Group Therapy for Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Leaders also will need significant experience in modeling behavior and helping others learn discrete elements of behavior. Other general skills, such as sensitivity to what is going on in the room and cultural sensitivity to differences in the ways people approach issues like anger or assertiveness, also will be important. Depending on the skill being taught, there may be certain educational or certification requirements.
- A too-intense focus on group members’ interaction, to the exclusion of attention to individual psychological needs or the needs of the group as a whole, blunts the effectiveness and relevance of group development.
- This intentional effort to make the group safe
and reduce its inherent anxiety distinguishes MIGP from a more traditionally
interactive process group. - This is often one of the most difficult aspects of group structure and development.
- This mutually shared success gives
positive energy to the group and encourages change.
The leader can introduce a cognitive element by asking clients about their thoughts or observations or about what has been taking place. Group leaders carefully monitor the level of emotional intensity in the group. Whenever the therapist invites the group to participate in any form of physical contact (for example, in psychodrama or dance therapy), individuals should be allowed to opt out without any negative perceptions within the group. All members uncomfortable with physical contact should be assured of permission to refrain from touching or having anyone touch them. Use empathy to join with the client, letting the member know that the leader understands why it’s hard to acknowledge substance use to the group. As the group process unfolds, the group leader needs to be alert, always ready to perceive and resolve issues with ethical dimensions.
Benefits of Group Therapy for Drug & Alcohol Addiction Recovery
First, group leaders should be aware that people with alcoholism and other addictions will not give up their substance use until the pain it brings outweighs the pleasure it produces. Consequently, they should be helped to see the way alcohol and drugs affect important areas of their lives. Second, early in treatment, group leaders should learn what is important to each client that continued substance abuse might jeopardize. Such knowledge can be used to encourage, https://ecosoberhouse.com/ and even coerce, individuals to utilize the tools of treatment, group, or AA (Flores 1997). People who abuse substances are a broad and diverse population, one that spans all ages and ethnic groups and encompasses people with a wide variety of co-occurring conditions and personal histories. In working with people who have substance use disorders, an effective leader uses the same skills, qualities, styles, and approaches needed in any kind of therapeutic group.
A group leader also should be emotionally healthy and keenly aware of personal emotional problems, lest they become confused with the urgent issues faced by the group as a whole. The leader should be aware of the boundary between personal and group issues (Pollack and Slan 1995). For instance, consistency in manner and procedure helps to provide a safe and stable environment for the newly recovering person with a substance use disorder.
What Is Guided Imagery & How Can It Help Your Clients Heal?
These professionals can help individuals resume treatment, explore different treatment modalities, or adjust their rehabilitation approach. Recognizing addiction as a chronic condition akin to other enduring health issues is essential. Consequently, relapse, or a return to drug and alcohol use, can be an inherent part of the recovery process. However, it’s crucial to understand that relapse should not be viewed as a treatment failure. Group therapy sessions focusing on understanding addiction help individuals understand the science behind their condition.
In his classic work, Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy,
Irvin Yalom identified 11 primary “therapeutic factors” in group therapy (Yalom, 1995). Each of these factors has
particular importance for clients with substance abuse disorders and can be used
to help explain why a group works in a particular way for this client
population. These curative factors are present in all group interventions and
are listed below. The group is taught the
basics group activities for adults with substance abuse of the cognitive approach, then individual members take turns
presenting an event or situation that tempted them to abuse substances. Other members assist the therapist in asking for more information about the
client’s thoughts on the event and how it did or did not lead to substance
abuse (or to negative feelings that might have led to use). Finally, the
group members provide the client with alternative ways of viewing the
situation.
Does Insurance Cover Group Therapy in Rehab?
A third major modification needed is the adaptation of the group therapy model to the treatment of substance abuse. The principles of group therapy need to be tailored to meet the realities of treating clients with substance use disorders. Some principles that work well with individuals are inappropriate for group therapy. First, the rich potential of groups—self-understanding, psychological growth, emotional healing, and true intimacy—will be left unfulfilled. Second, group leaders who are unfamiliar with and insensitive to issues that manifest themselves in group therapy may find themselves in a difficult situation. Third, therapists who think they are doing group therapy when they actually are not may observe the poor results and conclude that group therapy is ineffective.
The psychoeducational group is more directive, with the therapist as the
central figure. However, as will be explained, it is important to utilize
the energy of group process itself, even in a psychoeducational format, to
enable clients to make connections and build relationships that will support
their recovery. Through the group dynamic, clients foster hope and examine core issues that exacerbate their addictive disorders.