Once the disgruntled client exits the room, acknowledge what happened and let the group know you will follow up with the client. If another client wants to talk about it, ask them to share only how it made them feel, but stress that it’s not okay to talk about an absent group member. (“How would you feel if we talked about you when you weren’t here?”) Strongly suggest that they wait until the person returns (and is open) to have a group discussion. Avoid power struggles at all costs, especially when a client challenges the benefits of treatment.

  • The first person creates a simple beat, and the rest of the group follows suit, repeating the pattern and adding their embellishments.
  • This activity is a great icebreaker but is also fun to do with group members that are already familiar with one another.
  • Therapists encourage members to learn specific skills, such as the identification of negative thoughts and the use of recording these thoughts to influence thought patterns.

His role at High Watch is to ensure that we have the financial capacity to deliver the care and services our guests need day in and day out. His work and the work of his team is critical to our mission of seeing the disease of addiction go into remission for each individual who passes through our door. If you would like to learn more about substance abuse group topics, please get in touch with us today. Likewise, if you are ready to start your recovery journey, we are here to help you. The kinds of group activities depend on the theoretic approach that the treatment professional uses as well as the group members’ needs, background, age, and other factors.

List of Group Therapy Activities for Substance Abuse

Ideally, it should provide some insight into how this can be achieved and motivate them to pursue them. Encourage your group to be as heartfelt and descriptive as they wish for a deep exploration of their feelings and thoughts. Once the child has filled in these three boxes, their next step is to imagine that their thoughts change.

The GROW With Your Team worksheet specifically helps with group development, team cohesion, and learning to set and achieve common goals. This can be a wonderful activity to use to start a group because it allows members’ active participation in accomplishing objectives and the healing process. These activities can help build healthy relationships and improve personal emotional wellness. A sheet of paper is passed out to each member, and they will write their name on the sheet. The paper is passed around so that other members can write positive affirmations directed to the member.

Group Activities In Addiction Recovery

In this activity, the group identifies and discusses common triggers for their particular loss (what stimulates negative emotions such as sadness). Group members and leaders can then suggest different coping strategies substance abuse group activities they could use when feeling triggered. Each pair is asked to report to the group on three commonalities discovered. This activity helps individuals feel more connected and provides a sense of belonging.

The first person creates a simple beat, and the rest of the group follows suit, repeating the pattern and adding their embellishments. The next player repeats the pattern and adds something new, and the process continues until the individuals before them don’t repeat the pattern. The player who loses must try to distract the other players as they construct and pass on a new beat.