A colleague of mine asked for a recommendation for a group idea for a therapy topic for a group of 30 addicts. She mentioned how it is difficult to find topics that haven’t already discussed since many of them have been around the rehab block, so to speak.

I decided to brainstorm with her some ideas for a group on inner child work. An outline of the group is below:

– Present the concept of the inner child as our child-like self that is a result of the experiences we had before our teenage years

– Have participants connect with their inner child through a meditation or guided script

– Ask participants to share about their inner child

– Introduce an experiential activity, such as coloring with the non-dominate hand (the gateway to the inner child)

– Play music during the coloring time, such as the Disney station on Pandora

– Have participants share their drawings and discuss their experience

– Ask for a commitment from each participant to engage in one activity a week that fosters a relationship with their inner child

I’d love to hear feedback from anyone who tries this type of group. Good luck and have fun.

Amanda Patterson, LMHC, CAP decided to become a therapist while attending Nova Southeastern University. She saw the need to help people achieve the life they wanted to live, while creating a life of her own. She completed her master’s in Mental Health Counseling and started a career in the juvenile justice arena. Since then, she has started a private practice in Wellington, Florida, specializing in depression, anxiety relationship issues, and substance abuse. Amanda is a believer in holistic treatment and she practices veganism, meditation and yoga in her life. Find out more about her practice here. For a free 15-minute consultation, call or text Amanda at 954-258-8845 or email her at amanda@amandapattersonlmhc.com.