Even when troubling things happen in the news we need to keep moving forward in our own lives. Have you signed up for Taking the Escalator? What is something positive or unexpected that happened to you that you will never forget? This would be something that you may have never imagined you would do, but you have now done (Positive answers only). - Podcast, CRAFT (Community Reinforcement and Family Training) - "10 Basic Messages for Families" Slides - Robert Meyers PhD, External Motivation - Looking at what pushes us to change and ways to increase support, Family Match Game - An icebreaker discussion for multii-family therapy group, Good Choices for Good Living - For Families, POWERPOINT SLIDES - Good Choices for Good Living - For Families, Healthy Families - Looking at positive family qualities, Helpers - Identifying who is out there to help you with the change process, The Pendulum - Examining Common Family Issues - Examining some common family challenges, Stages of Change -A Guide for Families of Individuals with Substance Use Issues, Support Report - Assessing and maximizing exisiting potential support system, Support Zones & Interpersonal Boundaries - Stepping outside of your comfort zone to build support, Strategy List for Families Dealing with a Loved One's Substance Use Issue, VIDEO - Click here to see the above outline "Strategy List for Families" via Facebook Live video, CONFIDENCE BUILDING - (Overcoming Fear of Failure), Feelings, Thoughts and Emotions (General), Dealing with Feelings - Coping with feelings from three viewpoints, READ: Emotional Self-Prevention - Looking at sensitive areas, Feeling Under the Weather - A brief true-false list to open an honest discussion about feelings, Five Key Aspects of Appropriately Managing Feelings, Happiness Factor - (Submitted by Lesley SanFilippo, LCSW), The IDEA Technique - A tool for coping with challenging thoughts and feelings, READ: Please Dont Feed the Monster - An illustration about negative thoughts and feelings, Thinking About Thinking - Looking at the link between thinking, feeling and behaving, Thinking, Feeling and Coping in Challenging Scenarios, Thinking Styles - Tool for self-analyzing how we think, Thoughts and Feelings - Gaining an improved understanding how our thoughts and feelings affect us, Drop the Rocks - Letting go of resentments, Forgiveness and Self Care - Contributed by Jamie Lewitt MSW Intern, Giving Activities - There is more happiness in giving than receiving, VIDEO LINK for above worksheet - Don't Just Set Goals, Keep Them Going, Four Year Prediction Time Capsule - An interactive exercise on long term goal setting, Giving Yourself the Best Chance to Succeed, Goal Setting - Using goals to build motivation, Goal Setting Collective: Looking Forward to the Year Ahead, Hopeful Thoughts and Plans for the Year Ahead - Discussion questions for the upcoming year, PCRP - Person Centered Recovery Plan - (Submitted by Katie Tracy, LCSW), Overreaction: Putting Things in Perspective with Gratitude, Coping with Death and Dying - A simple outline for discussing coping with a recent loss without abusing substances, Grief and Loss Cycle (Submitted by Caitlin Kennedy, LCSW, LCADC), Guilt and Shame - Understanding and learning to cope with these challenging feelings, Understanding and Coping with Guilt and Shame - Similar to the other but in a different format, Straight D's -A Simple Harm Reduction and MAT Illustration, Taking an Honest Look at Abstinence, Harm Reduction, Substitution & Cross Addiction, Understanding Harm Reduction and Medication Assisted Treatment -The Basics, Understanding Harm Reduction - The Podcast - (Based on the above outline - click title to listen), Icebreaker (See "Cohesion Building for Groups" on this page) Also check Forum page, Counting the Cost of THC (This has nothing to do with marijuana), How High was I..How Low did I Go? Download Free PDF Brief Group Module and Icebreaker Collection 2 - Taking the Escalator releases brief icebreakers and group therapy modules about twice per week in the "Forum" section on the Taking the Escalator: Group Activities by Topic page of the website. Everyone has some kind of story where they were on a path in a direction that was not working for them and they were able to somehow turn it around and get moving in the right direction. EXAMPLE - "I feel like if I tried to be more outgoing I would have more friends. 6/12/22 - "Morning Warrior" - Discussion Topic. - Examining the Pros and Cons, Decreasing the Negative & Increasing the Positive, Getting Started - (What Do I Do? 2 - What is at least one thing you would not ever do for any amount of money. When you're in active addiction, drugs and alcohol become your main priority, and the importance of things like physical and mental health, work, school, and family gets drowned out by your need to not be sober. Valerie Kreider, Ph.D., LPCC-S, LICDC, Harry Sivec, Ph.D. Coping with the challenges of guilt in relationships, Looking at what you want out of relationships, Adjusting the way you choose relationships, Some basic rules for conflict resolution in relationships, Alison Hendricks, Judith A. Cohen, AnthonyP. Mannarino, and Esther