Disclaimer: Nothing in this document should be taken or held as clinical instruction, clinical supervision, or advisory concerning patient care.
There’s a classic practice in addiction counseling I first saw in the late 1980’s.
But I’ve never seen it written up. Not in the clinical-applied literature, practice guidelines, research studies, or anywhere else I can think of.
I ran a weekly group for years in our 9-12 month residential program according to what’s described below. The group was held on Fridays. The effects of the group were very significant.
Here it is. Have the group members get together and check how the group is doing as a whole.
Typically, in my experience, this doesn’t come naturally for anyone.
It may sound simple. But doing it isn’t natural. And it’s not easy at first for almost anyone to do.
The Intent
To meet the intent, a counselor will typically have to do some education for the group members. And then guide the process as the group moves along.
The counselor’s guidance can include asking questions and having the group respond. Here are some examples of the kinds of questions that can help clarify the intent.
- How are “we” doing as a group?
- What are some indicators of health or recovery – at the level of us as a whole group?
- What are some indicators of problems or concerns – at the level of us as a group?
- Over the last several weeks or days, what direction are we heading in – as a group?
- In the weeks ahead, what can we do to help improve the feel and direction of the group?
During the Process
During the group process no one particular person should be mentioned at all. Not by naming them. And not by saying anything that clearly points them out even without using their name. Also, nothing should point out a small group of individuals within the larger group.
Why not?
Because we are talking about how the group is doing as a group. We are not talking about how any individual members are doing.
The idea is to check the function and vibe and atmosphere of the group, as a group.
- How are “we” doing?
- How is the “we”, the collective as a whole, doing?
- Are we moving in the right direction?
- What can we as individuals do, or take responsibility for, that will help the group improve even more as a group?
Learning to take the inventory of the group as a whole is a stretch for some. It can seem too abstract initially for some people to “get it”. That’s ok. Just stay at it, and the newer members will come along and eventually improve in this skill.
As I reflect on this, various things come to mind:
- Individual recovery depends on group unity.
- Our “street sense” can work for us.
- We can connect to our intuition, and give it a voice.
- We can build the culture and the climate around us.
- Thinking about our thinking.
- Thinking about our thinking – at the level of the group.
- We can learn to take an inventory.
And lastly, I especially think about self-efficacy in building one’s own (shared) ecology.
Related Readings
Recovery: What Is It Good For?
A classic practice in addiction counseling: four actions to take each day.
