T4Recovery and Support Groups
docx
keyboard_arrow_up
School
Grand Canyon University *
*We aren’t endorsed by this school
Course
501
Subject
Arts Humanities
Date
Jan 9, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
7
Uploaded by MagistrateClover24465
1
Recovery and Support Groups
Kirsten L. Gabbard
College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Grand Canyon University
CNL-501: Substance Use Disorders and Addictions
Professor Thomas
November 29, 2023
2
Recovery and Support Groups
There are over forty six million people that are over the age of twelve that meet the
criteria laid out in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of having a
substance use disorder (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2013b).
Although there are plenty of people who struggle with addiction, it can feel like one of the
loneliest places on earth. Too often people put on a mask that they use to hide themselves and
others from the reality they are living. The week before thanksgiving, I attended a Celebrate
Recovery Meeting with a friend at Crossroads Church in Kokomo Indiana to look at how the
members may be hiding behind masks as they work through their addiction. During the support
group meeting I made observations that are going to be laid out in the following paper.
Celebrate Recovery
Celebrate Recovery was created when John Baker described how God had healed a man
through his recovery process and how sharing that principle will help others through their
recovery (Celebrate Recovery, 2023). From the very first meeting in 1991 in California,
Celebrate Recovery has maintained a faith based program that usually takes place in churches
(Celebrate Recovery, 2023). The group even opened with a prayer and reading of a passage from
the book John Baker wrote. This week's main topic was on the mask of denial and there were
members that felt inclined to share their own versions of how that mask has prevented their
recovery.
Members
A man that was quiet and looked as though he did not want to actually be at the meeting,
absolutely captivated me with his story. He spoke about how he was new to the path of walking
with the Lord and that most of the closest people he knew would call him a “dead beat” which
3
made him feel that there was no real pressure to change. As he gained faith, he began to wear a
mask because he felt shame when people were pouring into him. He is new to the recovery
process and his goals during sobriety are to stay grounded in the church as well as the be more of
an active participant in his children's lives. A young mom spoke after and cried as she told her
story on how she uses her tattoos as masks. She used them to portray herself as the tough girl but
once she started walking with the Lords, she quickly learned that she was sensitive and resilient.
She still finds her life very challenging and is often angry with God during different seasons as
she tries to recover from the drugs, her past and struggles for a better future for her children. She
continues to stay sober and prove herself by leaning on others in her life when she needs help.
Referrals
Most clients will visit their counselor for guidance and support once a week for about an
hour. After that, there are still one hundred sixty seven hours left where they could slip up or
require additional support. Finding the support of a group in their community is an important
aspect to a person working their way toward recovery. Support services can be used before, in
conjunction with or after a client receives clinical treatment or by someone who does not ever
receive clinical treatment but seeks the support of others ( Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration, 2023a). Every individual's clients walk through the recovery process
looks different but every single one is built on resilience and the ability to learn how to cope with
the struggles of life so that they do not go back into addiction. Support groups are a place where
the client can be helped and guided by others who have been through similar experiences when
they are not in a treatment center or when their counselor is unavailable. It can also be a space
where they can feel held accountable. The client's recovery is built on the strengths, coping
abilities, talents, inherent values and resources that are available to them (Substance Abuse and
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help
4
Mental Health Services Administration, 2023a).
My Experience
Addiction has only surfaced in my life in the past few years after meeting and falling in
love with my fiance. I did watch my father always have a drink in his hand when I was younger
but we have lost touch and I have not seen or heard from him in over ten years. Both of my
fiance's brothers have a drug problem, one with weed and the other with pills. I do not consider
weed to be a major drug problem in general but his brother literally goes crazy without it. He
throws things, yells and blames the world around him. I was nervous when I walked into the
church with my friend because other than seeing these types of meetings portrayed on television
shows, I really did not know what to expect. Immediately I was greeted by warm welcomes and
friendly faces. Snacks were available at the beginning of the meeting and I enjoyed watching the
group interact, check in and hold each other accountable. I was able to also pick up on clues
about ones that were new to sober life and others that have been sober for years. It is a faith
based program that takes place in a church so it is possible to see that everyone is building their
own relationship with God. Certain times were challenging because I disagreed with their
perspectives and what was being said but often another group member spoke and grounded them.
Overall the meeting was welcoming and organized. My own anxiety never stopped throughout
the entirety of the meeting but it was an encouraging experience to see the variety of support
each member gave to one another and witnessing their stories of success over addiction.
Patience
Patience is one of the qualities that is necessary for every counselor to possess. More than
eighty five percent of individuals will relapse and return to abusing the substance within one year
from starting treatment (Sinha, 2011). This information helps counselors to assume that many
5
clients will go through therapy, groups and treatment multiple times on their road to recovery.
“CITs encourage a relational environment that promotes respect, flexibility, and self-
exploration” (Grand Canyon University, 2022). It is our job as future counselors to meet each
client exactly where they are and foster their personal growth.
Conclusion
Unfortunately substance abuse and addiction is something that will continue to be a
problem and cause people to struggle around it. It is a counselor's job to consistently stay up to
date and learn how to support the community with quality substance abuse recovery services.
Attending the Celebrate Recovery support group was an enlightening process that let me
experience real testimonies on how their members work toward staying sober. It gave me insight
into how a client feels at one of these meetings and how to be open to the process of recovery.
Every single human on earth is just trying to navigate this sin filled world and the trauma that
comes with that at the end of the day.
Some of us have learned to cope with it in a healthy way
while others have walked a more difficult path to coping. With the proper encouragement and
support, every person has the potential to overcome substance abuse.
6
References
Celebrate Recovery. (2023). History. Celebrate Recovery.
https://www.celebraterecovery.com/about/history
Grand Canyon University. (2022). Dispositional Values. College of Humanities and
Social Sciences.https://aws-files.gcu.edu/ssc/chss/Counselor%20Dispositions.pdf
Sinha, R. (2011). New findings on biological factors predicting addiction relapse
vulnerability. National Library of Medicine.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3674771/
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2023a). Recovery and
recovery support. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/recovery
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2023b). SAMHSA
Announces National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) Results Detailing Mental
Illness and Substance Use Levels in 2021. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration. https://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/press-
announcements/20230104/samhsa-announces-nsduh-results-detailing-mental-illness-
substance-use-levels-2021#:~:text=Drug%20Use%20and%20Substance%20Use,which
%2052.5%20million%20people%20used.
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help
7