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.

Resentment: Taking Back the Power: Activity Title: Letting Go Activity: Activity Mode: Expressive Arts, Experiential (Drawing, Ritual)

Resentment: Taking Back the Power: Activity Title: Letting Go Activity: Activity Mode: Expressive Arts, Experiential (Drawing, Ritual)

Resentment: Taking back the power: Activity title: Letting go activity: Activity mode: Expressive arts, experiential (drawing, ritual)

Rationale

This activity was developed as a response to group members' request for an activity to help them with resentments they carry. In particular, after completing the Gratitude Quilt exercise, group members gave positive feedback about the exercise and also said that they would like an activity that directly addressed resentments.

This activity creates a space for group member to acknowledge resentments they carry and make a conscious decision about whether they are ready to let go of them. Having resentments is framed as normal and also as something that can impact us negatively ...

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