Group Therapy

The various techniques can include psychodramas, family sculpting, group processing of specific recovery topics, communication exercises, educational didactic lectures, 12-step book studies and recovery methods, denial management, relapse prevention, recurring behaviors, distorted thinking patterns, and more! Our group therapy sessions can be light hearted, fun and exciting and they can also be extremely powerful, intense and challenging as we achieve our goals of getting the group to “feel” their emotions and stop burying them and then learn new and healthy ways of processing those emotions without the use of drugs and alcohol. All of our group therapy options are designed to be utilized in a psycho-educational group setting. We are experts at group therapy and the group therapy at 449 Recovery is an extremely powerful venue for growth and change. Our groups are facilitated by a trained group counselor or therapist. Our counselors help break through barriers to achieve greater understanding, connection and empathy in their relationships with our clients in order to serve them to the very maximum of our very best ability.

Group therapy can be very instrumental in healing emotional and psychological struggles that people experience. Whether it be depression, anxiety, anger, fear or shame, the participants learn the process of acceptance through communication and understanding.

Relapse Prevention:Relapse prevention techniques can be applied to all sorts of impulsive and unhealthy behaviors or habits. Our relapse prevention method identifies triggers, warning signs and past behaviors, and then sets up alternatives to each of these negative patterns often identified in individuals with substance abuse and/or dependence problems. Once relapse triggers are identified, participants will identify all behaviors, thoughts and actions which lead to a relapse in a step by step format or “map”. Then they will map out a similar relapse situation where they will learn and apply tools that will prevent a relapse before it starts. Relapse prevention teaches mapping, decision points, relapse intervention plans and thought redirection. Clients will learn alternatives to cope with their behaviors, thoughts, emotions and actions in a healthy, safe environment without the use of drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism. These techniques can also be applied to any unhealthy behaviors for others who wish to attend.
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Distorted Thinking: Distorted thoughts are all part of our foundational way of thinking and as common patterns can be identified with an individual’s distorted thoughts. This group will help you to identify how these patterns develop, where they come from and what influences them. We begin to use foundational ways of speaking to ourselves negatively. As such, our group will explore the ways in which these distorted thinking patterns become foundational. Then, we will focus on breaking down the foundational way of thinking by removing the negative connotation associated with each individual negative thought, feeling or action that we have believed about ourselves that we are able to recognize is not true. When we look at our past factually, instead of judging ourselves based on others’ outcomes, we begin to see the distortion. We breakdown the foundation by addressing it one specific thought at a time, thus changing the thought process which will begin the road to healing or having a realistic thought process. We will teach you how to make better decisions through realistic thinking which will then make it easy to recognize distorted thoughts when they try to come back as a pattern. The actions that follow our realistic thought processes can then be measured and will have the effect of crushing the foundational distorted thinking patterns. Distorted thinking patterns are not necessarily exclusive to addicts and alcoholics and can be found in every part of our thinking society. Our group will focus on identifying these patterns in ourselves, identifying these patterns in others, replacing old thought patterns with new ones based on the realistic view of what’s really going on and practicing with each and every distorted thought we have that we identify.
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Denial: Most people don’t even know how many denial patterns there are. This group will identify 12 common denial patterns and will expand on subcategories of each of the 12 patterns. We will then learn about the tools that change those patterns one thought at a time. Denial patterns are based on the ego’s survival instinct. For example, when we lose a loved one the pain and emotions can be so great that the first pattern we use is absolute denial. “That can’t be true!” It’s the ego’s way to begin the process that will take you through the 5 stages of grief. Problems arise, however, when we get stuck in a denial pattern and do not move beyond the denial. Human beings do this for a multitude of reasons, most commonly out of fear. Our denial management program will help you identify the 12 patterns of denial in your life, how they have been harmful to you and give you healthy alternatives to step out of each of them as they arise. We will also help you identify how these patterns build on each other. For instance, to be able to rationalize my behavior, I also have to judge others, compare them to myself, minimize any shortcomings and then justify my actions. In that process alone, I have used 4 denial patterns. This is a perfect example of how denial patterns have become a foundational part of the way we think. Our group is designed to break down these foundational ways of thinking through identification of the patterns, the causes, how to change it, and how to measure the positive outcomes associated with a new way of thinking that is not based on these unhealthy, misleading patterns. The group will be instructed by certified denial management counselors. Education in denial management is one of the most integral parts of sustaining a healthier, more productive way of thinking not only for people suffering from addiction, but for anyone who commonly relies on these denial patterns, consciously or unconsciously, in their daily lives
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Character Defects: All human beings have character and most of us don’t realize that some parts of our character contain defects because those parts are based on selfish, self-centered and self-seeking ways of thinking. This group is specifically designed to identify those defects in our character, identify how that our character trait turned into a defect and how we can practice changing our defects back in to character traits. Defects in our character, for example, jealousy, envy, perfectionism and impulsive behaviors, have always resulted in reactions to situations inappropriately. After identifying these character defects in ourselves, through the instruction of this group we will teach you how to change those defects in your character by taking alternative action in similar situations to create a positive reaction which becomes a foundational part of adding character traits and eliminating character defects. You will be amazed at what you will learn about yourself in this group!
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Group therapy allows the addict or alcoholic to discover that there are others who share problems and feelings that he or she once believed were unique only to his or her life and personal circumstances. This is a beautifully powerful experience for a person who has been bound by the chains of addiction convinced they would never be able to break free. It almost instantly in one moment provides hope to the addict or alcoholic. Furthermore, this is often a vital experience in the recovery process because recovery is thought of as an actual possibility often for the very first time. While addictions may not be exactly the same for everyone, through group therapy our clients learn that they are not alone and that they never have to be alone again. Now that the addict/alcoholic as left their common feelings of being “misunderstood” behind him or her, the ability to safely and openly express their feelings and discuss coping strategies offers new perspectives and a comfort to all those attend the group session. An essential piece of the recovery process is effective communication. Through an effective group therapy program we strive to emphasize to our clients that their problem is not theirs alone to bear.

Our group sessions re-build and re-structure social skills. Often times an addict will encounter social challenges that prevent him or her from interacting in society and most often come to us after long periods of extreme isolation. Addiction eventually steals all desire for social interaction from the addict or alcoholic leaving them feeling alone, isolated, misunderstood and afraid. Our group therapy attacks this common state of mind allowing our clients to become social once again. This is so important as we have found through years of work with alcoholics and addicts that they are naturally social personality types who typically prefer to surround themselves with a host of friends. Through effective group discussions and communication exercises which allow our clients to learn new things about themselves, they are put into positions where they are able to overcome their old behaviors and truly live happier lives employing their new methods, tools and coping mechanisms in all areas of their lives.