75+ Free Mental Health Worksheets & Handouts

Her journey led to a change in the industry, and Jackie began her career at Haley House in 2011 as Resident Advisor. She was promoted to Resident Advisor Supervisor and Counselor in 2013. Group therapy is a common form of psychotherapy that entails one or more therapists facilitating and leading groups of people with a common struggle. A trained therapist typically guides group therapy, but it is through communicating with the other group members that the benefits lie.

This engaging gratitude activity is a great opportunity for teens and adolescents to exercise their creativity and express themselves. You’ll need a whiteboard or a large piece of paper and different colored pens. If there is an odd number of members, the therapist can pair with a member to make it even. Instruct each pair to blindfold one member and tell the other member to guide them around the room in search of a particular object or objects. If there is enough time, the partners can switch when the object(s) has been found.

Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

The experience of meditating alongside others can be encouraging, inspiring, and help build social skills and self-esteem. Individuals who have practiced mediation alone may notice a different energy when meditating among others sharing their intentions. Group meditation can also bring challenges, such as navigating distractions from others, such as coughing, sneezing, or sounds from shifting in their seat. The GROW With Your Team worksheet specifically helps with group development, team cohesion, and learning to set and achieve common goals. This can be a wonderful activity to use to start a group because it allows members’ active participation in accomplishing objectives and the healing process.

• A 1-page checklist with quick tips, self-soothing, and indulgent ideas for self-care.
• At Clearhaven Recovery, we use fun group activities and games that will aid in our participant’s recovery.
• Skillful facilitators must create a nonjudgmental space where participants can openly express their doubts and concerns.

These activities can help build healthy relationships and improve personal emotional wellness. Bereavement groups provide members benefits for individuals dealing with grief and loss. They can help normalize the impact of grief, provide a safe, nonjudgmental space for the individual, and help participants discover resources and coping strategies. Warm-up activities in group sessions help clients build connections, reduce anxiety and defensiveness, and can shift focus to specific topics of discussion. These activities can be used for nearly any age group and for any specific purpose.

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Resilience is the ability to bounce back from adversity, and it’s a vital trait for those in recovery. Group therapy topics related to resilience can encompass stress management, emotional regulation, and self-care strategies. These discussions empower individuals to face life’s challenges without turning to substances for solace. Group therapy provides a platform for individuals to share their personal triggers and learn from the triggers of others. Discussing coping strategies and creating an individualized plan for avoiding or dealing with triggers is essential in group therapy. This activity is based on Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), behavioral activation, and goal setting.

The player who loses must try to distract the other players as they construct and pass on a new beat. The goal is to keep your attention focused on the rhythm and avoid being distracted by anything or anyone. These can all be great opportunities to deepen the practice of coming back to breath after being pulled away.

A list of possible group therapy activities

Below are a few suggestions based on the goals of exploring various emotional states, including love, positivity, loneliness, fear, and understanding legacy. Substance abuse support groups are unique spaces where individuals battling addiction can connect with peers who share substance abuse group activities similar experiences, feelings, and aspirations. These groups offer a haven for members to openly discuss their struggles, triumphs, and setbacks without fear of judgment. When recovering from drug addiction (also called substance use disorder), many people feel alone.

According to Alan Wolflet (2004), group activities for grief and loss should help members with the six needs of mourning. Thought identification and replacement is a cornerstone of CBT, which is an evidence-based treatment for both anxiety and depression (Wolgensinger, 2015). As clients do this individually, they can share the effects of the problem with group members, which offers support and validation. The activities should reflect the goals and composition of group members as well as the theoretical approach used by the group leader or therapist. A pre-group orientation is helpful to identify individual patterns of group members and their history of interpersonal relationships (Whittingham, 2018). There are several factors that should be considered as a therapist or leader begins to perform activities in group therapy.

Mental and Behavioral Health

These activities may include drawing, painting, music, dance, writing, etc. Her duties include donor relations, overseeing philanthropic support through implementing the annual fundraising plan, major gifts, grant writing and special events. Carol received her BA in Management and Marketing from Montclair State University. After many years in the private sector, she changed the focus of her life’s work after a significant event occurred that affected a close friend. She obtained a Master of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology from Centenary University and has pursued further training in ACT, MBRP, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Carol also has received certification as a New Jersey Disaster Response Crisis Counselor (NJ-DRCC).

Cultivating an awareness of mindful speaking can be an effective way to set the tone for couples group therapy, where emotions management is the focus, or even when working with families. Before you read on, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Psychology https://ecosoberhouse.com/ Exercises for free. Our clinical team facilitates group therapies to encourage positive discussion with peers. The goal of groups is to feel validated and supported by others with similar experiences. She has been a counselor on the women’s team at Alina Lodge since 2014.