Therapeutic Communities (TCs) are drug-free residences where recovering addicts receive positive peer influence and group support in order to create more effective social skills which promote the overall goal of staying sober. Usually, persons who have been admitted to Therapeutic Communities have a long background of functioning in society and positive ties with their own communities and families which have been torn apart by addiction.

The people who are treated at Therapeutic Communities suffer from a wide range of substance abuse problems. Mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, and other personality disorders are commonly treated at TCs. However, substance abuse problems such as addictions to cocaine, heroin and alcohol are also common problems which are addressed in Therapeutic Communities.

There is generally no predetermined length of stay at most Therapeutic Communities due to the fact that most individuals go thru recovery at different speeds. However, positive outcomes from TC stays seem to be directly related to time spent in the treatment. It has been proven that individuals who stay at Therapeutic Communities for 90 days have significantly better results than those who stay for shorter periods of time.

In a recent study on the Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 55% of cocaine addicts who stayed at a Therapeutic Community for less than 90 days used cocaine again after leaving treatment. However, only 28% of cocaine addicts who spent 90 days or more in a TC relapsed after treatment.

Eventually, participation in a Therapeutic Community is intended to assist individuals in appropriately and constructively identifying, expressing, and managing their feelings. The concepts of "right living" (learning personal and social responsibility and ethics) and "acting as if" (behaving as the person should be rather than has been) are integrated into the Therapeutic Community groups, meetings, and seminars. These activities are intended to heighten awareness of specific attitudes or behaviors and their impact on oneself and the social environment.