Core Groups

Elements offers several additional core groups that allow for those in treatment to gain further skills as they navigate their recovery.

• Co-Occurring Disorders: The Co-Occurring Disorders group is appropriate for individuals participating in Outpatient Treatment Services who meet diagnostic criteria for one or more mental health diagnoses as well as one or more alcohol abuse or drug abuse diagnoses. Individuals who have mental health diagnoses such as, Depression, Anxiety, and Adjustments/Trauma-related disorders, such as Mood Disorders and other disorders. The curriculum used by licensed clinicians is an evidence-based, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Program presented weekly for 12 weeks.
  • The curriculum includes several topics such as: psychoeducation on co-occurring disorders; seeking help for co-occurring disorders; treating co-occurring disorders; emotional regulation; cognitive distortions and unhelpful thought patterns; adaptive and maladaptive behaviors, and how to improve management of co-occurring disorders; co-occurring disorders and relapse; and building a support network.
  • A recent survey given to current participants in the group indicated overall satisfaction about the content of the group. An individual that attends stated, “all of the curriculum really relates to my addiction and recovery. This is my favorite group." Another survey respondent stated, “I love the discussions, topics, and the comradery.”
  • The overall objective of the Co-Occurring Disorders group is to support individuals in their recovery to gain knowledge of mental health diagnoses that very commonly accompany alcohol abuse or drug abuse and grow in their ability to live healthy and productive lives.

• Connections: Connections is a twelve-session psychoeducational shame resilience course. The course focuses on recognizing shame and how it impacts individuals, recognizing when we are in shame, practicing critical awareness and empathy, and reaching out to make connections with others.

• Helping Women Recover Helping Women Recover addresses issues that many women struggle with, especially if they are addicted to alcohol or other drugs. Each woman’s path of healing is unique. Most of us find that it involves discovering our true selves, connecting in healthy relationships with others, understanding our sexuality, and gaining some spiritual connection. Recovery is like a spiral upward, away from a life that revolves around the objects of addiction (alcohol or other drugs, food, sex, and so forth) and outward into ever-widening circles of freedom, self-knowledge, and connection with others.

• Helping Men Recover: Helping Men Recover is the first gender-responsive, trauma-informed treatment program for men. The materials are grounded in research, theory, and clinical practice. Helping Men Recover is presented in an eighteen-session format. The participant's workbook is designed so that men can process, record, and refer back to their therapeutic experience. The program model is organized into four modules: self, relationships, sexuality, and spirituality. These are the four areas that recovering men have identified as triggers for relapse and as necessary for growth and healing. In addition, all the materials are designed to be user-friendly and self-instructive.

• Living in Balance: Living in Balance focuses on moving from a life of addiction to a life of recovery. This evidence-based, flexible, and user-friendly treatment curriculum helps clients from all walks of life address key lifestyle, relationship, and emotional issues.

• Emotional Regulation: The Emotional Regulation curriculum is designed to be used by participants in an anger management group treatment for individuals with mental disorders and addiction. The workbook provides individuals participating in the 12-week anger management group treatment with a summary of core concepts, worksheets for completing between-session challenges, and space to take notes for each of the sessions. The concepts and skills presented in the anger management treatment are best learned by practice and review and by completing the between-session challenges in this workbook. This 12-week treatment group will help you develop the skills that are necessary to successfully manage anger.

• Seeking Safety Seeking Safety (male/female) is a therapeutic program for individuals suffering from trauma, addiction, and/or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The primary goals of Seeking Safety are to reduce trauma and/or addiction symptoms, increase safe coping in relationships, and increase safe coping in thinking.

• Mindfulness and Affirmations Mindfulness and Affirmations is a therapeutic group that explores the benefits of mindfulness and affirmations in recovery. The group focuses on how to be mindful throughout your day and how to foster a sense of compassion for yourself. This group also practices weekly meditation techniques and practices empathy for others and oneself.