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Recovery and Support Groups

Celeste O. Huerta

Grand Canyon University: CNL 501

Professor Aura

21 September 2022
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Recovery and Support Groups

Recovery and support groups are communities of individuals who have struggled with

addiction that come together to promote a healthy lifestyle (Witkiewitz et al., 2020). There are

various groups such as Alcoholic Anonymous (AA), Narcotic Anonymous (NA), Cocaine

Anonymous (CA), and Celebrate Recovery. Attending these 12-step programs are highly

encouraged in addition to retrieving professional treatment. Doing so will not only provide a

client with a relatable community but also support in all areas throughout their treatment journey

(Witkiewitz et al., 2020). Reading further, a descriptive summary of a celebrated recovery group

experience will be provided. The format of the group, the impact of substance use, recovery-

oriented goals, referrals, and self-reflection regarding the group that was observed will be focus

points of this document.

Type and Format of Group Attended

The group that was observed is a Celebrate Recovery group hosted by a local church,

Riverstone Church in Buford, Georgia. The ministry leader, Matt Satterfield, hosts the group

every Thursday evening at seven o'clock. It is open for anyone to attend who struggles with a

variety of dependencies. Some of the focuses include chemical dependency, sexual trauma

and/or addiction, eating disorders, anger, and grief. The format of the group attended was an

open discussion between participants regarding current strengths and weaknesses they are facing

and how they manage them on a day-to-day basis. This group, specifically, was a volunteer

discussion where some individuals spoke if they felt led to while others observed and listened to

presented topics and information provided. The faith-based element is Christ-based where

individuals sought help and strength in recovery through Jesus and the biblical teachings. The
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meeting began and ended in prayer including specific prayer requests from participants, and

various individuals participated in praying as a community. One of the reviewed topics is how

substance abuse has influenced an individual's life and its current effects.

Impact of Substance Abuse

Substance use is associated with various short- and long-term health effects and greatly

impacts an individual’s family (Gruber & Taylor, 2006). The impact of substance abuse depends

on the substance, frequency, and method of use. The celebrate recovery group that I attended

mainly discussed the effects of alcohol abuse. Many of the participants discussed the loss of trust

from family members and their lack of engagement due to alcohol being present in family

gatherings. One individual shared that he heavily used alcohol throughout his children's

upbringing, and it resulted in a distant relationship that he struggles to regain during his recovery

process. During his use he got a divorce and lost all custody of his children and as they became

adults they visited him less frequently even though he stopped using. He shared that they

experienced him at his worst and does not blame them for avoiding him but finds that a lack of

their presence makes him reconsider his recovery and want to use again. His experience showed

that alcohol abuse, whether present or past, can have long-term negative effects. For children

specifically, they may not understand the concept of why parents consume alcohol and how it

affects their actions in those moments. This leads to unforgiveness and the lack of wanting to

build and/or regain relationships. It also impacts the user because during the change process their

motivation could be their family but there is no guarantee of forming those relationships again

after recovery. After this participant presented these struggles, the leader then opened the

discussion to the rest of the group to provide feedback for that individual that could further

encourage his recovery journey.

Recovery-Oriented Goals

After discussing current struggles and listening to feedback, participants were suggested

to set an attainable goal for the upcoming week. One goal presented by a young woman was to

begin discussing her story and experience with the past use of cocaine and alcohol with her

family. She shared that she always felt ashamed and instead of asking her family or revealing her

struggles she moved out and further used it throughout college. She expressed that she would

complete this goal by first opening up to her parents who have consistently tried to meet with her

and discuss her decisions in what felt like abandoning the family. Another goal presented was a

participant who struggles with alcohol use and currently has been pushing his limits after being

sober for two years. He shared that he slowly started drinking again in social settings, but it is

gradually increasing. He shared that his goal for the week is to have a single drink at a social

gathering and to make that one drink last. He struggles with feeling left out and pressured to

drink when others are drinking around him even though they are aware he is recovering. He

shared that these pressures and negative thoughts come from himself and that his friends are not

involved in his drinking habits. Throughout the goal-setting process, the leader gave advice to

individuals and asked questions to further evaluate their ability to accomplish these goals. Most

participants in this recovery group attended because a friend or relative introduced them to the

church and the welcoming environment led them to utilize this resource in their treatment

journey.

