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Group Therapy: Letting Go of Shame

The document outlines a group counseling session focused on the theme of 'Letting Go: Shame, Guilt, and the Path to Forgiveness,' designed for 12 participants in recovery from substance use. The session aims to provide a safe space for emotional reflection, peer validation, and tools for rebuilding self-worth while addressing the impact of shame and guilt on addiction. Key topics include understanding shame vs. guilt, the role of addiction in emotional avoidance, the process of forgiveness, and making amends to foster emotional resilience and community reintegration.

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mnyamande100
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26 views3 pages

Group Therapy: Letting Go of Shame

The document outlines a group counseling session focused on the theme of 'Letting Go: Shame, Guilt, and the Path to Forgiveness,' designed for 12 participants in recovery from substance use. The session aims to provide a safe space for emotional reflection, peer validation, and tools for rebuilding self-worth while addressing the impact of shame and guilt on addiction. Key topics include understanding shame vs. guilt, the role of addiction in emotional avoidance, the process of forgiveness, and making amends to foster emotional resilience and community reintegration.

Uploaded by

mnyamande100
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIALP

Group Counselling Session Plan

Theme: “Letting Go: Shame, Guilt, and the Path to Forgiveness”

Duration: 90 minutes

Group Size: 12 participants

Facilitator: Riobah Chisose (internship psychologist)

Location: Chipadze Rehabilitation and Detox centre

Setting: Safe, confidential, and non-judgmental space

Reason for Group Therapy

Substance use often coexists with deep emotional wounds—shame from past actions, guilt
over relationships harmed, and a longing for forgiveness that feels out of reach. Group
therapy offers:

- A shared space for reflection and emotional release

- Peer validation that reduces isolation and self-stigma

- A chance to reframe personal narratives and build hope

- Tools to rebuild self-worth and foster accountability

Participant Profile

- Age Range: 20–45

- Profession: Mixed (e.g., laborers, teachers, entrepreneurs, unemployed)

- Commonality: All participants are in recovery from alcohol and/or substance use

Topics to Be Discussed

1. Understanding Shame vs. Guilt

- Definitions and emotional impact


- How shame attacks identity (“I am bad”)

- How guilt relates to behavior (“I did something bad”)

- Group reflection: “What are you ashamed of? What do you feel guilty about?”

2. The Role of Addiction in Emotional Avoidance

- How substances numb painful emotions

- The cycle of guilt → use → shame → isolation

- Group activity: Mapping your emotional triggers

3. Forgiveness: What It Is and What It Isn’t

- Forgiveness as a process—not a one-time event

- Self-forgiveness vs. seeking forgiveness from others

- Myths: “Forgiving means forgetting” or “I don’t deserve forgiveness”

- Guided visualization: “Writing a letter to your past self”

4. Rebuilding Self-Worth

- Affirmations and reframing negative self-talk

- Sharing personal strengths and survival stories

- Group exercise: “One thing I’m proud of today”

5. Making Amends and Moving Forward

- Exploring the 12-step concept of making amends

- Role-play: How to apologize meaningfully


- Planning small acts of repair (e.g., reconnecting with family, volunteering)

Why This Talk Matters

- Shame and guilt are relapse triggers if left unaddressed

- Forgiveness fosters emotional resilience and motivation

- Group sharing builds trust, empathy, and accountability

- Participants learn they are not alone in their pain or healing

- It opens the door to restorative relationships and community reintegration

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