Recovery Through Community
Group Therapy

Substance dependence is often referred to as a “disease of isolation.” Men and women who are struggling with substance abuse and dependence feel as if they are alone in their struggles – they feel as if no one can relate and therefore no one can help them. The truth is that addiction is experienced by many, and that recovery is always possible with a comprehensive treatment plan in place. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 2019 World Drug Report, 35 million men and women over the age of 18 suffer from a diagnosable substance use disorder. The 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that 49.2 percent of all Americans over the age of 12 reported using an illicit chemical substance at least once over the course of the past year. Clearly, substance abuse is a major issue throughout the country – and throughout the rest of the world. Unfortunately only a small percentage of men and women who are in need of professional addiction treatment seek or receive the help they need.

Why is this the case? In the majority of instances it is simply because men and women who are struggling with addiction remain unaware of the resources that are readily available to them. In other cases, it is because they believe that they can overcome substance abuse on their own. However, a combination of treatment methods is always required in order for sobriety to be maintained. One of the most fundamental components of every effective treatment program is group therapy.

Group Therapy and Addiction Recovery

The American Group Psychotherapy Association describes group therapy as, “A special form of therapy in which a small number of people meet together under the guidance of a professionally trained therapist to help themselves and one another.” Group therapy has been utilized as part of substance abuse treatment programs (and in a variety of other settings) for close to 50 years. As human beings we are accustomed to group environments – we are not solitary creatures. We grow and develop in a family, we receive a formal education among a group of our peers and we are involved in numerous other organized activities – from extracurricular sports to working in an office setting. Group therapy is similar. Men and women who are undergoing similar struggles come together to discuss substance abuse and recovery, offer one another peer support and encouragement and ultimately understand their own situation on a more thorough level.

At Guardian Recovery we offer group therapy sessions that take place on a daily basis and explore a wide range of recovery-related topics. While none of our group therapy sessions are mandatory we do encourage clients to take advantage of as many groups and workshops as they can.

The topics covered in group therapy sessions include:

• A thorough introduction to and education on the 12 steps method of recovery. 
• The development of relapse prevention techniques and the exploration of personal relapse triggers. 
• An education on the Disease Model of Addiction. 
• The development of certain life skills that are necessary to maintain sobriety. 
• The physical, psychological and emotional consequences of active addiction. 
• The role of the family in long-term addiction recovery. 
• The importance of continuing on with the next appropriate level of clinical care, which is typically residential addiction treatment. 

At Guardian Recovery the group therapy sessions we offer focus on a range of proven therapeutic techniques, including:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Motivational Interviewing
• Contingency Management Therapy

Our medical detox program is rooted in therapeutic intervention. In addition to providing clients with the opportunity to participate in daily group therapy sessions, we offer individual therapy (that takes place at least once a week) and family therapy whenever possible.

Why is Group Therapy Important?

As previously mentioned, addiction is an extremely isolating disease. Men and women who suffer from substance abuse and dependence typically push those closest to them as far away as humanly possible – sometimes unintentionally, yet often on purpose. There is ample evidence pointing to the fact that addiction stems (at least partially) from attachment issues that develop during early childhood. Neglect and abuse during childhood affect development and lead to insecure attachments, which affect interpersonal relationships later on in life. Children who have parents or caregivers who are unpredictable or inconsistent in the level of affection they provide develop negative beliefs about self, such as, “I am unworthy of love or affection,” and “There is something inherently wrong with me – something that renders me incapable of being loved.” These distorted beliefs often lead to maladaptive coping mechanisms – including drug and alcohol abuse.

Group therapy is important for many reasons, one of the most significant being that group therapy sessions help men and women effectively work through these false beliefs about self while recognizing that they are not alone in their struggles. They form bonds with other clients as they navigate early recovery together and offer one another support and encouragement.

The Other Addiction Services We Provide

In addition to providing group therapy sessions to our clients on a daily basis, we offer:

• In-depth clinical and medical assessments – Upon admission to our detox program each client undergoes a clinical and medical assessment, which helps our clinical team and case managers develop a comprehensive and individualized detox plan.
• A range of proven detoxification techniques – At Guardian Recovery we employ a range of effective medical detoxification techniques including tapering, Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) and holistically-based methodologies.
• Case management services – Each client is assigned a case manager who serves as his or her primary advocate. Case managers help develop individualized detox and aftercare plans, and communicate with the loved ones of each client.
• Individual therapy – Individual therapy sessions take place at least once a week, and allow clients to dive deeper into personal issues and underlying causes.
• Family therapy – At Guardian Recovery we believe that the immediate family should be involved in every stage of the recovery process, from medical detox through aftercare.
• Thorough aftercare planning – Medical detox is only the first phase of every multi-phased curriculum of clinical care. In order for treatment to be effective detox must be followed up with inpatient treatment, intensive outpatient treatment or outpatient treatment (depending on the severity of the substance abuse disorder).

Begin Your Journey of Lifelong Recovery

At Guardian Recovery our team of highly accomplished and skilled medical and clinical professionals have combined decades of experience in the fields of substance abuse and mental health. We have designed a medical detox program unlike any that can be found in a state-funded detox facility or in a traditional hospital setting. Many detox programs are sterile and impersonal – the focus on physical stabilization and little else. Once a client has been stabilized he or she is discharged, and there is essentially no follow-up. At Guardian Recovery we do things differently. Our detox program focuses on more than providing a safe and pain-free drug or alcohol withdrawal (though this remains our top priority). We provide our clients with comprehensive therapeutic intervention, offering individual, group and family therapy. We immediately set to work helping our clients develop a plan for continuing care, and we follow up with them regularly in order to ensure that they are staying on the right track.

If you or someone you love has been struggling with substance abuse or dependence, Guardian Recovery is available to help. The moment you or your loved one makes the decision to contact us we begin developing a plan for intake. We determine coverage, confirm that medical detox is the most appropriate level of clinical care for each unique case, and set a date and a time for your arrival. To learn more or to begin your personal journey of lifelong recovery – or help your loved one get started – contact us today.