I may be in the minority here, but I didn’t walk into treatment looking for a deep dive on emotional intelligence or a crash course on mindfulness. I came into rehab because something wasn’t working. I was tired, hopeless, and emotionally numb. My relationships were deteriorating, my cravings were obsessive, and I lacked any real life coping skills.
A lot of the guys that come into Serenity Park are in the same boat. But by the time they leave? They’re different. They’re practicing mindfulness techniques. Naming their emotions. Using words like “distress tolerance.” Practicing breathwork. Leaning into vulnerability.
And when you ask them what made the difference, you’ll hear it again and again: “DBT and the 12 Steps.”
In simple terms, it is a therapeutic approach widely used for substance use, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and more. DBT is based on four foundational principles.
1. Mindfulness: Being present instead of caught in thoughts.
2. Distress Tolerance: Surviving pain without making it worse.
3. Emotional Regulation: Managing big feelings without falling apart.
4. Interpersonal Effectiveness: Communicating needs and maintaining relationships.
For men who’ve used substances to deal with anger, shame, anxiety, grief—or just to escape—these tools feel like real-world training for real-life problems.
You’ve probably heard of the 12 Steps—AA, NA, and other recovery communities use them. But what makes them different at Serenity Park?
The Steps aren’t just read off a wall. They’re lived, explored, and integrated with the work happening in DBT. That’s where the magic happens. The Steps help men understand their past. DBT helps them deal with the present. Together? They build a future.
There’s something about structure, practicality, and results that men tend to gravitate toward in treatment.
There’s no sitting around debating abstract concepts here.
Guys are given clear, usable tools they can start practicing that day. Like what to do when a craving hits. Or how to manage the anxiety that shows up uninvited at 2am.
“They learn practical strategies to manage cravings and stress,” Serenity Park clinician Ava Titsworth explains. “It’s not just theory—it’s something they apply daily.”
Think of it like this: DBT is the toolbox. The 12 Steps are the map. Together, they give guys direction and the gear they need to get there.
It might sound surprising, but meditation is often a crowd favorite.
Men arrive at addiction treatment feeling tense, wired, or just plain overwhelmed. The idea of slowing down enough to breathe feels foreign—and, honestly, kind of uncomfortable. But that shifts fast.
“They love the meditation and mindfulness exercises,” Ava says. “It’s often the first time they’ve learned how to be still and okay in the moment.”
Mindfulness is more than just breathing deeply. It’s about being able to recognize what’s happening inside you, without running from it or numbing it with a drink or a drug.
Most men are never taught how to handle emotions like sadness, fear, or shame. Anger might be the only one they’ve been “allowed” to feel. So when emotions show up in recovery (and they will), it’s easy to feel lost. That’s where DBT steps in.
“By the end of treatment, they feel more in control of their emotions,” Ava says.
In treatment men learn how to feel without reacting. How to process without exploding. How to name what’s happening—and do something healthy with it.
This part isn’t talked about enough, but it matters: men thrive when they feel part of something bigger than themselves. They start to trust. They open up. They belong.
There’s real power in hearing someone else share your story. There’s even more in watching them use DBT skills and 12-Step principles to get through it.
No matter how good a program is, it’s just the beginning. But where the rubber meets the road is how you live when you’re back in the world.
The mindfulness, emotion regulation, and coping tools from DBT? Men use them in traffic, in conflict, at work, in relationships. The moral inventory, amends, and spiritual principles of the 12 Steps? Those become the compass they turn to again and again.
It’s a recovery plan you can actually live—not just a binder full of worksheets.
A lot of guys arrive at Serenity Park feeling like they’ve run out of options. They’ve tried doing it alone. They’ve told themselves to just be stronger. They’ve promised this time would be different.
So if you’re tired of white-knuckling your way through another day… maybe it’s time to try something that actually works. Serenity Park’s unique blend of DBT and 12-Step programming could be what turns the page for good. Give us a call today to learn more.