Group Therapy

What is Group Therapy?

Group therapy for substance abuse is an important party of any addiction recovery plan. It is a process in which a therapist or counselor, or another specialist will guide discussions between groups of three to twelve patients participating in group therapy on average. This type of addiction therapy usually lasts for six months to one year. Usually, the group will talk about one topic or theme, with each patient getting their chance to talk. Sometimes there is an open discussion format guided by professionals, while others may keep the group more orderly.

Alcohol addiction and drug addiction can be isolating experiences, and groups can help individuals regain their confidence, gain valuable communication skills, and learn from one another in this interpersonal process. It also helps therapists to watch how patients act around peers.

Forms of Group Therapy

The most common forms of group therapy are:

Peer group counseling – a group of strangers come together to discuss a topic or theme

Family therapy – psychotherapy that helps two or more family members rebuild relationships, improve communication, or heal underlying issues together

Couples counseling – spouses or couples in romantic relationships work together with a counselor to overcome difficulties, resolve disputes, or end the relationship respectfully. This is a short-term type of therapy that focuses on the relationship and does not help each individual with their personal issues.

The Benefits

There are many benefits to attending group therapy:

• It will make you feel less alone and isolated
• You will find out that others have similar problems and thoughts to your own
• You will have a chance to voice opinions and gain confidence
• You can both provide and receive support from peers
• It can be a way to relate to others and observe different interactions

At Sylvan Detox, we have several group therapy modalities including:

• Daily goals
• Life skills
• Seeking safety
• Distress tolerance skills
• Psycho-education
• 12-steps principles
• Healing through creativity
• Health and wellness
• Denial management
• Mindfulness
• Relapse prevention
• Anger management
• Social skills
• Emotional self-regulation
• Health awareness
• Interpersonal relationships
• Health awareness
• Strength-building
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy skills
• Aftercare planning
• Cognitive restructuring
• Wrap-up group

Each patient in our rehab program will have 40 to 47 hours per week of group therapy, as well as other treatments in a customized program including:

• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Family programs and family therapy
• Rational emotive therapy (RET)
• Trauma therapy
• Individual therapy
• 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous
• Relapse prevention
• Medication-assisted treatments and medical detox
• Rogerian therapy
• Narrative therapy
• Gestalt therapy
• Holistic treatment programs that include massage, yoga, breathwork, saltwater therapy, exercise, and nutrition

We also have dual diagnosis treatment in a co-occurring disorder treatment program, offering mental health treatment for treating a co-occurring disorder or mental health issues accompanying drug and alcohol abuse, including depression treatment, bipolar disorder treatment, and treatment for borderline personality disorder (BPD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorder, etc.

Along with your treatment program, you will be provided with connections to short- or long-term outpatient treatment options from within our trusted network after you complete your addiction treatment in your residential rehab program. These may include

• Intensive outpatient programs
• Partial hospitalization programs
• A customized outpatient program
• An alumni program

At Sylvan, we not only have luxury amenities and high-quality, effective, safe, and comprehensive residential treatment programs, but we also offer a multitude of group therapy options to help you gain coping skills, social skills, practical recovery skills, and much more. With our help, you will make new connections, regain your overall wellness, and heal your body, mind, and spirit. Please call us today to learn more.