March 14, 2024 By Leah Malone

Setting Educational Goals for Women

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Women in recovery benefit from setting clear and sustainable goals. Many women at Grace & Emerge Recovery attend classes to improve their skills or build the foundations for a new career. Attending community classes or going to university empowers women to regain control of their lives. Academic success gives women a platform for expressing themselves and gaining confidence. In addition, starting a new career advances women’s leadership and ensures women’s voices are heard within the community. Emerge Recovery TX is proud to offer post-graduate recovery coaching and other services to help women achieve their educational goals on their journey to wellness.

You Can Achieve Educational Goals During Recovery

Oftentimes, women in recovery choose to return to school or complete a degree to pursue jobs they are passionate about. Achieving academic goals can empower you and provide a sense of purpose. You can also leverage academic success to meet other personal or professional objectives.

Some common academic goals that women opt for during treatment and early recovery include:

  • Completing or starting a new degree.
  • Gaining certifications for specific skills.
  • Enrolling in a trade school.
  • Participating in a training program.
  • Pursuing mentorships or internships.

Academic and career aspirations enhance independence, social engagement, and personal growth. Your overall well-being can benefit from investing your time and energy in something productive and fulfilling. Individuals in recovery who utilize educational resources decrease their risk of relapse and may find increased motivation to maintain sobriety.

Sustaining Recovery While Meeting Educational Goals

Women who have previously dropped out of school may hesitate to return, especially if they’ve had experiences with substance misuse or trauma while on campus. If you’re concerned about staying on campus, it might be a good idea to consider joining a sober living community while continuing to attend academic classes. Additionally, online courses offer flexibility, allowing you to maintain your recovery while pursuing your educational goals.

Sustaining educational goals and balancing recovery is not always easy. You may benefit from additional support, including:

  • Academic coaching 
  • Ongoing individual therapy or counseling 
  • Peer support groups
  • Referrals to community or campus recovery resources

Emerge Recovery TX provides the tools women need to establish sustainable routines and set achievable goals during early recovery. 

Creating Short- and Long-Term Educational Goals in Recovery

Women in recovery benefit from establishing both short- and long-term educational goals. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “A person’s recovery is built on his or her strengths, talents, coping abilities, resources, and inherent values.” At Emerge Recovery TX, we utilize evidence-based and holistic treatments to assist women in developing practical goals. Our dedicated care team supports women in regaining control of their lives by granting them access to a healthy community, support, and resources. During coaching and treatment, clients learn how to set achievable goals using the SMART goal system.

What Are SMART Goals?

SMART is a mnemonic device used to assist people in setting effective goals. Below are brief examples of how you can use SMART to improve your personal and professional goals.

  • Specific: Avoid vague goals by focusing on specific things you want to achieve. For example, instead of striving to graduate from college, you can focus on getting a passing grade in your first semester of classes.
  • Measurable: Choose goals you can measure reliably. For example, instead of trying to get “perfect grades,” you can work toward maintaining a 3.0 GPA.
  • Achievable: Set goals you can achieve. For example, if you struggle with time management, you can aim to be on time for three out of five weekly classes.
  • Relevant: Set goals related to what you want to accomplish with your life. For example, to maintain sobriety while attending college, you can make it a goal to join a sober living community to maintain accountability. 
  • Time-bound: Set clear goals with a time limit. For example, you can make it a goal to turn in a specific number of assignments each week to reduce deadline stress.

Creating goals following these criteria ensures you have realistic expectations of recovery and educational success.

How Does Emerge Recovery TX Support Client’s Educational Goals?

Women participating in treatment programs at Emerge Recovery TX have access to post-graduate recovery coaching and other services to support their educational goals. The programs provide a flexible schedule. You can easily attend academic classes while participating in outpatient treatment.  

Many women use educational goals to avoid falling back into unfulfilling life patterns. Programs at Emerge Recovery TX support women in their academic goals by doing the following: 

  • Decreasing symptoms of SUD and mental health disorders
  • Increasing self-confidence and self-efficacy 
  • Improving communication 
  • Providing healthy coping mechanisms 

Outpatient programs and sober living communities offer structure and accountability for women in recovery. Coaching provides women with guidance and information about how to set achievable educational goals. 

Comprehensive Coaching and Education Support Services

Emerge Recovery TX and sister programs at Grace Recovery TX offer essential services, including: 

  • Case management
  • Life skills development
  • Academic advising 
  • Sober living community

Women in early recovery benefit from joining the sober living community at Grace Recovery TX. The additional structure and accountability reduce the risk of falling back into old patterns of behavior while attending educational classes. 

Women in recovery benefit greatly from setting and achieving goals to maintain their motivation. Many women choose to return to school or pursue higher education. Academic success can boost your confidence in managing stressors and sustaining long-term sobriety. At Grace & Emerge Recovery TX, we provides essential resources, educational coaching, and coping skills to ensure that women attending classes stay safe during their educational journey. Most colleges have recovery and mental health support services to help students navigate academic goals while balancing mental well-being. Our dedicated care team at Emerge Recovery TX is here to help you in finding and utilizing community resources. To learn more about how our care team can support you, call us today at (737) 257-6621.

About Author

Leah Malone

Learning to sit with uncomfortable feelings can be painful and disturbing at times. When Leah was able to see her behavior patterns and decided there was enough pain to be disturbed, she became motivated to make changes and accept the work that needed to be done to heal. She needed direction and had no clue how to heal on her own. Through a connection with God, authentic connection with others, honesty, willingness, and humility, Leah is now in recovery from addiction and trauma.

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