Fostering Connection Through Community
Group Therapy

Addiction is a disease of loneliness and isolation; a disease that separates the sufferer from his or her loved ones and makes fostering any sense of interpersonal connection nearly impossible. At CuraWest we believe that one of the fundamental components of successful addiction treatment is mending interpersonal connections while fostering a vital sense of community. This is partially why group therapy serves as such an immensely powerful tool. Our group therapy sessions provide clients with a safe and supportive environment in which they can freely offer and accept support, learning to work with one another in overcoming recovery-related obstacles and simultaneously celebrating triumphs.

There are many benefits to regular group therapy sessions in an addiction treatment setting, including:

• The provision of peer-to-peer support. Group therapy sessions allow clients to offer one another feedback, constructive criticism and praise. Clients will learn how to graciously accept feedback from their peers without resorting to anger and aggression, and they will learn to provide feedback in a healthy and constructive manner.
• The development of vital recovery skills. Our group therapists work closely with clients, teaching them vital coping mechanisms that will ultimately prevent relapse once the treatment process is complete. One of our main priorities at CuraWest is preparing clients for the road ahead. Clients will be equipped with all of the skills they need in order to successfully combat relapse triggers once they graduate from our addiction treatment program and move onto the next appropriate level of clinical care.
• Improved communication skills. Communication is essential to long-term sobriety. Clients will need to know how to adequately express themselves when they are struggling. This often means the difference between relapse and sustainable recovery. In group therapy sessions, clients gain insight as to how others perceive them and how they perceive themselves. They will learn to communicate calmly and effectively with others, identify and express their emotions and express their unique needs.
• The important understanding that no one is alone in their struggles. Because addiction is a disease of isolation, many individuals who have been suffering at the hands of an active addiction begin to believe that they are completely alone in their struggles. Group therapy sessions allow clients the opportunity to relate to one another, ultimately understanding that they are not alone, and that they can seek support from others who know exactly what they are going through.

Group therapy is a highly versatile treatment modality. At CuraWest we employ numerous types of group therapy sessions, all geared towards providing clients with a comprehensive treatment experience unlike any other.

The methods of groups therapy that CuraWest most frequently utilizes include:

• Support groups. 
• Holistically-based group workshops.
• Educational groups that delve deep into the Disease Model of Addiction.
• Life skills groups.
• Relapse prevention training.
• Experiential therapy groups. 

Demographic-Specific Group Therapy

Being completely open and honest about personal struggles can be intimidating for those who are not used to opening up in a group setting. As human beings, we are naturally more inclined to open up about our personal struggles when we are surrounded by like-minded people; people we know can relate on a deeper level. We might be inclined to open to people who are around the same age as we are, who have been through similar struggles or who have a similar career path, and therefore face many of the same day-to-day stressors.

For this reason, CuraWest offers some demographic-specific group therapy options. Not only does this foster a sense of openness and honesty, but clients are able to deeply relate to one another and further recognize that they are not alone in their struggles.

Support Groups

At CuraWest we believe that there is strength in community, and that fostering a sense of belonging is crucial to the overall addiction recovery process. We offer safe, supportive and non-judgmental support groups in which clients can discuss the challenges that they face in early recovery. At CuraWest we also offer our clients a thorough introduction to the 12 Step program of Alcoholics Anonymous. This is an important, built-in support group that provides encouragement and accountability long after the initial addiction treatment process has come to an end. However, we understand that AA is not right for everyone. We encourage clients to explore alternative options if they are interested in doing so. No component of recovery is one-size-fits-all.

The support groups that our licensed therapists conduct generally revolve around healthy and effective communication, the offering of mutual support, providing insightful and beneficial feedback and expressing feelings emotions without anger or aggression.

The Disease Model of Addiction

In order for a client to fully embrace the overall addiction treatment process, it is important they understand how and why addiction developed. Our educational group therapy sessions highlight the numerous psychological, biological and neurological factors that contribute to substance use and dependence. We provide clients with a comprehensive overview of active addiction, addiction recovery and relapse, helping them prepare for any challenges they may face during their own recovery journeys. We teach them what it means to have a chronic and progressive condition, and how to keep addiction in remission once treatment concludes.

Life Skills Training

Many clients lose their ability to function at a basic human level while they are active in their addictions. Our life skills training classes teach clients how to deal with practical and essential life skills, such as finding and maintaining a job, becoming financially independent and keeping their personal space clean and tidy. Our main goal in life skills training classes is preparing clients for a return to fully independent living, and ensuring that they are equipped with the tools they need to be functional members of society. Life skills training is highlighted in the residential portion of our treatment program.

Relapse Prevention Groups

Many individuals who struggle with addiction are used to reaching for chemical substances when life gets tough. In our relapse prevention groups, clients will learn how to identify and work through their personal relapse triggers, they will learn how to effectively manage uncomfortable emotions and they will learn to express their needs when they are feeling unstable in their recovery.

Experiential Group Therapy

In our experiential group therapy sessions, clients will have the opportunity to participate in real-experiences and put the healthy coping mechanisms and life skills they have been developing to the test. We might take clients out hiking on a nearby trail, or take them to the Botanical Gardens where they will learn the ins and outs of horticulture. In these situations, clients will utilize the tools they have been learning, gaining insight and self-confidence. At CuraWest we believe in much more than merely treating the physical symptoms of addiction. We believe that every stage of the recovery process should be better preparing clients for the road ahead, and for the inevitable challenges they will face when they eventually transition back into fully independent living.

Healing Begins
With CuraWest

At CuraWest we provide a comprehensive curriculum of therapeutic care beginning with medical detox and transitioning to residential treatment. We pride ourselves on our individualized and integrated care, addressing all aspects of addiction — not merely the physical. We aim to set a solid foundation for long-term sobriety, beginning the physical, emotional and mental healing process as early on in recovery as possible. Our attention to individualized care and therapy programs can be the difference between a lifetime of challenges or a full recovery. Take the first step toward a better, more fulfilling future. Speak with one of our Treatments Advisors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling (888) 693-1794 or submit this form online click here.