Group therapy and group work is a common way to deliver SUD treatment interventions in various types of treatment settings. Participants enrolled in this training will develop professional knowledge and skill for group work services to and for diverse persons affected by mental health issues, substance use disorders, and other behavioral addictions. The phases of group development and intervention during the various group work stages provide a conceptual framework for the training experience. Participants will compare and contrast the group dynamics of a mutual aid framework and the eleven therapeutic factors that lead to positive outcomes in group therapy. This training is highly experiential, and participants will engage in a parallel process of being group members and examining the roles of group leadership during this training. Training participants will demonstrate how to navigate discord, member testing, mandated patients and conflict in group settings using a mutual aid framework of group work.
Objectives:
- Recognize the benefits of developing group norms using a mutual aid framework to establish group safety and increase trust in the early stages of group.
- Compare and contrast the group dynamics using a mutual aid framework and the eleven therapeutic factors that lead to positive outcomes in substance use disorder groups.
- Identify the different stages of group development, and short term, long term, open and closed groups and specific interventions to foster safety, universality, and group cohesion.
- Practice responding to conflict, discord, and responding and working with mandated patients in a group setting.
- Discuss strategies for clinically appropriate group endings, and transitions.