Author: Charles Frank

12 Addiction Recovery Group Activities

Have everyone write out a list of self-affirmation, then select one or more of these to share with the group. These can be general affirmations that might help anyone or targeted affirmations that celebrate the qualities that make you unique. Help group members who might be struggling with this by brainstorming affirmations for them. Have a group lecture and/or discussion about the neuroscience of addiction. The first time attending any group therapy session can be intimidating. We find that many of our clients are unsure of what to expect, and need time to feel out the group dynamic before speaking up.

Group Discussions And Sharing

Improved communication can help individuals mend relationships damaged by addiction. Choosing substance use disorder group topics that your clients connect with and are able to reflect on even after the sessions are over will help ensure your groups are engaging. You can also encourage clients to replace addiction with healthy hobbies and transformative activities to uplift the recovery experience. Those whose keys fit into the lock can sit together and discuss their challenges and offer insights into the recovery journey. Many recovery support groups worldwide are also free of charge, making them an accessible and convenient option for continuing care and relapse prevention once treatment ends. Addiction recovery group activities are wonderful tools for achieving and maintaining successful, long-term sobriety.

Mindfulness Meditation

Please note that Two Dreams utilizes process groups as opposed to theme/support groups. In a substance abuse group, members can discuss their triggers along with coping skills they have found useful. The more you learn about triggers and how to manage them, the easier it is to maintain your recovery.

Some recovery groups promote emotional openness by playing feelings charades. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), taking time to express gratitude can boost your emotional wellness and help with stress management. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Social Work. With 17 years of relevant experience, she has helped several clients in their journey to recovery from addiction. CBT skills group is a course that teaches mindfulness, your emotions, and the interconnection of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

How to Develop a Therapy Brand Identity That Attracts Clients

We are dedicated to transforming the despair of addiction into a purposeful life of confidence, self-respect and happiness. We want to give recovering addicts the tools to return to the outside world completely substance-free and successful. CBT activities are solution-focused exercises and techniques that aim to improve mental health and substance abuse treatment outcomes in a fun and engaging way. Groups are lead by a trained group leader who prompts discussion and encourages everyone to participate. Other than gently guiding conversation, the group leader is responsible for picking up on client issues that reoccur in group therapy and in daily life.

List of Group Therapy Activities for Substance Abuse

Behavioral activation involves identifying and engaging in positive behavior. You can encourage members to keep a gratitude journal and write everything they are grateful for. Thought replacement or cognitive restructuring is one of the fundamentals of CBT.

Goal-Setting And Achievement Challenges

  1. Add one activity that would help you improve your physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual health.
  2. Group therapy is a common approach used in the treatment of substance use disorders.
  3. People experiencing substance abuse often need help managing drug or alcohol cravings and otherwise adjusting to a sober lifestyle.
  4. This plan serves as a roadmap to help them maintain their recovery progress.
  5. Groups are lead by a trained group leader who prompts discussion and encourages everyone to participate.

They are a form of group therapy available free of charge all over the world, with no membership requirements (other than the desire to lead a life free of substance abuse). The ideas and activities for substance abuse group therapy that are used will have an impact on the benefits that our clients have. Group sessions provide group members with an opportunity to practice life skills including communication and establishing boundaries. Effective group leaders can help create an environment where members can challenge each other in a productive manner while practicing these life skills.

Ask your clients to think about what they would say if they had the opportunity to speak to a group of middle-school children about staying away from drugs. Including group therapy icebreaker questions at the beginning of any group will help to break the tension and facilitate more personal connections between participants. Sometimes, the toughest part of group therapy is just getting your clients to open up. Many recovery groups make affirmation collages by writing down positive statements, cutting them into strips, and gluing the strips onto poster boards. In addition, they help new members view the group as an open, supportive environment. These groups use a variety of activities to help people recover together.

What is a CBT Activity?

Being a part of a group can help establish a source of accountability for group members. Group sessions provide them with a set time within their routine to focus on their recovery. Self-care means different things to different people, and some people might have trouble putting a plan in place. Some of your clients may be resistant to the idea of mindfulness initially, but encourage them to be open-minded. Ask everyone in the group who their role models are or were and what about their behavior or personality they admire. Here are eight topics and tools that you can implement in your group sessions.