Papers by Kenneth Pecoraro
Please read - All the same material is being posted in one place and is still available free. Tha... more Please read - All the same material is being posted in one place and is still available free. Thanks for your support
Ira Hays, LCSW, is an expert with years of hands-on experience and training on providing treatmen... more Ira Hays, LCSW, is an expert with years of hands-on experience and training on providing treatment for school phobia and he is the guest on this Video Podcast - https://youtu.be/Q23Bx65K-Aw
Therapy material to get group to sharing and expanding comfort zone in group therapy
In certain instances, we may have to grind through a tough situation in life because of the after... more In certain instances, we may have to grind through a tough situation in life because of the aftermath of our own choices. We all do what we can to try to always make good decisions but in our own imperfection at times we find ourselves confronted with stressful circumstances due to having to “face the music” related to an undesired outcome of a bad decision. This worksheet is specifically for coping with these types of situations when we know a tough period of time may be ahead due to the consequences, ramifications and reverberations of our own past actions and choices. So, if you are in a situation where you are thinking something like: “I got caught…”, “I took a bad risk”, “I wish I would not have done that”, “I messed up…”, “I regret…” then this worksheet can help you grind forward in a positive way, even though you may need to face the music.
Scientists have made a breakthrough in space travel and now every corner of the universe is easil... more Scientists have made a breakthrough in space travel and now every corner of the universe is easily accessible. Because of the vast size of the universe, selected people on earth are being chosen for the opportunity to rule their own planet. If you had this opportunity to set up a new world on a new planet, what are some of the things you would want to include? Consider the following areas below:
Everyone in this group has probably heard this before: Sharing openly about life situations, eve... more Everyone in this group has probably heard this before: Sharing openly about life situations, even difficult ones, is helpful and good for our personal process of positive change and recovery. Yet, still in substance use treatment groups, hiding the truth or even lying about relapse still may occur. Why?
Most people know the importance of honesty for therapy and treatment to be truly effective. Still, even knowing that, why do deception and dishonesty still happen sometimes in groups? Discuss some of the thoughts and feelings that may trigger dishonesty in therapy
This is a brief but positive and practical exercise focused on identifying and discussing persona... more This is a brief but positive and practical exercise focused on identifying and discussing personal strengths that can be used effectively for positive change especially related to substance use and mental health issues.
Picture this: Something is wrong…You feel anxiety and depression increasing lately, but you canno... more Picture this: Something is wrong…You feel anxiety and depression increasing lately, but you cannot assign it to a specific stressor. Your feelings are increasingly uncomfortable and difficult. What is making it worse is that you are not sure what is really bothering you. Maybe you can identify several things that could be triggers, but it is not clear in your mind what the real deal is. This state of not knowing why you feel this way may even be making you feel even more anxious and depressed.
This is an icebreaker which is focused on helping people express themselves openly. Everyone shou... more This is an icebreaker which is focused on helping people express themselves openly. Everyone should try to identify one thing in each category that is meaningful. Be prepared to discuss why each answer is meaningful to you personally. There are examples provided first and then some process questions at the end:
Although there can be a lot of similarities when it comes to each individual's experience with su... more Although there can be a lot of similarities when it comes to each individual's experience with substance use issues, every person's journey is unique. Developing a problem with substances often involves a complex array of factors over the course of time. One well accepted definition of "addiction" supports this viewpoint: Addiction is a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual's life experiences. People with addiction use substances or engage in behaviors that become compulsive and often continue despite harmful consequences.-American Society of Addiction Medicine (2019) This definition tells us that there are a variety of factors that contribute to the development of the disease of addiction. The same is true as well for most mental health disorders. For this group exercise, group members will identify some contributing factors related to their own substance use (and mental health conditions as well, if applicable). Please keep this important point in mind: Cause is extremely hard to determine. Since addiction can be complex and unique, it is not easy to simply say that one thing "caused" an addiction. This activity is for group members to discuss their own unique life's journey and perspective rather than focusing on blaming one or two life circumstances as the "cause" of a substance use or mental health disorder. For example, if someone came from a dysfunctional family situation it would not be appropriate to conclude "My family caused my addiction." Rather, for this activity, we will look at multiple types of life issues that may have been "contributing factors" rather than just one "cause". Directions: On a blank piece of paper, everyone in the group should make a "Contributing Factor Diagram." An example is provided on the next page. To make the diagram, think of some factors that may have contributed to substance use issues in your life. If you also have mental health issues as well, you can consider those factors too. Write down each factor in a circle and label the circle. Make larger circles for contributing factors that you believe had larger impact and make smaller circles for less significant issues. You may add explanations for your contributing factors on your diagram (See example.) When everyone is done making their Contributing Factors Diagram, discuss your diagrams and then answer the process questions.
For fans of the Taking the Escalator resource website, this podcast explains the history and orig... more For fans of the Taking the Escalator resource website, this podcast explains the history and origin of the website from website creator Ken Pecoraro
Therapy material designed to break down and discuss reasons why people don't ask for help when th... more Therapy material designed to break down and discuss reasons why people don't ask for help when they should
When acceptance is challenging, this is an insight-oriented perspective on gradually working towa... more When acceptance is challenging, this is an insight-oriented perspective on gradually working toward acceptance
Another icebreaker focused on getting group to discuss memories and things that are important and... more Another icebreaker focused on getting group to discuss memories and things that are important and worth remembering. Video intro: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/M5ChtWSY9WQ
Coping with and preventing unexpected events that can trigger relapse
Therapy material on the topic of Self Pity: How to recognize and recover
As we all know, certain life situations can make life feel overwhelming. However, the goal is to ... more As we all know, certain life situations can make life feel overwhelming. However, the goal is to keep grinding forward even when times are tough, and circumstances are complicated. One way to help reframe challenging and complex situations that we may face is to break things down in simple terms. An effective way to do this is to carefully think about simple, strength-based questions in the face of stifling self-statements
New therapy game for groups: Group Share Battle - Watch 2 minute intro video - https://youtu.be... more New therapy game for groups: Group Share Battle - Watch 2 minute intro video - https://youtu.be/LeM00N49_DY
I have established my career working with people in mental health and substance use treatment, pa... more I have established my career working with people in mental health and substance use treatment, particularly youth who can be challenging to engage to participate. This practical and informative video provides skills and perspectives for effectively working with this population. These skills work well for adults as well
Relationships tend to be parallel with one's lifestyle. For example, when a person is active in m... more Relationships tend to be parallel with one's lifestyle. For example, when a person is active in misusing substances, relationships tend to go downhill. The same is true when things may not be going well with mental health for an extended period: relationships may also be strained as well. To the contrary, when changing for the better, part of the change process involves working on improving relationships.
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Papers by Kenneth Pecoraro
Most people know the importance of honesty for therapy and treatment to be truly effective. Still, even knowing that, why do deception and dishonesty still happen sometimes in groups? Discuss some of the thoughts and feelings that may trigger dishonesty in therapy
Most people know the importance of honesty for therapy and treatment to be truly effective. Still, even knowing that, why do deception and dishonesty still happen sometimes in groups? Discuss some of the thoughts and feelings that may trigger dishonesty in therapy