Recovery and Support Groups
Locate an open recovery or support group in your local community. Please note this should be a non-clinical meeting. Attend one of the group’s meeting. The group can be for any type of substance or process addiction. It must be a peer-led support group to help with the recovery from any addictive disorder. Ensure that the meeting is considered “open” prior to attending it.
Important Note: The group must be attended in person. It is not appropriate to take notes while in the meeting, so please refrain and just take notes for yourself immediately after the meeting.
Write a two-part paper of 750-1,000 words that summarizes your experience at the meeting. Be sure to include important concepts presented in the meeting while maintaining the privacy of all group participants. Include the following in your paper:
Part 1: Attending the Meeting
- Attend a recovery support group meeting (include the name, time, and place of the meeting)
- Describe the format of the meeting that you attended and provide details about the atmosphere or experience of being in the meeting.
- Describe each of the following: Closed meeting, open meeting, steps, sponsor, and home group. Please note: These terms are specific to AA and NA.
Part 2: Individual Recovery Methods
- Based on your observations during the meeting, identify the impact of a substance use disorder on an individual’s life problems based on the meeting attended.
- List two examples of Participant Recovery Goals and the benefits of entering into the maintenance stage of recovery with these goals as identified in research.
- Identify two specific actions a counselor can take during the therapy session and related follow-up that can help someone with a substance use disorder be successful.
- List one specific example of how a counselor can help a client overcome self-defeating behaviors.
- Include at least three scholarly resources in your paper.
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide.
***please include an introduction and conclusion and follow the rubric and the instructions below*******
mental healthCounselingsubstance abuse
Rubic_Print_
Format
| Course Code | Class Code | Assignment Title | Total Points | |||||||
| CNL-501 | CNL-501-O502 | Recovery and Support Groups (Obj. 4.1) | 140.0 | |||||||
| Criteria | Percentage | Unsatisfactory (0.00%) | Less Than Satisfactory (74.00%) | Satisfactory (79.00%) | Good (87.00%) | Excellent (100.00%) | Comments | Points Earned | ||
| Content | 70.0% | |||||||||
| Part One: Attending the Non-clinical Meeting | 30.0% | Essay omits or incompletely summarizes the non-clinical meeting attended.Essay does not demonstrate understanding of the topic. | Essay inadequately summarizes the non-clinical meeting attended, but description is weak and missing evidence to support claims. Essay demonstrates poor understanding of the topic. | Essay adequately summarizes the non-clinical meeting attended, but description is limited and lacks some evidence to support claims. Essay demonstrates a basic understanding of the topic. | Essay clearly summarizes the non-clinical meeting attended, and description is strong with sound analysis and some evidence to support claims. Essay provides extra details of the Part One required particulars, such as general atmosphere of the meeting place, feeling for general attitudes of attendees, titles (if known) of key speakers.Essay demonstrates understanding that extends beyond the surface the topic. | Essay expertly describes summarizes the non-clinical meeting attended, and description is comprehensive and insightful with relevant evidence to support claims. Essay provides extra details of the Part One required particulars, such as general atmosphere of the meeting place, feeling for general attitudes of attendees, titles (if known) of key speakers. Provides introspection of how the contents of the attended meeting relate to general recovery/support philosophy, including references from the text and/or outside scholarly references.Essay demonstrates an exceptional understanding of the topic. | ||||
| Part Two: The Impact of Substance Use | 10.0% | Essay omits or incompletely describes the impact of a substance use disorders on a member’s/participant’s life problems.Essay does not demonstrate understanding of the topic. | Essay inadequately describes the impact of a substance use disorders on a member’s/participant’s life problems, but description is weak and missing evidence to support claims. Essay demonstrates poor understanding of the topic. | Essay adequately describes the impact of a substance use disorders on a member’s/ participant’s life problems, but description is limited and lacks some evidence to support claims. Essay demonstrates a basic understanding of the topic. | Essay clearly describes the impact of a substance use disorders on a member’s/participant’s life problems, and description is strong with sound analysis and some evidence to support claims. Essay demonstrates understanding that extends beyond the surface the topic. | Essay expertly describes the impact of a substance use disorders on a member’s/ participant’s life problems, and description is comprehensive and insightful with relevant evidence to support claims. Essay demonstrates an exceptional understanding of the topic. | ||||
