A volunteer and his/her certified therapy dog are the center of attention in this group. You can pet the dog, meet the dog’s owner, and socialize with others in the group. The many goals of this group include increasing relaxation, enhancing self-esteem and positive emotions, increasing socialization, and, for dog owners, connecting to daily living. The occurrence of this group is dependent on the availability of volunteer staff, so it may not be held regularly.
RECOVERY GROUP
Currently offered on Friday evenings, Recovery Group addresses substance abuse issues. This group is founded and modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Two volunteers from the greater Burlington AA community volunteer their time and conduct groups in each unit. Volunteers have been trained and are screened/registered with the UVM Medical Center Volunteer Office. Volunteers provide support and information to guide you toward sobriety.
RELAXATION GROUP
The purpose of this group is to provide opportunities to experience different types of relaxation techniques. The practice of relaxation releases physical tension, provides a “time out” from worries, and is an important skill in coping with stress. Techniques such as stretching, visualization, guided imagery, mindfulness activities, and progressive muscle relaxation will be used.
SEEKING SAFETY
This is a manual-guided therapy group for individuals with trauma/PTSD and addictions that was designed by Lisa M. Najavits. The Seeking Safety group has shown to be effective in helping with recovery from substance abuse/dependence and trauma. The information, handouts, and discussions in the group are also applicable for those with other issues who are interested in developing the skills necessary to keep themselves safe as they make healthy life choices and develop safe coping skills.
SLEEP HYGIENE
Sleep is essential in the healing process, and this group is dedicating to teaching practices that are shown to improve sleep (also known as sleep hygiene). This is an education group as well as a discussion group, and you will be welcomed to share with others about your sleep challenges and/or what has been helpful for you in improving sleep. You may be asked to create a personal sleep hygiene plan to apply to your daily life.
SOLVE THAT PROBLEM!
In this not-so-typical approach to problem solving, you will be asked to think critically about a problem or issue that you would like to solve and then decide on the concrete efforts you are willing to put forth in order to achieve a favorable outcome. You will evaluate the effects that your personal choices may have on the risks and benefits of getting what you want (a win-win solution), and consider how such solutions can improve the quality of your life.
SPIRITUAL CARE
In the Spiritual Care group, you will join in a discussion on how you can take care of your spirituality. Spirituality is not to be confused with religion in this context; persons of all religious denominations, as well as those who do not practice a religion, are welcome and can benefit. Short readings, including psalms and poetry that focus on themes such as hope and joy will be shared with the group and discussed. This group strives to nurture your spiritual connections during the healing process.
STRESS AND SELF-ESTEEM
This is a skills-building group in which we discuss and explore the behavioral, emotional, and physical symptoms of stress. We then strategize ways to decrease stress and increase relaxation that help in the moment and act in an ongoing preventative way to decrease stress, depression, anxiety, and foster continued growth and contentment.
SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIPS
Through the use of a worksheet and group discussion, you will be prompted to think carefully about the importance of your relationships and the effects such relationships can have on the quality of your life. You will explore issues of trust, honesty, loyalty, information sharing, privacy, and healthy boundaries. At the end of this session, you will be prepared to determine who your “real” supports are and how you and your supports can benefit from a transparent relationship.
T’AI CHI
T’ai Chi is a gentle movement activity that increases inner calmness, physical strength, and balance by engaging one’s breath, body, heart, and mind. Because of the slow and gentle movements in T’ai Chi, individuals of all ages and levels of fitness can participate and there are many healing aspects of T’ai Chi. For example, T’ai Chi increases the energy flow throughout the body, improves joint movement, improves circulation, lowers blood pressure, and enhances lung capacity.
TEAM BUILDING
In this session, we begin with a leisurely, get-to-know-you warm-up exercise, and then we partner up in twos or threes for success in a “Moon Mission.” Through the use of a worksheet-based scenario, you will have the opportunity to work closely with your partner to “get your crew safely back to the mother ship.” In this hands-on experience, you will learn more about yourself and your teammate(s) while gaining valuable insights into the importance of good communication and trust.
WELLNESS RECOVERY ACTION PLAN (W.R.A.P.)
The Wellness Recovery Action Plan (W.R.A.P.) is based on the work of recovery education advocate Mary Ellen Copeland. In this group, you will learn to identify symptoms, learn what stressors and triggers make your symptoms worse, and develop a daily maintenance list of activities to keep yourself well. W.R.A.P. will help you develop a concrete recovery plan that is tailored to meet your own personal needs and empower you to be in charge of your life and your ongoing recovery.
WRITING FOR HEALTH
This is a self-expression and skills-building group in which we explore strategies and techniques to improve your health through writing. The activities of the group include group discussions, journaling, goal setting, list making, creative writing, and poetry. These can help increase concentration, decrease confusion, and improve mood and well-being.
Of course, these are just some examples from the therapeutic offerings in inpatient psychiatry, but they are nevertheless indicative of the therapeutic styles and general theoretical frameworks used in this context. An important aspect of the group offering is however, the specific clinical and interpersonal-communication style of each therapist. Thus, even when the same group is offered multiple times during a single week (as in the case of cognitive behavioral therapy sessions), each session will be different, despite being solidly grounded on recognized psychological theories and evidence-based techniques. Of note, there are other sessions that are not generally included in the standard clinical psychology intervention on the unit, and represent a further elaboration on mind-body strategies:
EXERCISE
This group gives you an opportunity to use body movement to increase strength, flexibility, and coordination. A variety of games and exercises are used to increase concentration and socialize in a fun, relaxing manner. This session served as the first baseline group upon which the ongoing research study “Exercise enhancing strategies for patients in inpatient psychiatry” has been based.
