who abuse or are dependent on stimulant drugs, particularly methamphetamine and cocaine.

The program model has been well received by the addiction treatment field, and the demand for the Matrix program materials has been very high. At the same time, as the field became more experienced with the use of the program materials, a need was identified for tailoring of program materials to certain special populations. In 2005, an adaptation to the Matrix materials was developed for Native American/ American Indian persons. In 2006, an additional adaptation was prepared for men who have sex with men. These adaptations address unique concerns and needs of these populations and enhance the appeal of the Matrix program for these audiences.

The development of Using Matrix with Women Clients: A Supplement to the Matrix Intensive Outpatient Treatment for People with Stimulant Use Disorders continues efforts to tailor the Matrix program materials to a distinct audience. Much has been learned over the past decade about the unique substance abuse treatment needs and concerns of women. This knowledge has been applied to the women’s supplement. It covers the importance of relationships in women’s recovery; issues of trauma, abuse, and violence; sexuality and sex for money; body image and weight control; parenting and pregnancy; and family roles. Given the relatively high proportion of women seeking treatment for stimulant dependence, this adaptation is very timely.

During the field test of this new material, women commented on their experiences with the added sessions. Some of the comments were as follows: “Thank you for creating a safe space for women. It has made a radical difference in my recovery.” “I liked finding strength-based solutions to my challenges in recovery. Thank you. It’s so awesome and empowering.” “My first session was today and it was so liberating and empowering! I got to talk about things I never would have in front of men in the regular ER group.” These comments are reflective of other women-only group experiences for women participating in treatment and speak to the importance for addressing women’s unique concerns in the safety and comfort of a women-only group.

This manual is a supplementary programme to the main Matrix counselor’s treatment manual. As it was developed for use in the US treatment context, some areas will need to be carefully adapted for use in the UK. The proposed group sessions have been tailored to the specific needs of women in substance misuse treatment services, aiming to make them more responsive, accessible and relevant to women service users. This manual contains comprehensive materials for an additional 10 session group treatment programme for service users with stimulant use problems. The sessions include:
• Issues of trauma
• Abuse
• Violence
• Sex and sexuality
• Sex for money
• Body image and weight control
• Pregnancy and parenting
• Family roles.

{For Counselor's and client's treatment manuals see related links below]