Group Counseling

Group counseling at Caron Texas has two components – Lectures where patients are educated about a wide range of issues relating to chemical/alcohol addiction and recovery—and Groups where patients work the recovery process through “sharing” information and personalization around their own addiction issues, blocks to recovery and concerns with other patients.

Lectures

Caron Texas helps patients understand issues related to addiction and recovery by providing group lectures on topics relating to substance abuse, addiction, treatment and recovery. Lectures are regularly given by clinical team members who speak on specific topics surrounding substance abuse treatment, addiction and recovery, including

  • Addiction/chemical dependency
  • Neurobiology of addiction
  • Denial, withdrawal and withdrawal issues
  • Family relationships
  • Relapse
  • Cravings
  • Other addictions
  • Medical issues
  • Grief
  • Mental health issues (co-occurring disorders)
  • Setting boundaries
  • Steps necessary to achieve recovery
  • Cross-addictions and other blocks to recovery
  • Coping skills

From the lectures, patients are given information which leads to assignments they may work on in group counseling sessions or during individual counseling with their therapist.

Group Addiction Counseling

Group counseling sessions typically take place every day. Group counseling is a time for patients to begin to personalize information around their addiction, recognize their own blocks to recovery and to share their feelings with other patients who are also recovering addicts. Led by an experienced addiction specialist, patients in group identify and talk about their deepest, most personal issues —and, with the help and feedback from other members of the group, discuss and face these conflicts head-on. In group addiction counseling, patients learn to recognize and take ownership of the ways their addiction has impacted their life and the lives of those around them. Group substance treatment sessions also allow the individual patients to recognize possible blocks to recovery and to discover tools and techniques to help them through treatment and ongoing recovery.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) publishes best?practice guidelines for the treatment of substance use disorders including a publication on the important role group counseling plays in addiction treatment and recovery for the individual patient. Indeed, group counseling at Caron Texas shows patients that while they are individually unique, some of their addiction issues can be shared by other patients in the group. Based on what they learn in group counseling, patients are able to personalize the information and target the core of their own problems as their treatment – and recovery - continues.