Group Therapy for Addiction Treatment

Group therapy for addiction recovery is a treatment approach where a patient has the opportunity to connect with other people who are facing similar challenges. The encounters have the presence of a therapist who acts as a facilitator to keep the group moving forward and a model for the correct way to interact with members. 

During the sessions, patients can explore the underlying issues that contribute to addiction, develop coping strategies, and learn from the perspectives of their peers. The goal of group addiction therapy is to create a supportive environment that encourages open and honest communication. Through it, individuals can build trust, increase self-awareness, strengthen their resilience, and gain a sense of accountability—which can be important for relapse prevention.

You’re probably familiar with the portrayal of drug or alcohol recovery support groups in the movies. Someone stands up and says, “Hi, my name is Tim, and I’m an alcoholic.” Everyone responds with “Hi, Tim.” Overall, this is reminiscent of your typical peer-led recovery support group setting.

In those groups, participants are encouraged to share successes, talk about challenges, provide mutual support, and receive empathy from others. Participation in peer support groups is voluntary, and people decide whether they want to attend. They can be important because they offer a sense of community and understanding as members share common experiences.

In addition, various types of meetings focus on different addictions, from alcohol and drugs to food and others. Some of these support groups have 20 or more people, which can make it difficult for everyone to share their stories.

Though there are some similarities, group therapy is different from support groups. Group therapy for addiction recovery tends to be part of a comprehensive rehab program, where a therapist or mental health counselor puts the group together and leads the session. 

Group therapy sessions are also smaller than recovery support groups, consisting of no more than five to ten people. This allows everyone an opportunity to participate and also prevents a patient from feeling overwhelmed by a large group. Having smaller numbers in group therapy makes it easier for people to share honestly about what they’re struggling with.

Additionally, group therapy encourages collaboration between participants. The focus is on helping participants develop coping strategies, improve communication skills, and gain insight into their thoughts and behaviors, all with the support of a mental health professional.

Group therapy can promote valuable skills and insights that can help you navigate your emotional and mental well-being more effectively—especially for challenging periods, like the cravings during recovery. 

In addition, substance use disorder and alcohol addiction tend to drive you into isolation and leave you feeling little to no trust in others. These feelings can lead people to lose their sense of empathy and slash self-esteem. 

However, with the sense of connection made with other participants, the shared experience can help you feel less alone and isolated. A group session can also provide validation and empathy from your peers.

Group therapy for addiction is helpful in rebuilding the interpersonal and social skills you may have lost during your active addiction as well. Within the sessions, you’ll learn to communicate effectively and share your history honestly with your peers in a safe space. 

Overall, these practices teach you to create healthy boundaries and form lasting personal relationships with group members in recovery. As you move forward and consider participating in support groups, you’ll have the necessary tools for building lasting friendships. Participants can also build life skills for reintegrating into family life and the workplace. 

Nevertheless, even though it is possible, group therapy settings generally don’t help people with addiction reach significant breakthroughs. Typically, individual psychotherapy is where many people get to the root of their addictive behavior. 

As part of a holistic treatment plan, group and individual sessions can increase your chances of long-term recovery.

Mental health professionals use various modalities during group therapy, depending on the goal of the session. Not all sessions involve the same approach to conducting the group members’ interactions. 

Using different modalities encourages participants to focus on different topics or communicate in various ways. Some examples of modalities used during group therapy for addiction are: 

Just like individual talk therapy, the group setting is only one part of inpatient rehab. Therefore, it can’t stand alone. Multiple treatment approaches work together to heal your mind, body, and spirit. The diverse holistic therapy methods that quality addiction treatment centers provide include:

Group meetings that become part of a more extensive treatment plan treat addiction from a different angle. However, all methods work together. They often result in positive connections between therapies that would be impossible to accomplish without diverse treatment.

Cravings and substance abuse are a vicious cycle you need help to escape. There’s no shame in seeking assistance from professionals who fully understand addiction. At Hawaii Island Recovery in Kailua-Kona, HI, friendly therapists help you heal and start your journey to lifelong sobriety.