| Part Two: Two Recovery Goal Examples | Essay omits or incompletely describes two examples of how members/participants were engaged in their recovery goals.Essay does not demonstrate understanding of the topic. | Essay inadequately describes two examples of how members/participants were engaged in their recovery goals, but description is weak and missing evidence to support claims. Essay demonstrates poor understanding of the topic. | Essay adequately describes two examples of how members/participants were engaged in their recovery goals, but description is limited and lacks some evidence to support claims. Essay demonstrates a basic understanding of the topic. | Essay clearly describes two examples of how members/participants were engaged in their recovery goals, and description is strong with sound analysis and some evidence to support claims. Essay demonstrates understanding that extends beyond the surface the topic. | Essay expertly describes two examples of how members/participants were engaged in their recovery goals, and description is comprehensive and insightful with relevant evidence to support claims. Essay demonstrates an exceptional understanding of the topic. | |||||
| Part Two: Two Specific Actions | Essay omits or incompletely describes two actions a counselor can take during the therapy session and related follow-up that can help someone with a substance use disorder to be successful.Essay does not demonstrate understanding of the topic. | Essay inadequately describes two actions a counselor can take during the therapy session and related follow-up that can help someone with a substance use disorder to be successful, but description is weak and missing support by observation. Essay demonstrates poor understanding of the topic. | Essay adequately describes two actions a counselor can take during the therapy session and related follow-up that can help someone with a substance use disorder to be successful, but description is limited and lacks support by observation. Essay demonstrates a basic understanding of the topic. | Essay clearly describes two actions a counselor can take during the therapy session and related follow-up that can help someone with a substance use disorder to be successful, and description is strong with sound support by observation. Essay demonstrates understanding that extends beyond the surface the topic. | Essay expertly describes two actions a counselor can take during the therapy session and related follow-up that can help someone with a substance use disorder to be successful, and description is comprehensive and insightful with relevant support by observation. Essay demonstrates an exceptional understanding of the topic. | |||||
| Part Two: One Specific Example to Help Overcome Self-Defeating Behaviors | Essay omits or incompletely describes one specific example of actions a counselor can take to help someone with a substance use disorder address self-defeating behaviors toward their recovery process. Essay does not demonstrate understanding of the topic. | Essay inadequately describes one specific example of actions a counselor can take to help someone with a substance use disorder address self-defeating behaviors toward their recovery process, but description is weak and missing support by observation. Essay demonstrates poor understanding of the topic. | Essay adequately describes one specific example of actions a counselor can take to help someone with a substance use disorder address self-defeating behaviors toward their recovery process, but description is limited and lacks some support by observation. Essay demonstrates a basic understanding of the topic. | Essay clearly describes one specific example of actions a counselor can take to help someone with a substance use disorder address self-defeating behaviors toward their recovery process, and description is strong with sound support by observation. Essay demonstrates understanding that extends beyond the surface the topic. | Essay expertly describes one specific example of actions a counselor can take to help someone with a substance use disorder address self-defeating behaviors toward their recovery process, and description is comprehensive and insightful with relevant support by observation. Essay demonstrates an exceptional understanding of the topic. | |||||
| Organization and Effectiveness | 20.0% | |||||||||
| Thesis Development and Purpose | 7.0% | Paper lacks any discernible overall purpose or organizing claim. | Thesis and/or main claim are insufficiently developed and/or vague; purpose is not clear. | Thesis and/or main claim are apparent and appropriate to purpose. | Thesis and/or main claim are clear and forecast the development of the paper. It is descriptive, reflective of the arguments, and appropriate to the purpose. | Thesis and/or main claim are comprehensive. The essence of the paper is contained within the thesis. Thesis statement makes the purpose of the paper clear. | ||||
