ACTIVITY: Spotting Thinking Errors

Purpose: To increase awareness of thinking errors and what to do about them Materials needed: Paper and pens Instructions/Steps: Begin this activity by talking about thinking errors.  What are thinking errors?  (Irrational patterns of thinking; they are thought habits but even though they are not entirely based in reality, we believe them deeply; they are …

TIP: Stages of Group

I was recently asked to write about the stages of a group, frequently referred to as forming, storming, norming, performing.  We tend not to talk too much about these stages, so here is a brief overview.  As a group builds together and learns how to function, the group goes through several stages of development. Essentially, …

ACTIVITY: Trust Cards

Purpose: This activity initiates the conversation about trust and suspicion. Materials needed: one deck of cards per 4 clients Instructions/Steps: Ask the clients to get into groups of 4. Hand each group a deck of cards and ask them to shuffle the cards. Explain that the objective is to sort the cards into four stacks …

TIP: Tell-Show-Try: The rhythm of a CBT group

Often, a cognitive-behavioral group, or a group that focuses on skill teaching, will have a certain rhythm or format to it to ensure that skill-learning is happening effectively.  Here is a simple structure that might help: SET AGENDA: This is a structuring statement that sets the tone for the group describing how the group will …

Activity: BOUNDARY WALK

Purpose: This activity can be used to explore boundaries, respect, communication and support emotional regulation. Materials Needed: None Instructions/Steps: Group members pair up and face one another at opposite ends of the room. One member of each pair begins walking towards the other The member of the pair that is standing still tells the walking …

TIP: Using “I” Statements

Using “I” statements shows up in almost every lesson on communication and is such an important skill, though clients (and us too) struggle with it.  It is also sometimes hard to catch it in the moment and develop an “I” versus a “you” habit.  The kind of “I” statements I want to touch on are …

Activity: Anger and the Things we Carry

Purpose: This activity can be used to explore themes around anger and letting go of anger. Materials: enough stones and rocks for each group member to have multiple stones, a handout with the words I’m Angry About… written across the top Instructions/Steps: Place a container of rocks and stones next to the facilitator. Each group …

TIP: Managing advice-giving in group

Have you ever had an experience in group where a client shares a struggle she is having and is quite vulnerable about it, and the rest of the group rushes in with advice?  Have you noticed that when others rush in with advice, it shuts the vulnerable person down? Unfortunately, when we share our struggles, …