Referral to Support Group Meetings

Referrals to support groups can occur directly from professionals and/or clinicians

through the treatment process but they can also be voluntary. Along with the treatment process it
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is often encouraged to attend a support group to not only gain a community that provides

encouragement and growth, but also learn coping and managing skills for post-treatment (Van et

al., 2013). It promotes achievement in goals by developing autonomy and self-sufficiency with

the support of others who understand dependency struggles (Van et al., 2013). Oftentimes in

treatment, clients are referred to AA, NA, or CA. If a client presents having a faith-based

background whether in the past or current, the counselor may suggest a faith-based support

group depending on the client’s needs and progress.

Self-Reflection

After attending and observing a Celebrate Recovery group, I was made aware of the

vulnerability and courage it takes for participants to be honest about their past and present

struggles. I also noticed how some individuals were not open to discuss their struggles but

engaged in providing feedback and answering questions for further understanding of other

participant’s experience through treatment and recovery. I found that the environment of this

group, though nerve-wracking at first, had a peaceful and nonjudgmental setting allowing for

open communication for anyone willing to share. When attending this group, the ministry leader

was aware of my intentions being there but did not present that I was a guest. Throughout the

entire group I never felt like I was pressured to share anything and because I remained quiet,

multiple participants after the group introduced themselves to me and encouraged me to return

the following week. Overall, it was a very welcoming and supportive environment. I believe that

these groups are a great way for someone to gain comfortability in sharing their experience with

using and can lead to changes in many areas in their life.

Patience Disposition

The patience disposition states that “Counselors understand the therapeutic process and

respect clients’ efforts to gain control over their lives. Counselors encourage an environment that

promotes self-empowerment and allows client’s voice in the therapeutic process” (Grand Canyon

University [GCU], 2015). As a counselor, it is crucial to be mindful of a client’s well-being. In

support groups, counselors should not pressure individuals to participate in open discussions. For

new participants, counselors should privately meet with them either prior to or after a meeting to

introduce and present what the group consists of. From that point, the counselor should always

encourage participation but not make it a requirement as it can steer individuals away from

support groups.

Conclusion

In conclusion, support groups allow individuals to share their experiences with

dependency while receiving support from others who can relate to their struggles. After attending

celebrate recovery, I gained insight into what a structured and therapeutic group consisted of. I

also experienced goal setting with descriptive plans of how they can be attained. The overall

experience was eye-opening and life changing.

References:

Grand Canyon University. (2015). Counselor Disposition Expectations. Halo.gcu.edu.

Retrieved April 6, 2022, from https://halo.gcu.edu/resource/6a3a8baa-48d9-4fc3-94bf-

08e05b112a8a?nestedResourceId=364342cb-7c35-478d-a0fd-e5bcb0d448cd

Gruber, K. J., & Taylor, M. F. (2006). A family perspective for substance abuse: Implications

from the literature. Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, 6(1-2), 1-29.

Van Voorhees, B. W., Hsiung, R. C., Marko-Holguin, M., Houston, T. K., Fogel, J., Lee, R., &

Ford, D. E. (2013). Internal versus external motivation in referral of primary care patients

with depression to an internet support group: randomized controlled trial. Journal of

medical Internet research, 15(3), e2197.

Witkiewitz, K., Montes, K. S., Schwebel, F. J., & Tucker, J. A. (2020). What Is Recovery?.

Alcohol research : current reviews, 40(3), 01. https://doi.org/10.35946/arcr.v40.3.01