Group Therapy, Who, What, Where, and How Cheryl Gentile, MS, LPCS, LCAS, CRC-MAC, ACS, CCS

The Advantages of Group  Help members learn to cope with problems related to substance abuse by allowing them to see how others deal with similar problems  Reduces the sense of isolation  Witness the recovery of others  Provides information about recovery  Provides feedback to others

 Allow a single treatment professional to help a number of clients at the same time  Help clients overcome past harmful experiences.  Encourage, coach, support, and reinforce members as they undertake difficult or anxiety- provoking tasks.

 Add needed structure and discipline to the lives of people with substance use disorders, who often enter treatment with their lives in chaos.

11 Curative Factors  Instillation of hope  Universality  Imparting information  Altruism  Corrective Recapitualtion of Primary Family  Improved social skills  Imitative behavior  Interpersonal learning  Cohesiveness  Catharsis  Existential factors

Negative Attributes of Group  Not for everyone  Confidentiality  Difficult to build trust  Untrained facilitators  Not enough time to meet everyone’s needs  Conformity vs. peer pressure

Types of Groups  Psychoeducational  Skills development  Cognitive–behavioral  Support  Interpersonal process

Psychoeducation Groups  Role of the facilitator is to educate  Targeted for the pre-contemplative and contemplative stages of change  Provides information about recovery  Structured with specific content

Skills Development Groups  Facilitator is a role model and educator  Anger management  Resiliency  Identifying and avoiding triggers  Enhance coping  Relaxation techniques  Structured

Cognitive–Behavioral Groups   Facilitator role is one of active engagement   Focuses on immediate problems   Promotes self-control skills to manage overwhelming emotions   Is early-recovery–oriented   Emphasizes structure   Goal oriented

Interpersonal process Groups   Role of the facilitator is to monitor individual needs   Early experience affects later experience.   Focuses on the Now   Interactions in a group setting   Explores attachments

Self Help Vs. Interpersonal  Peer leader  Voluntary  No screening  No theoretical approach  Unlimited number  No contract  Professional  INV or Voluntary  Screening  Multiple approaches  8-15 members  Contractual

Qualities of a Group Facilitator  Confidence  Knowledge  Spontaneity  Integrity  Trust  Humor  Empathy

Facilitator Skills  Active Listening  Reflecting  Clarifying  Summarizing  Facilitating  Empathizing  Interpreting  Questioning  Linking  Confronting  Supporting  Blocking  Assessing  Modeling  Suggesting  Initiating  Evaluating  Terminating

Stages of Group  Forming  Storming  Norming  Performing  Adjourning

Placement considerations  Meet with each candidate for group placement  Assess the client’s level of: –interpersonal functioning –impulse control –Motivation –Stability

The How Tos  Introductions  Setting the Norm  Provide direction  Facilitator acknowledges each member, and their reactions to one another

Middle Stage  Content, information, and feelings are expressed, and processed  Non verbal cues are addressed  Ask members how they are doing in group

End Stage “Termination is more then the end of therapy it is an important force in the process of change……a stage in the individuals career of growth.” “Termination is more then the end of therapy it is an important force in the process of change……a stage in the individuals career of growth.” Yalom (1995, pp ) Yalom (1995, pp )