Deblinger, https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/Overview, NIH: Drugs, Brains and Behavior: The Science of Addiction, NIH: Drugfacts: Treatment Approaches for Addiction, Adolescent Substance Use Group (Multiple Choice), Identifying Teen Risk and Protective Factors for Substance Use (PDF Presentation Slides), Teen Risk and Protective Factors for Substance Use (Corresponds with above), Anger Management/Conflict Resolution Workbook, Additional ANGER collection from around the web, Three Ps for Coping with Anxiety in the Moment, Anxiety Busting - Challenging Your Thoughts, Anxiety Common Unhelpful and Helpful Thoughts Tool, "Understanding Insight and Motivation for Positive Change", Understanding Cognitive Distortions and Imposter Fears, Start Where You Are, Use What You Have, Do What You Ca, Wellness Recovery Action Plan (Version 2), 50 Journal Prompts for Anxiety and Depression, Brief Group Module and Icebreaker Collection 1, Brief Group Module and Icebreaker Collection 2, Brief Group Module and Icebreaker Collection 3, Making the Most out of Substance Use Treatment, Telehealth Specific Group Cohesion Building Activities, 30Team-Building Games, Activities, and Ideas, The Only List of Icebreaker Questions You'll Ever Need, Recovery Family Feud (Interactive PowerPoint). 6/1/22 - Icebreaker: "The Old Soul in Me". If you are working with clients who want to share their art, poetry, videos, pictures - etc. You should be receiving an order confirmation from Paypal shortly. 4/21/22 - Icebreaker Against the Grain, As you know, to "go against the grain" means to choose a path that does not go with the flow of society. The Setback-Motivation Guide - Start here to determine what areas you need to work on below: Staying the Course Toward Success Know the SIGNS, Before and After: Preparing for and Coping with Special Events, Weekend Plan - A basic planning tool for surviving weekends, Holiday Survival Plan - Planning ahead to get through any holiday without setbacks or relapse -, Escalator Seventh Floor: Supplemental Suggestions and Considerations, Meaning and Purpose in the Change Process, Coping with Death and Dying - A simple outline for discussing coping with a recent loss without abusing substances, FOR COUNSELORS READ: Engagement Tool - Values and Values and CBT, VIDEO LINK - Values - What's Important - (Corresponds to the above worksheet), Lifeboat Activity - Lifeboat exercises are nothing new but this one has had good success, It's Easy to Be Honest When You Have Nothing to Lie About, READ - Personality Issues: The Honest Truth, Getting Your Needs Met: Manipulation vs. Persuasion, (The Escalator method is a harm reduction approach overall however the following info specifically addresses harm reduction issues and topics), Understanding Harm Reduction and Medication Assisted Treatment -The Basics, Understanding Harm Reduction - The Podcast - (Based on the above outline - click title to listen), Taking an Honest Look at Abstinence, Harm Reduction, Substitution & Cross Addiction, READ -Straight D's -A Simple Harm Reduction and MAT Illustration, Adolescent/Young Adult Specific Worksheets and Information, For Counselors: READ: Working with Adolescents and Young People, Adolescent Substance Use - A basic educational outline for those working with adolescents and parents, Adolescent Substance Use Group (Multiple Choice) - This is a kahoot activity for adolescent substance use groups, ADOLESCENTS: RISK FACTORS - Exploring risk factors for substance use issues with young people, Icebreakers and Group Cohesion Building -, (These are less about education and more about building up the group in a positive manner which can be equally important), Group Glue - This one has a little bit of education because it explains the power and value of group cohesion, Brief Group Module and Icebreaker Collection 1 - Multiple shorter activities to choose from in this collection, Brief Group Module and Icebreaker Collection 2 - More, Making the Most out of Substance Use Treatment - This one is different because it is an interactive Kahoot activity, Telehealth Specific Group Cohesion Building Activities - Ideas specifically for virtual video groups, Declare-Disclose-Display - A variety of ways to get the group talking and interacting, Social Media Icebreaker - Exercise for self expression based on social media, Grading the Group - Interactive group report card, Grab Bag - A great list of interesting, questions and other situations to get people talking, Giving Activities - There is more happiness in giving than receiving, Fun Facts - Group Cohesion Building with some substance use and mental health info, Group Member Fill In the Blank - A great exercise to have fun and make group interactive, Describe - Draw - Describe - Get group sharing thoughts and feelings with art, Deep and Personal - Some in depth personal questions for opening people up, Slips of Paper - A quick and easy icebreaker that gets a group talking with no prep time, Unique - Discussing what you would and wouldnt do, Care or Don't Care Icebreaker - Another basic tool for starting group discussion, Majority - Interactive exercise, better for an established group than a new one, Choose or Lose Icebreaker - Some basic multiple choice questions for opening up discussion, Icebreakers for Break Time - Short but interesting group assignments for breaks in between groups, Sophisticated Debates - Communicating your viewpoint in a respectful way, Pointless Pursuits - (Warning: only try this if you and the group members have established a degree of comfort with one another), The League of Just Us - A basic activity about superheroes just for fun, Escalator Jeopardy - A comprehensive educational review in relaxed game format, Group Topics, Ideas and Worksheets for Closing Group, Goodbye Group - An outline for group when someone is leaving, graduating or moving on, VIDEO: Life Story Video - LB HEARS Episode 1 - Nikki Tierney - (Click to view). More therapy material posted several times per week - JOIN: Need a quick icebreaker to start out your group? Systems adi Group Ltd 3,545 followers 5d . To Control or Not to ControlIs that the Question? Help Needed! Materials marked "CCI" are from a large collection which comes generously from the Centre for Clinical Interventions (CCI) in Western Australia, who has allowed these mental health worksheets and activities to be uploaded and shared for counselors by Taking the Escalator. Background: Something got you up and going this morning. takingtheescalator.com Addiction and Substance Use Resources, Non 12 Step Motivational Harm Reduction Tools for Substance Use & Mental Health. When you are not in this group, if you need to process this further: Where can you get more SUPPORT? Icebreaker question: When you stare into a vast expanse like the night sky filled with stars or the ocean, what are some of the thoughts that come into your mind during those deep moments? Back Submit. Talking Trauma and Survival - Group therapy activity focused on getting people talking about challenging memories, situations and emotions with guidelines for creating safe therapeutic environment - https://takingtheescalator.blogspot.com//talking-traumaand takingtheescalator.blogspot.com This icebreaker gives people in the group a chance to make a statement and get some encouragement. - Examining the Pros and Cons, Mind on Mental Health (Podcast), has an engaging host and knowledgeable speakers on MH topics, Understanding and Coping with Mood Swings, 14 Character Traits that are Essential for Sustaining Internal Motivation, Decreasing the Negative & Increasing the Positive - (Love the Good, Hate the Bad), Dissecting the Heart - Enhanced internal motivation building, Flammable Areas - Early stage insight and motivation building, From the Heart- VIDEO LINK: From the Heart, READ - Getting Started - (What Do I Do? READ - Topping OutWorse than Hitting Bottom? Report. Who do you invite and what is the topic of discussion, https://icebreakerideas.com/stupid-questions-to-ask/. Being on the lifeboat doesn't mean survival, but not being on the life boat does mean certain death. Some examples are provided to help get the group started: When done, as a group discuss this final question: > What other positive and healthy things in life do you think that you could get accustomed too. Maybe you have a skill or talent you could briefly demonstrate or a picture of something interesting from your life on your phone or a news story on the internet or social media, 6/23/22 - Picture Discussion: "Leap of Faith". - A look at the healing process for trauma, Unforeseen Circumstances: Adapt or Collapse, Readjusting Your Relationship Radar - Adjusting the way you choose relationships, The Ideal Partner - Looking at what you want out of relationships, VIDEO - Healthy Life - Healthy Relationships - Corresponding video for above worksheet, "I Feel Like No One Understands" - Exploring empathy to help build interpersonal relationships, Guilt and Relationships - Coping with the challenges of guilt in relationships, Rules of "Fighting Fairly" - Some basic rules for conflict resolution in relationships, READ - Six Qualities of Healthy Couples that Stay Together, R-E-S-P-E-C-T (Find out what it means to me), The Cycle of Over-functioning, Guilt, and Resentment, Escalator Sixth Floor: Managing and Avoiding Setbacks, For Counselors READ: Managing Setbacks Using the Escalator, Also: Setbacks and Engagement- A Guide for Counselors, Getting Over the Hump - An activity for those who have been at this a long time, UNG- Unnecessary Grief - Thinking and planning ahead to avoid trouble later, Stability and Setback Prevention Checklist, FOMO - How to Identify, Prevent and Overcome the Fear of Missing Out, Triggered: A Discussion on Coping with Mental Health and Substance Use. Relaxation, walking, healthy eating, proper sleep, setting aside "me" time, taking breaks, rewarding yourself Self Care 400 Boredom stinks, it's like waiting around in the lobby, so if you want to get rid of boredom you need get yourself a ____ Hobby 400 Discuss the following questions as a group: 6/6/22 - Interesting Discussion Topic - "Worst Job, Best Job, Dream Job". Examples provided to get group started. This is not an opportunity to brag about behaviors that would be considered dangerous, aggressive illegal or anti-social, I put ketchup on my hot dogs and my steak even