People in recovery from substance use often experience feelings of shame and isolation. One of the most effective strategies to combat this is peer support. Through group therapy, many patients come to terms with their journey in a way they couldn’t with individual therapy alone.
If you’d like to learn more about group therapy, contact Calvary Healing Center at 888.492.5113 or online. This Arizona treatment facility’s effective addiction therapies may be an excellent fit for you or your loved one. Knowing that addiction’s effects are wide-ranging, we likewise include family therapy within our range of programs.
What Are Some Examples of Group Therapy for Addiction?
Group therapy relies on the idea that individuals are stronger in their commitments when they share them with a supportive community. That said, therapeutic offerings vary widely and sometimes combine more than one approach. Here are just a few of the commonly used forms that group therapy for addiction may take:
- Support groups – This model includes approaches like the 12 steps, which initially dealt with alcoholism. Over the last century, the 12 steps have expanded to address many other types of addiction as well. In support groups, patients benefit from accountability and positive reinforcement for the major lifestyle changes needed for lasting sobriety.
- Psychoeducational groups – This format focuses on providing patients with information about substance use. A licensed therapist leading such a group introduces structured lessons. These often involve audio-visuals that relate to group members’ shared experiences with addiction. Facilitated discussion of material follows.
- Relapse prevention – This very specific form of group therapy focuses on maintaining abstinence over time. It’s thus generally used once patients have achieved a period of sobriety but can benefit from support maintaining it. In relapse prevention, patients learn skills for avoiding substance use during stressful times in their lives.
Individuals who attend regular group therapy meetings during and after treatment tend to have higher success rates when it comes to recovery, relapse prevention, and long-term sobriety goals.
What Are the Benefits of Group Therapy in Substance Use Treatment?
As social beings, humans often learn best and achieve their highest potential in group contexts. Group therapy in the context of addiction recovery is impactful for many reasons.
Getting the Full Picture
The therapist can better understand how to help each individual in the group by observing how they interact together. Addiction often has a strong social component. For instance, many people initially try a drug because someone they feel connected to provides it. When a therapist observes individual behavior within a group therapy session, they gain valuable insight. They can then apply this understanding to the one-on-one sessions that patients also receive in the context of a substance use recovery program.
Building Effective Communication Skills
Patients can practice their communication skills in a group setting. Group therapy often teaches concrete communication skills like active listening, in which patients mirror back to one another what has just been said. This ensures each person’s message comes across accurately. Expressing respect in this way can work wonders in fostering empathy and productive dialogue, even when the subject matter is complicated.
Knowing You Are Not Alone
Isolation and shame decrease significantly. Being in a group therapy context shows patients that they are not alone in their struggles. Facing the challenges of addiction within a community helps patients internalize that they are fundamentally good, resilient, and able to change. Addiction is a disease, and facing it with others who know what you’re going through can make the healing journey feel much more possible.
Sometimes it’s easier to open up and accept help when an individual is shown that it’s okay by others who have been through the same things they have. Group therapy can be highly beneficial to one’s recovery goals.
Reap the Rewards of Group Therapy at Calvary Healing Center in Phoenix, AZ
Don’t wait another day to seek the help you or your loved one deserves. At Calvary Healing Center in Phoenix, Arizona, patients can benefit from group therapy along with a range of effective addiction recovery treatments. Call 888.492.5113 or fill out our confidential online form to take the first step toward better health today.