| Argument Logic and Construction | 8.0% | Statement of purpose is not justified by the conclusion. The conclusion does not support the claim made. Argument is incoherent and uses noncredible sources. | Sufficient justification of claims is lacking. Argument lacks consistent unity. There are obvious flaws in the logic. Some sources have questionable credibility. | Argument is orderly, but may have a few inconsistencies. The argument presents minimal justification of claims. Argument logically, but not thoroughly, supports the purpose. Sources used are credible. Introduction and conclusion bracket the thesis. | Argument shows logical progressions. Techniques of argumentation are evident. There is a smooth progression of claims from introduction to conclusion. Most sources are authoritative. | Clear and convincing argument that presents a persuasive claim in a distinctive and compelling manner. All sources are authoritative. | ||||
| Mechanics of Writing (includes spelling, punctuation, grammar, language use) | 5.0% | Surface errors are pervasive enough that they impede communication of meaning. Inappropriate word choice and/or sentence construction are used. | Frequent and repetitive mechanical errors distract the reader. Inconsistencies in language choice (register), sentence structure, and/or word choice are present. | Some mechanical errors or typos are present, but are not overly distracting to the reader. Correct sentence structure and audience-appropriate language are used. | Prose is largely free of mechanical errors, although a few may be present. A variety of sentence structures and effective figures of speech are used. | Writer is clearly in command of standard, written, academic English. | ||||
| Paper Format (use of appropriate style for the major and assignment) | Template is not used appropriately or documentation format is rarely followed correctly. | Appropriate template is used, but some elements are missing or mistaken. A lack of control with formatting is apparent. | Appropriate template is used. Formatting is correct, although some minor errors may be present. | Appropriate template is fully used. There are virtually no errors in formatting style. | All format elements are correct. | |||||
| Documentation of Sources (citations, footnotes, references, bibliography, etc., as appropriate to assignment and style) | Sources are not documented. | Documentation of sources is inconsistent or incorrect, as appropriate to assignment and style, with numerous formatting errors. | Sources are documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, although some formatting errors may be present. | Sources are documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, and format is mostly correct. | Sources are completely and correctly documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, and format is free of error. | |||||
| Total Weightage | 100% |
Running head:
RECOVERY & SUPPORT GROUPS
1
4
RECOVERY & SUPPORT GROUPS
This week you are required to attend a support group, such as an AA, NA, or a GA meeting, and report your observations. You must attend an Open meeting. Many (but not all) of these meetings are held at churches or community centers, and times vary from early morning to late in the evening. Please write enough to give the reader a sense of the progression of the meeting. You cannot attend any meeting that you have previously participated in.
Although there are support group meetings offered online, these are not acceptable for this assignment.
You need to see the structure and experience the support group process if you intend to refer your clients to these types of meetings. If you need assistance finding a meeting, please use your favorite search engine and look for AA meetings in your area. You can also choose to attend Celebrate Recovery (a Christian/scripture-based 12 step meeting), NA, GA, or another 12 step (anonymous) meeting and report on the process you observed. I will accept any 12-step meeting including Cocaine Anonymous, Heroin Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, Al-Anon, etc. Do NOT attend a clinical therapy group for this assignment.
The second part of the paper is reporting on the major concepts used by the group you observed, such as prayer, sponsorship, and the 12 steps, for example. Explain the purpose of each concept, and how the group members complete the process described. Finally, define the following concepts from AA: closed, meeting, open meeting, steps, sponsor, and home group. Review the directions provided and make sure you hit all the definitions listed on the assignment requirements. Feel free to use the template provided to you in Instructor Add-Ons (as a guide) as this paper must be in the APA format.
Please be aware, that 12 step meetings are NOT clinical. They are NOT a level of therapy. They are their own entity. Their “leaders” (trusted servants) do not govern. If someone in attendance is a professional, they are not there in a professional capacity. The main premise is that addicts/alcoholics can help other addicts/alcoholics. While professionals often require or recommend that a client attend meetings, those meetings are NOT professional. Sometimes, SUD treatment agencies will hold a 12-step meeting in-house. These are 12 step meetings and are not therapy, clinical, psychoeducation, or the like. They are run according to 12 Step guidelines and are their own entity. Some agencies use the 12-step facilitation theoretical foundation. This means they incorporate 12 step concepts (admitting powerlessness, working the steps, getting a 12-step sponsor, etc.) but are not 12 step agencies as there is no such thing as a 12-step agency.
Professionals who consider themselves 12 step members because they are in recovery for their own substance abuse issue must remember to keep the two (professional and 12 step involvement) very separate in their minds. Boundaries with clients will be more visible when clients attend their meetings. Professional counselors who attend 12 step meetings themselves must be careful not to “preach” the 12 steps at work and should be careful to understand the difference between clinical interventions and doing a 12-step call.
Feel free to check out the rubric in upper right-hand corner of the assignment to see exactly how I’ll be grading the assignment. As always, use APA formatting and please use headings. Remember there are two parts of this assignment and there are 4 pieces of each part. Headings will be useful for you to be certain you have hit on all required aspects and it admittedly much it much easier to grade!
Remember, it’s not about your opinion of the meetings as much as it is about understanding the process, so you can give clients an educated idea of what to expect. Likely, many of them will be extremely anxious about their first meeting so hearing what is expected of them will likely calm their nerves some. Also, 12 step meetings do save some lives. They provide a safe place for people to feel welcome: a place for them to belong. It doesn’t cost them a penny, unless they have money and they can throw a buck in the basket. At meetings they will make friends, share their burdens, help others and find purpose, and find hope again. A higher power may be sought and found in their recovery process, but it is not a requirement in 12 step programs.
Meetings may be run in “popcorn” or “parliament” fashion. In popcorn fashion, people talk in any order and in parliament they go around the room. If you feel the need to say something, you can say, “I pass”, “I’m __________ and I’ll pass”, “I’m _________________ and I am just here for educational purposes. Thanks for letting me be here.” Or something to that extent. Besides that, try to enjoy! 12 step meetings are not for everyone, but for some it may be the only saving grace they find. Keep this in mind and be respectful.
Important: Do not take notes in the meetings! Also, in the assignments do not use last names and you are welcome to use pseudonyms for first names. Anonymity must be respected.
Feel free to purchase AA’s Big Book and other literature such as the Daily Reflections or the 12 & 12. Especially if you are going into the addictions field, you will want to know what goes on in clients outside support groups, so you can best align treatment to their new values and the step they are working on.
Besides the assignment, our discussion forum touch on confidentiality in groups in treatment. Again, remember it is important to differentiate between therapy groups in treatment and self- or (more appropriately) mutual-help groups such as AA, NA, Celebrate Recovery, etc. “Anonymity” is important in support groups; Confidentiality is important in clinical therapy.
Recovery & Support Groups
NAME
Grand Canyon University
PCN-501:
Introduction
to Addictions &
Substance Use Disorders
DATE
Recovery and Support Groups
Introduction
[Type a comprehensive introduction paragraph. Finish with thesis statement. Thesis statement makes the purpose of the paper clear.]
Part One: Attending the Meeting
[Essay expertly describes summarizes the non-clinical meeting attended, and description is comprehensive and insightful with relevant evidence to support claims. Essay provides extra details of the Part One required particulars, such as general atmosphere of the meeting place, feeling for general attitudes of attendees, titles (if known) of key speakers. Provides introspection of how the contents of the attended meeting relate to general recovery/support philosophy, including references from the text and/or outside scholarly references. Essay demonstrates an exceptional understanding of the topic.]
Part Two: Exploring the Group Experience
The Impact of Substance Use
[Essay expertly describes the impact of a substance use disorders on a member’s/ participant’s life problems, and description is comprehensive and insightful with relevant evidence to support claims. Essay demonstrates an exceptional understanding of the topic.]
