Group Activities for Families in Recovery offers therapists a wealth of activities designed to help families struggling with addiction address problem areas of functioning, and ultimately shift from dysfunctional patterns to healthy living. Written by expert practitioners in family-oriented substance abuse treatment programs, this text focuses on group therapy as a key component to treatment.

Beginning with a brief overview of the issues involved in working from a systemic family therapy perspective of addiction, the text discusses practical guidelines for working with families in groups and how to best utilize the exercise in the book. The collection of 30 group activities are suitable for a variety of family-oriented substance abuse treatment groups. They are divided into seven sections covering the key issues of:

1. Family Structure; 2. Family Identity; 3. Sober Fun; 4. Toward Health; 5. Anger Management; 6. Healthy Communication; 7. Parenting

The activities are varied and include topics presented through expressive arts (drawing, writing, acting), game-playing, problem solving, enactments, worksheets, and roleplaying. The activities can be used individually, incorporated into another program, or stand alone as a 16-week (or longer) program. They can also be adapted for use in groups where children or present, or for adult-family groups.

Working Together: Activity Title: Words and Story: Activity Mode: Expressive Arts (Writing)

Working Together: Activity Title: Words and Story: Activity Mode: Expressive Arts (Writing)

Working together: Activity title: Words and story: Activity mode: Expressive arts (writing)

Rationale

This activity involves working in pairs to create a story about group members' families and their recovery. Initially, group members will have a discussion about what it is like to work with other people. Many of our group members are isolated and have limited experience working with others. This activity is designed to help bring back the experience that working with others can be satisfying.

In our experience, the expressive arts piece of this activity can result in group members developing stories that are creative and powerful. In each group for which we have facilitated this exercise (despite group members' initial negative responses ...

locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles