Recovery Processing Group – Checkups for Long-Term Sobriety!

recovery processing group people on mountain

If sobriety is boring, we are doing something wrong!

 

Recovery Processing Group is available for our clients who have achieved 6 months of sobriety or more. As we stay sober longer our needs change. Gone are the days of having to learn and hone our coping skills. By the late months of the first year, we have learned many of the skills that are helpful in remaining sober long-term.

 

What we sometimes need most is a place with like minds who have walked a similar path to ours. Sanford Outpatient Center provides these groups to offer community and a therapeutic check-in. In the Recovery Processing Group, it is simply our clients, their daily experiences, and a therapist who can help moderate and make connections that may be difficult for clients to see when they are in the thick of it.

 

Recovery Processing Group Topics Include:

Time Management

How am I supposed to make time for family, work, friends, selfcare, sobriety, and everything else that happens in day-to-day life? Time management can be tricky in recovery. As we step back into sober roles, finding balance is a work in progress. Having a support system that helps us work through these struggles, can identify what is important, how to find balance, and see the commonality in the idea that we are not alone in this struggle.

 

Stress Management

Bills, baseball practice, and bosses, Oh My! Life continues to happen even when we get sober. Stress is one of the biggest relapse triggers we see at the Sanford Outpatient Center. Having a space that is solely dedicated to you, where no one needs anything from you, can be a great tool in managing stress and helping keep a lapse at bay.

 

Family Recovery Processing

Our families adapt when we are in active use. The roles we used to hold are naturally filled by others while we were intoxicated or high. When we enter sobriety and gradually step back into those roles we once held, family dynamics, expectations, hopes, and dreams can shift once again, causing discomfort as we reacclimate to this transition.

 

recovery processing group

What we sometimes need most is a place with like minds who have walked a similar path to ours. Sanford Outpatient Center group room.

 

Relationships and Dating

I want to start by saying that 13th stepping is frowned upon (that’s right, there is a name for it). However, as we remain sober longer and grow our skills, the reality of dating and making friendships sets in. You guessed it; this can be intimidating. Where is it safe to go on a date? What should my exit plan be? Where do I meet people? What are signs that a relationship (platonic or romantic) is healthy? How do I manage difficult emotions that arise when in relationships with other flawed humans who will probably hurt me at some point? All of these questions come up and should be given their own space to process as we build relationships in recovery.

 

Reengaging in Old Using Activities While Sober

Our firsts in recovery can be scary (concerts, sporting events, vacation, etc.). A critical part of sobriety is engaging in activities we are passionate about. Which probably means that at one point, we engaged in them while using. If you are a football fan (GO GREEN) you will need to learn how to safely participate in these activities. If you love music or traveling to new places, these should also be a part of your recovery. Game planning, learning from others who have attended these kinds of events sober, having an itinerary, and going with sober supports are all solutions we explore in group.

 

Expectations of Sobriety

At this point, we have all heard what our loved ones’ expectations of us and our recovery are. But what are your expectations? Dream big! If sobriety is boring, we are doing something wrong. Take the time to brainstorm by yourself and with others, what we want our lives to look like in sobriety. TIP: Write out your goals for your first
year, you will shock yourself with all you can accomplish!

Boundary Management

If you consider yourself a people pleaser, this next part is for you. Setting boundaries is hard. Putting ourselves first is hard. Telling people, “No” is hard. Knowing what we need is hard. Having a group that will support and encourage you can make all the difference in how we view boundaries. These are meant to help, not hurt. Having likeminded supports who view boundaries as positive, offers encouragement and empowerment when trying to set goals for our wellbeing.

 

The Recovery Processing Group is run by a rotating team of therapists so that clients get myriad styles and perspectives. This also allows the therapists to see the progress that clients have made while in Outpatient. (This is great for us and the clients!) There is nothing better than seeing an old client who is doing well pop into the Sanford Outpatient Center or pop-up on a telehealth screen!