Using Groups to Address
Anger, Anxiety, Depression and Addiction
Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes, PhD, LPC-MHSP, LMHC
Executive Director: AllCEUs.com
Host: Counselor Toolbox Podcast
Purchase CEUs at: https://www.allceus.com/member/cart/index/product/id/1112/c/
Objectives
– Review the benefits of groups
– Identify the modalities for group
– Discuss goals for psychoeducational and skills groups addressing anger, anxiety, addiction and depression
– Explore activities that can be used to enhance group engagement
Benefits of Group
– Cost effective
– Peer feedback and support
– Development of interpersonal skills
– Reduce isolation and “uniqueness”
– Many observers
Modalities for Group
– Face-to-face
– Web-meeting
– Video with or without breakout rooms
– Chat
– Asynchronous
– Psychoeducational/skills video
– Group participation by responding to questions on a discussion board and receiving feedback from group members and the clinician
– HIPAA, HITECH and 42 CFR Part 2 all apply
Commonalities
– Low self esteem
– Cognitive distortions
– Emotional dysregulation
– Poor Interpersonal Skills
– Fear of isolation, rejection, failure, loss of control, the unknown
– Poor lifestyle behaviors
Awareness (2)
– Learn about anger, anxiety, depression and addiction and their symptoms
– Learn about the Mind-Body Connection (Jeopardy)
– Potential causes of symptoms
– Effects of symptoms
– Interventions for symptoms
– Have clients identify (Worksheet/Beach Ball or Jenga)
– Symptoms
– What changed which causes or worsens the symptom
– How they have dealt with the symptom in the past
– Impact of the symptom on them
Awareness (1)
– Negative Triggers
– Those things that cause or worsen the symptom
– Hungry Angry Lonely Tired (HALT)
– False Evidence Appearing Real (FEAR)
– People Places Things
– Times (of day, anniversaries, holidays)
– Small Group Activity/Presentation
– Which ones can be avoided or prevented-
– Which ones are unavoidable-
– Identify three ways to deal with the unavoidable ones to mitigate their impact.
Awareness (1)
– Positive Triggers (Flip chart stations)
– Those things that remind you to use your new tools
– Sights
– Sounds
– Smells
– Touch
– Those things that trigger positive emotions
– Sights
– Sounds
– Smells
– Touch
– How can you add those to your environment-
Awareness (1)
– Vulnerabilities
– Explain the concept of vulnerabilities
– Identify the most common vulnerabilities: What causes them and how to prevent and mitigate them
– Emotional (anger, jealousy, envy, depression, anxiety, guilt, grief)
– Mental (Poor concentration, rigid thinking, poor problem solving)
– Physical (Sleep, nutrition, pain)
– Social (lack of supportive rela