though most of society frowns upon that, Most people work out in the morning but I dont start my exercise routine until about 10:00 at night", Brief Group Module and Icebreaker Collection 1, Brief Group Module and Icebreaker Collection 2, Brief Group Module and Icebreaker Collection 3, Brief Group Module and Icebreaker Collection 4, Brief Group Module and Icebreaker Collection 5, https://randomwordgenerator.com/question.php. Group Activities by Topic - Taking the Escalator Health (Just Now) WebHealthy Life - Healthy Relationships Relationships: The Cycle of Over-functioning, Guilt, and Resentment Overcoming Obstacles and Breaking Down Barriers Life Skills Profile https://www.takingtheescalator.com/group-activities-by-topic Category: Health Show Health What are your three instructions for your life replacement? What would be the warning label outside of the front door of your parents house? These science-based comprehensive exercises will help you cultivate a sense of inner peace throughout your daily life and also give you tools to enhance the mindfulness of your groups. There are Taking the Escalator originals as well as therapy material from around the web, all listed alphabetically and categorized by topic. What was the WORST job you ever had and why? Everyone has some kind of story where they were on a path in a direction that was not working for them and they were able to somehow turn it around and get moving in the right direction. Long Branch HEARS is an organization in Monmouth County, New Jersey, the same area where Taking the Escalator got its start. 2 - What is one thing you can say that you are "great" at? The Real in Substance Use Treatment, For Counselors READ: Managing Setbacks Using the Escalator, READ - Personality Issues: The Honest Truth, Also: Setbacks and Engagement- A Guide for Counselors, Taking Another Look at Addiction, Recovery, and Sobriety, Understanding the Key Roles of Insight & Motivation for Engagement in Counseling, Understanding Some Key Concepts in a New Light, Understanding the Escalator Method from a Theoretical Perspective, Values - READ: Engagement Tool - Values and Values and CBT. For this icebreaker, everyone in the group is invited to share things they've learned to love. NEW: Ideas, News and Suggestions for Counselors: Click Here to View the Latest Taking the Escalator Blog, Click Here to View the Taking the Escalator FORUM page, < To search by word anywhere on this page press: CTRL F >, Click to view the Taking the Escalator Assessment and Screening Tools, Escalator Chapters 1 - 4: Essential Background Information, Taking Another Look at Addiction, Recovery, and Sobriety, Understanding Some Key Concepts in a New Light, Understanding the Escalator Method from a Theoretical Perspective, The 10 Principles of the Escalator Change Process, Escalator First Floor: Finding Your Way through the Escalator, Helpers - Identifying who is out there to help you with the change process, Assessing Your Change Initiative - Getting started learning about insight, internal motivation and external motivation, VIDEO LINK - "Understanding Insight and Motivation for Positive Change" - (Corresponds with Assessing Change Initiative), FOR COUNSELORS - Read: Understanding the Key Roles of Insight & Motivation for Engagement in Counseling, The Ideal Vs. This page contains regular updates with brief group therapy modules, discussion points, icebreakers, . Additional COVID-SPECIFIC resources from the web listed below: Coping with Cravings - An essential list of tools for understanding and managing cravings and urges, Cross Addiction - Education and exercise on substituting addictive behaviors, Decision Making, Ethics and Problem Solving, Challenging Choices Checklist - This is specifically for life's more difficult decisions, Decision-Making and Ethics - Examining what is behind making the right choices, Ethical Decision-Making 2 - Using insight and ethics to make tough choices, The Five Basic Elements of Effective Decision Making, Lost - When you just don't know which way to turn, Making the Right Choice - Another look at making decisions starting from good solutions, Red Flags for Decision Making Warning Signs for Productive Living, The Space Between - Effectively using the space between feelings and words/actions, When All Else Fails: The Costanza Principle - (Literally only use when all else fails), Shielding - Looking at how we may try to protect ourselves from in comfortable realities, Group Roles - Outline of different ways individuals may protect themselves in group settings, Depression and Alcohol Quiz - A very basic quiz focused on opening up a basic discussion on this topic, Disease Concept of Addiction (see also Addiction and the Brain), The Disease Concept of Addiction - Review of "symptoms" of addiction, Major Life Aspects of the Disease of Addiction, Or READ - The Subterfuge Exclusion - (Similiar to Circumventing Excuses in different format), Families, Support and External Motivation, Addiction and Choice - More Food for Thought, Do You Have to Want to Change? If you also tend to get bored easily, these self care activities for groups include everything fun, calming, therapeutic, and wellness.