19 Jun We Launch a Therapeutic Community Programme

At We Are Like You, we continue exploring new ways to support people in their recovery journeys. In June 2025, we launched a Therapeutic Community (TC) Programme, designed for people with substance use disorders and other mental health or behavioural challenges.

A Therapeutic Community is a structured programme that uses peer support, group work and daily routines as central elements of the therapeutic process. The approach is based on the idea that change does not happen only in individual sessions, but also through shared responsibility, community life and learning together in a safe environment.

The programme focuses on self-help, mutual support and life skills development, creating a trusting atmosphere where everyone actively participates in their own recovery and supports others in the community.

At the Maria Josefa Recio Unit, where we currently have a small number of residents with addiction issues, we have adapted this model to our context. Residents and staff form the community together, which becomes the main space for healing and learning, complementing other therapeutic interventions.

The programme began with a first group of four women, working on social, psychological and behavioural factors that underlie their challenges. In this approach, addiction is understood as part of a more complex situation, connected to experiences, emotions and ways of relating, rather than as an isolated problem.

Therapeutic Communities have been shown to be effective in addressing substance use, addictions and other complex emotional and interpersonal issues, offering a framework that supports rehabilitation and social reintegration.

We continue building supportive spaces where people can feel heard, respected and accompanied throughout their journey of change.