Recovery Goal Examples
[Essay expertly describes two examples of how members/participants were engaged in their recovery goals, and description is comprehensive and insightful with relevant evidence to support claims. Essay demonstrates an exceptional understanding of the topic.]
Specific Counselor Actions
[Essay expertly describes two actions a counselor can take during the therapy session and related follow-up that can help someone with a substance use disorder to be successful, and description is comprehensive and insightful with relevant support by observation. Essay demonstrates an exceptional understanding of the topic.]
Addressing Self-Defeating Behaviors in Recovery
[Essay expertly describes one specific example of actions a counselor can take to help someone with a substance use disorder address self-defeating behaviors toward their recovery process, and description is comprehensive and insightful with relevant support by observation. Essay demonstrates an exceptional understanding of the topic.]
Conclusion
[Conclude the paper and all topics. Write in paragraph format and connect your content from the other sections back to the completed purpose of the paper.]
References
Use journal articles to complete this list of references. There is no specific target for number of references, but you should have scholarly support for every section of this writing assignment.
The textbook does not count as one, but you can use it to support your responses in the above research paper. The same rule applies to web-resources, videos, psychological opinion articles designed for lay audiences etc. You may use them, but make sure to have three resources of high scholarship value.
Author, I. N. (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Journal or Periodical, volume(Issue), pp-pp.
Last, F. M. (Year Published) Book. City, State: Publisher.
Running head:
RECOVERY & SUPPORT GROUPS
1
4
RECOVERY & SUPPORT GROUPS
Recovery & Support Groups
NAME
Grand Canyon University
PCN-501:
Introduction
to Addictions &
Substance Use Disorders
DATE
Recovery and Support Groups
Introduction
[Type a comprehensive introduction paragraph. Finish with thesis statement. Thesis statement makes the purpose of the paper clear.]
Part One: Attending the Meeting
[Essay expertly describes summarizes the non-clinical meeting attended, and description is comprehensive and insightful with relevant evidence to support claims. Essay provides extra details of the Part One required particulars, such as general atmosphere of the meeting place, feeling for general attitudes of attendees, titles (if known) of key speakers. Provides introspection of how the contents of the attended meeting relate to general recovery/support philosophy, including references from the text and/or outside scholarly references. Essay demonstrates an exceptional understanding of the topic.]
Part Two: Exploring the Group Experience
The Impact of Substance Use
[Essay expertly describes the impact of a substance use disorders on a member’s/ participant’s life problems, and description is comprehensive and insightful with relevant evidence to support claims. Essay demonstrates an exceptional understanding of the topic.]
Recovery Goal Examples
[Essay expertly describes two examples of how members/participants were engaged in their recovery goals, and description is comprehensive and insightful with relevant evidence to support claims. Essay demonstrates an exceptional understanding of the topic.]
Specific Counselor Actions
[Essay expertly describes two actions a counselor can take during the therapy session and related follow-up that can help someone with a substance use disorder to be successful, and description is comprehensive and insightful with relevant support by observation. Essay demonstrates an exceptional understanding of the topic.]
Addressing Self-Defeating Behaviors in Recovery
[Essay expertly describes one specific example of actions a counselor can take to help someone with a substance use disorder address self-defeating behaviors toward their recovery process, and description is comprehensive and insightful with relevant support by observation. Essay demonstrates an exceptional understanding of the topic.]
Conclusion
[Conclude the paper and all topics. Write in paragraph format and connect your content from the other sections back to the completed purpose of the paper.]
References
Use journal articles to complete this list of references. There is no specific target for number of references, but you should have scholarly support for every section of this writing assignment.
The textbook does not count as one, but you can use it to support your responses in the above research paper. The same rule applies to web-resources, videos, psychological opinion articles designed for lay audiences etc. You may use them, but make sure to have three resources of high scholarship value.
Author, I. N. (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Journal or Periodical, volume(Issue), pp-pp.
Last, F. M. (Year Published) Book. City, State: Publisher.